Lau v. Nichols and Chinese American Language Rights

Professor Morita-Mullaney's book is a fascinating account of the Chinese American struggle and victory for bilingual education. Employing powerful first-hand accounts, she details not only this community's valiant efforts to win language rights but also to implement bilingual/bicultural education as fully as possible. * Russell Jeung, San Francisco State University, USA *
What Morita-Mullaney has done here is monumental. She has systematically and thoroughly tracked down the people, documents, and events that were key to this pivotal moment in the history of bilingual education in the US and brought them together to tell the story. We share their joys and frustrations, admire their creativity and wisdom, see their strength and courage. This book is a treasure, documenting a history that may have otherwise been lost to time and change. * Deborah Palmer, University of Colorado Boulder, USA *
Morita-Mullaney humanizes the sociopolitical history that has laid the foundation for present day education for multilingual learners. By centering the narratives and voices of San Francisco’s Chinatown communities, allies, advocates, and educators this book offers a much needed perspective on the origins and legacy of Lau. * Chris Montecillo Leider, University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA *

This book is well-researched and provides a comprehensive dive into the multiple, nuanced layers of language policy and practice. With clear visuals and tables, the volume does not feel burdensome or “heavy,” but rather presents the content in accessible, succinct sections and chapters [...] this book is fitting for graduate students in education as well as undergraduates or senior high school students within an ethnic studies curriculum. Attention to the historical underpinnings and thorough analyses allow the reader to gain awareness about bilingual education as it intersects with various educational stakeholders.

* Genevieve Leung and Jonathan W.L. Chen, University of San Francisco, USA, Language Policy (2024) 23 *

Many educational stakeholders will find this book useful in bilingual education policy, research, and practice [...] Most importantly, this book can help educators cultivate Chinese American students as cultural bridges between two of the most powerful nations that are increasingly at odds with each other to encourage productive dialogues, mutual respect, and sustainable collaborations.

* Lin Wu, Western Oregon University, USA, Bilingual Research Journal, 2025 *

This book offers critical insights for a broad range of stakeholders committed to bilingual education and educational equity. The book calls on scholars and practitioners to move beyond reductive understandings of bilingual education as merely a language issue and instead recognize its role in affirming and cultivating students’ bicultural identities, as well as its connections to broader sociopolitical issues such as racialization and civil rights. For policymakers, it presents a compelling argument for grounding language policy in historical context and the lived realities and specific needs of communities. Community leaders and parents will also find resonance in the book’s emphasis on the vital impact of Chinese community members’ sustained resistance, collective organizing, and grassroots leadership in shaping educational access.

* Jiadi Zhang, University of Missouri–St. Louis, USA, Journal of Language, Identity & Education, June 2025 *