HF 3434/SF 3557
Our students are our future.
All Minnesotans want our school systems to be places of joy that inspire imagination, cultivate curiosity, and ensure that all children can learn and grow.
“I moved half-way across to the country in search of my own identity, our students shouldn’t have to do the same.”
Mouakong Vue
St. Paul educator and advocate
Why Ethnic Studies?
Ethnic studies is about recognizing the contributions of ALL communities to U.S. history, reflecting the diverse schools and society we have today. Just like history classes help students to understand what happened in different times, ethnic studies courses are necessary to help students understand communities and cultures that are different from their own.
The Problem
Asian Minnesotans are a rich and diverse community who have lived and contributed to the state for generations, yet Asian Americans are often excluded in the curriculum across all subjects. When students are deprived of knowledge, they are denied an education that acknowledges the value of their and their peers’ cultures and histories.
Ethnic Studies combines multiple disciplines to develop cross-cultural learning and allows students to understand their identities and how they can contribute to a prospering community.
To shape a thriving school system we must pass HF3434/SF3557 to:
- implement Ethnic Studies instruction in all K-12 schools,
- include Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement
- and create an Ethnic Studies advisory task force to advise on curriculum.
The Solution
Ethnic Studies combines multiple disciplines to develop cross-cultural learning and allows students to understand their identities and how they can contribute to a prospering community.
To shape a thriving school system we must pass HF3434/SF3557 to:
- implement Ethnic Studies instruction in all K-12 schools,
- include Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement
- and create an Ethnic Studies advisory task force to advise on curriculum.
The impact
Hear From Our Youth
My people have fought in a whole war alongside the United States and I never knew about it. I remember searching through browsers and browsers, trying to trace my roots… This is what happens when our curriculum fails students like me, we are forced to not only educate ourselves, but others as well.
Gaozong Zoey Her
she/her
Because I didn’t connect to my culture or maintain my language, nor did I see myself at school, I was ashamed of who I was. I hated being Hmong, or really because I wasn’t white. I wasn’t the American ideal. I didn’t fit in… I hope with the implementation of Ethnic Studies, youth can begin to learn about themselves and understand that their identity is important.
Laichia Vang
she/her
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