A03
April 13, 2017
A few years ago, I came across an article about an Asian American Yale law professor with two teenage daughters who are pushed to excel in everything as long as the mother chooses what they do. Many American-raised teenagers would have cracked under pressure if they had a mom who taped a music score to the hotel room television so her daughter can perfect a violin solo. Now, reading OiYan Poon's study offered a more neutral perspective on Chua's parenting style rather than quickly concluding all Asian moms aim to deprive their kids' youth. After reading samples of Poon's data, these Asian American high school seniors appreciate their parents' opinions and any help they receive to navigate a system that was not set up to benefit them. This neutral take sets the tone on how Asian American high schoolers approach the college application process, and how much their parents positively influence their decisions.
I was not surprised that academic competition among Asian Americans remains high across the U.S. Many first-generation Americans were raised to value education, but I did not realize that the source of some competition stems from special standards from some schools that need to meet or maintain a certain quota. I quickly learned this stereotype of Asian American students had another angle besides having strict parents. Chung Allred makes it clear that many schools including Lowell High School in San Francisco and UC Davis School of Medicine have used affirmative action to benefit a certain group of students based on race rather than merit. As a result, the stereotype of over-achieving Asian Americans persists but is insufficient to account for experiences some people have no control over.
Q: Have you had any experiences with a "Tiger Mom"? How would you be different today if you had or did not have a parent with high expectations of you?
Kolbert, E. (2011, Jan 31). The Tiger Mother, America's Top Parent. The New Yorker. Retrieved from
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/31/americas-top-parent
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