This week’s reading “Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans” by Kaozong N. Mouavangson is fascinating. Before reading this autoethnography, I barely knew about Hmong community. Therefore, the reading helps me to take a closer look at the gender disparities within the Hmong culture where women are often stereotyped as excelling students compared to men. In addition, it also uncovers many surprising facts of how the U.S. education system falsely affects Hmong students and their community. The reading reminds me of my time in my community college when I used to have a Hmong friend named Vang in my organic chemistry class. The class was full of Vietnamese, Chinese, white, and Mexican students; however, Vang was the only Hmong student. This scene reflected the feeling of isolation either from the Hmong students at their school or from other Hmong male youths: “I felt like I was always a loner and actually there was another Hmong guy but it was just me and him throughout Elementary School… that’s why a lot of my friends are white and Mexicans.” (14) Indeed, the U.S. educational system did not do a great job on teaching students of color. Our educational system has a shallow view of Hmong students. They often struggle in school as a result of “gender expectations, language barriers, peer pressure, pressure from parents, and other cultural traits that are seen as cultural failures.” (4) This is quite sad. Although I am an Asian American (I am Vietnamese), I don’t quite actually experience the feeling of isolation like Hmong students do. Ironically, our country named itself as “The United States”, but the educational system is miseducating and thus dividing students of color.
Reference:
Mouavangsou, K. N. Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans. Retrieved January 20, 2019
Picture retried from the website "http://whacksworks.blogspot.com/2015/10/quote-i-said-it.html"
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