Contact: Zowee Aquino, zaquino@hamkaecenter.org / (703) 951-7129
Virginia – The Virginia Board of Education decided to postponed the first review of History and Social Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) until the September board meeting while moving forward with scheduling public engagement opportunities for September and October.
“Despite the Board’s postponement of the first review of the History and Social Sciences SOLs until the September board meeting, we commend the Board for still proceeding with scheduling the public engagement opportunities. After talking with over 400 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in Virginia this past summer – including current and former Virginia public school students, teachers, and families – we found that our communities want an education that imparts honesty about who we are, tells a collective history, and helps students better understand the lives, values, and experiences of everyone in their community. Standards that connect facts with context and promote inquiry will truly help students be fully engaged citizens and be successful across the lifespan,” stated Sookyung Oh, Director of Hamkae Center.
Zowee Aquino, Policy and Communications Lead added, “Hamkae Center is currently reviewing and providing informed comments on the revised SOLs with community members to strengthen AAPI content to ensure that one of Virginia’s historic communities is represented alongside their fellow Virginians. Our community member base is equally enthusiastic to engage with regional public hearings and community information sessions on the revised standards once they are scheduled. And Hamkae Center will work to make this happen in September and October.”
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Hamkae Center is a community-based organization with a mission to organize Asian Americans in Virginia to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. Through community organizing, civic engagement, youth leadership development, community services, and grassroots policy advocacy, Hamkae Center works alongside its community members to build a future in which low- and middle-income, immigrant, people of color, and all marginalized communities can fully participate in U.S. society and work together as makers of lasting change.
We are the Virginia affiliate of the NAKASEC Network. Other members include HANA Center (Illinois), Woori Center (Pennsylvania), MinKwon Center for Community Action (New York) and Woori Juntos (Texas).
