New N.C. bill would introduce AAPI history to school curriculum

A new bill in the N.C. General Assembly is calling for Asian American and Pacific Islander history to be taught in public schools. House Bill 835 would launch a statewide K-12 curriculum in 2026 that highlights the contributions and challenges of AAPI communities at local and national levels.

The proposed curriculum would include topics such as the role of early Asian immigrants in industries like farming and railroad construction, the challenges faced by Asian Americans throughout U.S. history and their contributions to social and political movements. 

N.C. Rep. Maria Cervania (D-Wake), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, said the curriculum aims to correct historical gaps and ensure students are taught a more accurate picture of the country’s past.

“People tend to not realize that the AAPI community has been foundational in how we are as America,” Cervania said. “Our contributions are often overlooked and with a growing, very substantial, significant AAPI community here in North Carolina, we want to make sure that our community is seen.”

Shruti Parikh, head of education and political engagement at North Carolina Asian Americans Together, said it is important for students to feel represented in their curriculum. 

“When students don't see themselves reflected in their curriculum, it causes students to feel a sense of isolation sometimes or lack of identity and really a lack of welcoming in the community,” Parikh said. “We believe that a high-quality education means telling the full histories of our state, of our country and about all its residents.” 

Michael Zhang, co-founder of Visibility Forward — an organization that promotes peace by increasing Asian American representation in education — said when he first came to UNC, he often met students who hadn’t encountered AAPI history until college. 

 Zhang said visibility matters for people to be able to become better versions of themselves and see role models for people to look up to. Curriculums, Zhang said, are a way to build a strong foundation.

Additionally, Zhang said the surge in anti-Asian violence is one of the catalysts for the bill.

“That was part of the reason I wanted to get involved — because I saw these really scary attacks that were terrifying members of the community,” he said. “We want to dismantle these negative stereotypes at their source, which is ignorance, and that’s why education is so powerful.”

Cervania said growing misinformation, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, has heightened the need for education that builds empathy and understanding. 

Learning factual history and content helps people understand how culturally rich the state and nation is, Cervania said.

“There’s been a lot of action — negative action — towards [our communities], be it attacks or policies and laws that have been passed in different states or federally,” Cervania said. “We wanted to do something positive and wanted to keep people informed and hopefully bring about empathy.”

She also said HB 835 comes at a time when some lawmakers are advancing policies that move away from diversity, equity and inclusion in public education.

Implementing the curriculum would require investment in professional development and funding would likely be needed at the state level to support curriculum development, training and the hiring of educators who can effectively teach AAPI history, Cervania said.  

Cervania said the details of how the bill would be implemented would be left to education professionals at the Department of Public Instruction. 

Similarly, Parikh said implementation of this curriculum should include input from educators and community members.

“We're not trying to rewrite history. We're trying to complete it. We can't tell the full story of America without the AAPI contributions and history. Our history is American history,” Cervania said. “It’s time for our classrooms to reflect that.”

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