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Students urge board to honor Fred Korematsu; trustees approve resolution
Summary
Student speakers asked the Pasadena Unified School District board to adopt Resolution 2856 recognizing Fred Korematsu and to reinforce teaching about forced relocation and human-rights history; trustees approved the measure after brief remarks and applause.
Student leaders from local high schools asked the Pasadena Unified School District board to adopt a resolution honoring Fred Korematsu and to strengthen instruction about wartime forced relocation.
Lula Matsura, a sophomore at John Muir High School and member of the student assembly, told trustees the state model curriculum “describes the urgent need” for educators to teach about Japanese American forced relocation and called the episode an example of “extreme human-rights violation.” Mata Maka Trap, a sophomore at Pasadena High School, connected the history to students’ family stories and current events, saying the legacy of resistance “strengthens my commitment to this resolution.” Matsura quoted Korematsu: “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”
Board members thanked the students for their presentations and praised the civic leadership of young people. President Frederick moved to approve Resolution 2856 declaring January 30 Fred Korematsu Day; the motion was seconded and approved by voice with trustees raising hands in favor.
The resolution will be added to the district’s public record; student participants asked the board to ensure the district’s curriculum continues to include the history of Japanese American incarceration and to connect that history to contemporary civil‑rights concerns.
