“Urgently Needed to Protect Asian American Children and Families”: The Social Movement for Asian American Studies at K‐12 Grades

Abstract

The national movement for Asian American Studies (AASs) curriculum at the K‐12 level has burgeoned during the COVID‐19 pandemic and the subsequent surge of anti‐Asian hate. Seventeen states proposed legislation requiring AAS content in their public schools and ten states have now mandated it. Using case studies of two states, Illinois and New Jersey, this article details how community activists and elected legislators framed their campaigns to successfully pass their bills. In both states, the campaigns utilized diagnostic frames from the broader Asian American movement. However, they also incorporated and developed prognostic frames and motivational frames more resonant with the current moment. Notably, stakeholders focused on organizing around a winnable issue, with an emphasis on racial bullying in New Jersey and multiracial solidarity and inclusion in Illinois.