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The Academic College Readiness of Southeast Asian Americans

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The Academic College Readiness of Southeast Asian Americans Multicultural Perspectives, 16(1), 35–42 Copyright C 2014 by the National Association for Multicultural Education ISSN: 1521-0960 print / 1532-7892 DOI: 10.1080/15210960.2014.872938 Ready or Not: The Academic College Readiness of Southeast Asian Americans Chia S. Her San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University The educational experiences of Southeast Asian The Model Minority Myth Americans, particularly Cambodian Americans, Hmong Americans, Laotian Americans, and Awareness of the challenges Southeast Asian Vietnamese Americans, are characterized by nu- Americans face in their educational pursuit has been merous challenges, which can be attributed to hindered for the most part by the perception of Asian their migration history, socioeconomic status, and Americans as the model minority. The image of Asian English proficiency. By the end of 11th grade, Americans as the model minority gained popularity in a high percentage of Southeast Asian American the 1960s when the media highlighted the academic and students are not college ready. The educational financial successes of Japanese Americans and Chinese challenges of Southeast Asian Americans have Americans (Empleo, 2006; Hurh & Kim, 1989; Takaki, been overshadowed by the model minority stereo- 1989; Wallitt, 2008). The term “model minority” has type. Educational policies targeting issues affecting since been associated with all Asian Americans (Empleo, the education of Southeast Asian Americans and 2006; Hurh & Kim, 1989). teacher preparations that focus on getting South- The stereotype of Asian Americans as the model east Asian American students to be college ready minority has been harmful to the Asian American could help change the educational story of this community. It lumps all Asian Americans together population. without taking into consideration the differences among various ethnic groups (Hurh & Kim, 1989; Kim, 1997; The path to earning a college education is a chal- Osajima, 1988; Pang; 1995; Suzuki; 1989; Wong, Lai, lenging one, especially for students from marginalized Nagasawa, & Lin, 1998; Yu, 2006). The diversity within backgrounds (Cabrera & La Nasa, 2001). Providing the Asian American community includes language, support through programs and services could help them countries of origin, culture, history, socialization process, start and complete the journey to a college education and learning preferences (Empleo, 2006; Pang, 1995). (McElroy & Armesto, 1998). Although there are Asian The failure to recognize the diversity within the Asian Americans who need help to successfully pursue their American community contributed to the feeling of education, they often are overlooked because of the invisibility for Asian American groups that are less misperception that Asian Americans do not need educa- known, such as Cambodian Americans (Wallitt, 2008). tional support (Hurh & Kim, 1989; Kim, 1997; Suzuki, The stereotype of Asian Americans as the model 1989; Yu, 2006). Instead, the more common belief is that minority also pressures Asian Americans to uphold the Asian Americans are doing so well educationally that stereotypical image of the successful Asian American they are overrepresented in higher education (Suzuki, (Hurh & Kim, 1989; Takaki, 1989; Wong et al., 1998), 1989). These generalized beliefs about Asian Americans causing psychological distress for students (Cheryan disregard the educational challenges of Southeast Asian & Bodenhausen, 2000). Students who do not embody Americans, specifically Cambodian Americans, Hmong the stereotype may experience lowered self-esteem and Americans, Laotian Americans, and Vietnamese Ameri- self-confidence (Pang, 1995; Wong et al., 1998). cans, many of whom are struggling to start the journey to Additionally, the model minority stereotype ignores college. the struggles of Asian Americans who do not fit the mold of the model minority (Osajima, 1988). Asian Americans who are struggling and need assistance are Correspondence should be sent to Chia S. Her, 5500 Campanile not recognized because of the misperception that Asian Drive, San Diego, CA 92182. E-mail: [email protected] Americans are already successful and do not need to be Multicultural Perspectives 35 helped (Yu, 2006). The stereotype of Asian Americans as due to the trauma of war and resettled in the United States a successful group has also cost Asian Americans access out of necessity (Rumbaut, 2000; Takaki, 1989). to educational support services programs in high school and college which are designed to help disadvantaged groups (Hurh & Kim, 1989; Kim, 1997; Suzuki, 1989). Struggling with English Proficiency Furthermore, the model minority stereotype simul- taneously minimizes the existence of racism within the Migration history helps explain Southeast Asian United States while perpetuating stereotypes of racial Americans’ limited English proficiency. The U.S. Census and ethnic groups. This is done through promoting the Bureau 2009–2011 American Community Survey idea of meritocracy (Osajima, 1988; Yu, 2006), which collected data on the language proficiency of racial and advances the belief that racism is not the reason why ethnic groups. Individuals who identify with multiple some ethnic groups are more socially and economically racial and ethnic categories are included with every racial successful. If Asian Americans can overcome racism, and ethnic group they identify. As shown in Figure 1, other minority groups should be able to do the same there are high proportions of Southeast Asian Americans, (Hurh & Kim, 1989; Osajima, 1988; Takaki, 1989; Wong particularly Vietnamese Americans, who speak English et al., 1998; Yu, 2006). Likewise, the model minority less than “very well.” The high percentages of limited stereotype is often used to pit Asian Americans against English proficiency impacts not only the opportunities other underrepresented groups (Suzuki, 1989; Takaki, members of these communities have in the general 1989; Yu, 2006), perpetuating the belief that certain society, but also demonstrates that many students arrive groups are preferable to other groups. in schools needing to develop their English skills. Not the Model Minority Living in Poverty Although the model minority label is applied to all The impact of limited English proficiency is re- Asian Americans, many Southeast Asian Americans do flected in the poverty rates of Cambodian Americans, not fit the mold of the model minority. They encounter Hmong Americans, Laotian Americans, and Vietnamese numerous educational challenges that are related to their Americans. As shown in Figure 2, Cambodian Americans migration to the United States, English proficiency, and have a poverty rate of over 20% and Hmong Americans socioeconomic status. have an even higher poverty rate of about 28%. The data suggest that Southeast Asian Americans groups are more Migration to the United States as Means at risk because they lack economic resources that can be for Survival used to support a college education. The high proportions of Southeast Asian Americans in poverty is not apparent Most Southeast Asian Americans are refugees or when all Asian American groups are reported under descendants of refugees who resettled in the United an aggregate Asian American category. It is absolutely States after the Vietnam War (Ngo, 2006). The refugees essential that data on poverty are disaggregated by the admitted through 1986 were predominately Cambodian, various ethnic groups. Using the aggregate gives the false Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese, with Vietnamese impression that all Asian Americans are doing well, if representing the largest group (Rumbaut, 1989). The not better, than Whites. refugees came in two waves, the first wave in 1975 and the second wave after 1975 (Rumbaut, 1989, 2000; Takaki, 1989). The first wave of refugees were Struggling with Educational Attainment from higher socioeconomic families and came with more transferable skills and knowledge of the English Southeast Asian American communities have lower language than those in the second wave (Rumbaut, bachelor’s degree attainment rates than other Asian 1989, 2000; Takaki, 1989). The second and larger wave American groups as seen in Figure 3 for individuals of refugees were primarily from rural areas and came 25 years or older. As in the case of poverty rates, it is from low-socioeconomic communities (Rumbaut, 1989). important to disaggregate data on educational attainment Vietnamese refugees were the most educated with an by ethnic groups. For example, as shown in Figure 3, average of 9.8 years of education and Hmong refugees about 12% or less of Cambodian Americans, Hmong were the least educated with an average of 1.7 years Americans, and Laotian Americans have earned a college of education (Rumbaut, 2000). While there was great degree. These are much lower rates of bachelor’s degree diversity within the Southeast Asian refugee groups, they attainment in comparison to Korean Americans where shared a similar experience in that they fled their homes 34% of the population have earned a college degree and The Official Journal of the National Association for Multicultural Education 36 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 1. Limited English proficiency by racial and ethnic groups. Individuals who identified with multiple racial or ethnic groups are included in each group they identified (color figure available online). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011. about 30% of Japanese Americans have as well. However, time, lower academic achievements of Southeast Asian the degree attainment
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