 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
Asian Americans And the Fight for Educational Rights (3 of 6)
It was a Chinese parent who won the 1974 landmark decision of Lau vs. Nicols in which the Supreme Court was forced to recognize that non-English speaking students were being denied their right to an equal education unless bilingual instruction was implemented.
In higher education, Asian Americans joined other minority students to demand affirmative action (especially for working class Asian Americans) and other programs which not only opened the doors of higher education to those who otherwise would be denied, but also provided a meaningful education interpreting and drawing from our own history, culture and traditions.
Particularly important was the demand for ethnic studies programs which, for the first time, taught Asian Americans and other minorities the truth about the contributions and struggles of our people as well as exposed the racism and oppression of the capitalist system. The awareness of Asian American history and culture and the forging of a positive national identity was an important step in bringing many young Asian Americans into the communities to learn firsthand the conditions of national oppression and to make the commitment to fight for social change.
It was in this period that the first Asian student groups formed on campus. They joined the fight to demand equal rights and political empowerment, not only in education but in an overall way.
Beginning in the late 1970s and through the 80s, however, our rights have come under severe attack. The U.S. government, in the post-Viet Nam War era, has implemented a policy of increased militarization and repression of minority, poor and working people in order to shore up a weakened U.S. economy.
Comments on this Article? Go to our forums
