Kota Someya
Professor Quach
Soc 20
November 18, 2012
News Reflection: Chinese American and Japanese American The article I read on the New York Times website has similarity with my experience with my former seventh grade teacher, and how the public reacts. The article is about a high schooler named Ting Shi and how school tests are vital steppingstones for his future, and how his families value education. Ting works very hard, he goes to test preps, tutoring, and he goes to after schools. A common studious Asian kid, with plans for the future, just like me. The story goes on to tell to how he tests into a prestigious public high school that requires him to pass an intense 95 question entrance test. He passes, alongside the 8,549 asian students out of 14,415 students who passed the test. That's roughly 60% of the admission going to the Asian students, and because of it's disparity, some have begun calling for an end to policy using test as the sole basis for school admission, which resulted in a dispute. (Spencer, 2012) Being the role model minority or ideal minority is like being a double edged sword, great to wield for protection and defense, but slices our privileges down when others use the blade (Schaefer, 2012, pg.285). Sometimes it's very difficult to differentiate the statement "you're asian you must be smart" as a compliment or as an insult, due to the fact that I actually take my time and go over my material. Unlike some utterly intelligent person who comprehend the material inside the textbook just by reading it once. Before reading the textbook and going to the sociology lecture, the previous statement did not provoke me at all, but now that I think back on some of the peoples tone and attitude when they said "you're asian you don't need to study" it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Back in my seventh grade boarding school in Oregon, my English teacher asked me why I was struggling on algebra when I was suppose to be good at it already. I was confused back then, but now understand perfectly. Racial profiling in America at it's finest! Going back to the article, the