Yingyi Ma Weighs in on Lack of AAPI History Taught in Schools in South China Morning Post

May 17, 2021

The South China Morning Post

Yingyi Ma

Sociology Department

Center for Policy Research

Race & Ethnicity

U.S. Education

United States

The South China Morning Post

Yingyi Ma

Asian Americans represent a diverse population of more than 23 million—or about 7 percent of the total U.S. population—and make up the fastest growing population in the country, yet Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history remains largely absent in U.S. schools.

Yingyi Ma, associate professor of sociology and director of Asian and Asian-American Studies, says it’s "actually very common" for students to complete their primary and secondary education with little, if any, attention paid to AAPI-related topics.

"There are a lot of reasons, but I think it’s largely the ‘invisibility’ of Asian-Americans," says Ma. "They’re almost like a forgotten minority in our discussion of social justice and equality. This has a lot to do with the ‘model minority’ myth that’s perceived in American society. We’re covered in the media as ‘successful’ minorities, because of educational attainment and pretty high-income level."

Read more in the South China Morning Post article, "Amid a wave of violence against Asian-Americans, some push for more of their history in classrooms."