Councilmember Sandra Ung was joined by District 25 Superintendent Danielle Dimango, PS 244 Principal Robert Groff and members of his faculty, Leny Cordero of the Asian American Education Project, Maria Castaneda of 1199 SEIU, and representatives from the United Federation of Teachers to announce a new pilot program to add an AAPI history component to the curriculum at an elementary school in her district.

Councilmember Sandra Ung was joined by District 25 Superintendent Danielle Dimango, Principal Robert Groff, and representatives from the United Federation of Teachers, 1199SEIU, and the Asian American Education Project to announce a pilot program to bring an AAPI history curriculum to PS 244 in Flushing. 

“It is fitting that on the last day of AAPI Heritage Month we are announcing PS 244 will add an AAPI history component to its current curriculum, a year ahead of the citywide rollout of the Department of Education’s own AAPI history curriculum,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “I want to thank all of the different organizations and people who worked together to make this a reality. Teaching AAPI history in our classrooms will not only give Asian-American students a deeper appreciation of the role the community has played in the history of this nation, but also foster a climate of tolerance as we continue to deal with the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. I am excited that PS 244 was chosen for this pilot program.”

“I’m very proud that District 25 has piloted one of the first AAPI curriculums in one of our middle schools, so we are very happy to have our teachers continue their training in such an important culture that makes Flushing the community that it is,” said District 25 Superintendent Danielle Dimango. “Teacher training is key, so we are very excited that we are committing that time for them to really unpack the resources and engage with leaders in this work and have firsthand experiences with the curriculum.” 

The new lessons will be developed by the Asian American Education Project, which was also hired to develop lesson plans for the Hidden Voices: Asian American & Pacific Islander curriculum for the Department of Education. That material will be introduced in the city’s public schools sometime in 2024. 

“With what has been going on in the world and our country at this time, it is important to not only respect other cultures but to learn about other cultures,” said Mary Vaccaro, Vice President of Education for the United Federation of Teachers. “Our city’s diversity is one of its great strengths. Learning the history behind the many Asian cultures in our school communities is what education is all about.”

Beginning in June, staff from the Asian American Education Project will hold a series of training workshop for teachers at PS 244 on the new curriculum prior to its integration into the classroom during the 2023-2024 school year. The lesson plans include five thematic units on citizenship, civil rights, identity, immigration, and racism.

“Our curriculum will foster respect, sense of belonging, and a good relationship between students of different backgrounds,” said Leny Cordero, New York Coordinator for the Asian American Education Project. “The history of AAPI is deeply intertwined together with American’s own history, yet often forgotten and ignored in today’s classrooms and in public discourse. Our goal is to teach the teachers, who teach the students, who in turn go home and teach their parents and start a discussion.”

Six years ago, a racial equity initiative was introduced at PS 244. Over 90 percent of the families attending the school are of Asian descent. 

“We are excited to take on this opportunity at our school,” said Principal Robert Groff. “It’s important that we learn together to reflect on that Asian-American history and grow within it. With this new curriculum, we will show that history through our students’ perspective.”

In response to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during and post-pandemic, 1199SEIU United Health Care Workers approached the Asian American Education Project and United Federation of Teachers about creating a pilot program to implement AAPI history curriculum in public schools. The groups then worked with Councilmember Ung to select a school in her district. There is a similar pilot program underway at one school in Brooklyn and another in the Bronx. 

“This new pilot program is vital given the current environment of rising hate and violence towards our communities,” said Maria Castaneda, Senior Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU. “It’s an opportunity for school children to be educated in a multicultural and multiracial curriculum, where they can learn and appreciate one another and know that America is their home, and this is where they belong.”