New state senate bill would require K-12 to study Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Hmong experiences

A state Senate bill is aiming to teach school children about the Vietnamese refugee experience, the Cambodian genocide, and Hmong cultural studies.

Republican Senator Janet Nguyen and Democratic Senator Ricardo Lara authored Senate Bill 895. The bill would require social studies lessons about Vietnamese refugees and their experiences after the fall of Saigon. It would also cover the Cambodian genocide and curriculum on Hmong history and cultural studies.

If the bill passes California would need to adopt the K-12 curriculum by 2023. So far the bill has passed the state Senate and was approved by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Read the full bill here.