Hey Asian Americans! President Obama just announced his plans to change education policy. Where is everyone getting all worked up over the proposals???
It's always so interesting to me that Asian Americans get all worked up over elite college admissions, but rarely do they articulate any interest in education policy. Is it just not as sexy a topic? What is it? What do you think?
There are definitely some interesting things in the education portion of the stimulus... let's take a look, shall we?
You can find the full outline of the Education plans
here, but here are some highlights of things that I think are especially relevant for AAPI's.
Expand charter schools. I feel really mixed on charter schools. It's cool that there's a pathway for community members and educators to develop new schools that may be more responsive to students, but I've always been concerned about the effects of charter schools on segregation. But, imagine an AAPI based school with AAPI Studies curriculum, Asian languages, community-based projects... hmmm.
Make math and science education a national priority.
The President is calling for more recruitment of science and math majors into K-12 teaching. With so many Asian American math and science majors, I say we target them to pursue careers in teaching - a rewarding profession that pays pretty decently and provides good tax breaks, but still should pay better. Plus, AAPI's are under-represented in the teaching profession.
Recruit, Prepare, Retain, and Reward Teachers. As much as the merit pay proposal is controversial among education policy circles, it might be a good way to get some of these overachieving, competition minded Asian American kids to pursue teaching careers. At least I hope so. Look folks... even during the tech boom, my only friends who successfully owned homes were K-12 teachers. It's hard work (10-12 hour days), but probably the most rewarding career anyone could pursue. Anyone else ever think about how back in the day in Asia, teachers were highly regarded holding the highest status levels? Let's bring that into the Asian American tradition! [I'll go with anything to try to increase the numbers of AAPI teachers!]
Address the dropout crisis. For many
Pacific Islander and
Southeast Asian American students, this is still a serious issue.
Support English Language Learners. Since Chinese Americans were pioneers in establishing the right to bilingual education (See:
Lau v. Nichols - our AAPI "Brown v. Board"), this is very good to see political leaders pushing, I hope, against the
English-only inititatives by Unz (He's as evil as
Ward Connerly, I tell ya!). I always wonder why a white kid gets rewarded for going overseas and learning a few words in another language, and rich parents hire
Chinese nannies so they can learn Mandarin, but immigrant children some how should be denied the right to retain their first languages while learning English.
"Make College a Reality" campaign. More AP and college level classes for high schoolers every where. This is a great idea... if we can get students this information.
Increase funding for college outreach programs. Hallelujiah! I've had many Southeast Asian American college students benefit from
TRIO programs, and worked with them in defending them against Bush's efforts to destroy these programs.
Simplify financial aid forms (e.g. FAFSA). Can I get another Amen!? I just filled out (hopefully my last) FAFSA for next year, and remembered when I struggled through the form when I was 18, because my immigrant parents didn't feel very comfortable filling the complicated form out.
American Opportunity Tax Credit. YAY! Let's make higher ed more affordable. I'm totally for this, and I'm sure a lot of college minded AAPI students and families are too.
I know some people aren't so certain about increased funding especially for
Title I programs, which provide support to school districts with high numbers of low income students. I think after so many years of funneling so much money to war, it's time to funnel money to our schools. Like a Vietnam-era slogan said: Wouldn't it be great if our schools had all the money they needed and the military had to hold a bakesale to buy a bomber?
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