Estereotipos Asiaticos
Asian American Students: Educational Needs Overshadowed by Stereotypes
Mark Hoefnagel
Writing 1010-002
Professor Carpenter
April 23, 2001
Within our society, education is seen as the number one priority. Orestes Brownson commented that “every child is born with as good a natural right to the best education that community can furnish, as he is to a share of the common air of heaven or the common light of the sun” (Brownson, 1839, p. 277). Throughout the history of public education, schools have been used as a tool for correcting society’s woes and balancing economic opportunity. Although this goal of education remains the same, the variables are always changing. Cultural and ethnic differences comprise the most troublesome problems relating to education. The belief that each person deserves a fair and equal education still exists, but in reality the school system in this nation falls short of providing a complete and universal education for its youth. Immigration has always been a significant contributor to the changing ethnic and cultural composition of the United States. Asian Americans have more than a 150-year history of immigration to this country; about 90% have immigrated following the Immigration Act of 1965. The Asian American population in the United States represents members of 31 ethnic groups who speak 300 different languages and dialects (Olsen, 1997). The popular image of Asian American students is they are industrious, high achieving, and well adjusted; they are typically considered the model minority in America. The disproportionate emphasis placed on the academic performance of Asian American students, due to the model minority stereotype, stands in the way of dealing with actual student needs, it jeopardizes their ethnic identity, and overshadows the importance of their individuality; we need to take action to establish a multicultural approach to determining and meeting the educational needs of Asian American
Mark Hoefnagel
Writing 1010-002
Professor Carpenter
April 23, 2001
Within our society, education is seen as the number one priority. Orestes Brownson commented that “every child is born with as good a natural right to the best education that community can furnish, as he is to a share of the common air of heaven or the common light of the sun” (Brownson, 1839, p. 277). Throughout the history of public education, schools have been used as a tool for correcting society’s woes and balancing economic opportunity. Although this goal of education remains the same, the variables are always changing. Cultural and ethnic differences comprise the most troublesome problems relating to education. The belief that each person deserves a fair and equal education still exists, but in reality the school system in this nation falls short of providing a complete and universal education for its youth. Immigration has always been a significant contributor to the changing ethnic and cultural composition of the United States. Asian Americans have more than a 150-year history of immigration to this country; about 90% have immigrated following the Immigration Act of 1965. The Asian American population in the United States represents members of 31 ethnic groups who speak 300 different languages and dialects (Olsen, 1997). The popular image of Asian American students is they are industrious, high achieving, and well adjusted; they are typically considered the model minority in America. The disproportionate emphasis placed on the academic performance of Asian American students, due to the model minority stereotype, stands in the way of dealing with actual student needs, it jeopardizes their ethnic identity, and overshadows the importance of their individuality; we need to take action to establish a multicultural approach to determining and meeting the educational needs of Asian American
References: Brownson, O. (1839). Decentralization: Alternative to bureaucracy?. In M. B. Katz (Ed.) School reform: Past and present (pp Chiang, L. H. (2000). Teaching Asian American students. The Teacher Educator. Retrieved March 28, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.wilsonweb2.hwwilson.com Lee, S. K. (1999, January). The relationship between cultural identity and academic achievement of Asian American students Olsen, L. (1997). An invisible crisis: The educational needs of Asian Pacific American youth. Asian Americans / Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy. Retrieved April 7, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.edrs.com Orfield, G. & Glass, D. (1994). Asian students and multiethnic desegregation. A publication of the Harvard Project on School Desegregation Takaki, R. (1989). Strangers from a different shore: A history of Asian Americans. Boston: Brown.