Walk Through The Valley Of Truth

In Streets of Gold: The Myth of the Model Minority by Curtis Chang, he discusses the stereotypes labeled against Asian-Americans and explains how the U.S. Society sees them as the “model minority”. He goes to the core of the “model minority” assumption, and shows the reader how the media heavily influences these ideas. He shows how cultural patterns within the Asian-American society fuel these ideas. Chang uses very interesting ways of presenting evidence by putting quotes within his piece thoughtfully, so that the quotes blend in with the paragraph. The author also has a humorous voice throughout the essay, which connects to the reader with the subject as if it were a one on one

Have you ever heard the statement that all Asian Americans are good at math and science and they excel educationally? This paper defines the model minority myth, provides historical context in perspective of the Chinese Americans and explains how these Chinese American’s experiences do not fit the model minority myth. The model minority stereotype has various negative assumptions towards Asian Americans and one of them is that it assumes all Asian Americans are a homogenous ethnic group. There are several ways how Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans do not fit the model minority myth. Specifically, the historical context of these Chinese Americans contradicts the model minority stereotype.

But it isn't Asian "culture" or any other attribute of ethnicity that is responsible for this success. Instead, it's a unique form of privilege that is grounded in the socioeconomic origins of some -- not all -- Asian immigrant groups. Understanding this privilege offers insights into how we can help children from all backgrounds succeed.

Statistics that support this model minority theory can be found in many areas, the first being education. Fifty percent of Asian Americans 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree compared to twenty-nine percent of the white population. Many studies have used standardized tests and school records, such as SAT, GPA, and other measures to compare the academic performance of Asian American students with non-Asian American students. Several studies have indicated that the outstanding academic performance of Asian students might be attributed to their cultural and family values. Another area of model minority success is found in the professional workforce. Asian Americans as a group work in the same place of employment as whites. This alone suggests that they have succeeded. A high percent of Asians are found at the top of professional and managerial positions. This success in the workforce has also lead Asians to hold one of the highest income figures per family by race. On the other hand, the model minority label is also seen as a myth. This label suggests that Asian Americans conform to the norms of society, do well in school and careers, are hardworking and self-sufficient. It follows that Asian Americans are a model for all groups, especially other minority groups. However, a closer look uncovers

There is a model minority group called “Combating the stereotype,” which is based on ethnicity, race, or religion whose members are to achieve a higher degree on socioeconomic success than the population average. There is a myth that other races should not counted for and the Asian Americans are successful in life. Asian Americans are usually denied assistance if they need help in some ways. When Asian Americans are discriminated their society and their achievements are undstandable and ignored. Asian Americans are percepted of high income level and

This paradigm suggested that it was possible for racial minorities like Asian Americans to overcome discrimination so harsh that it would "shock those now complaining about the hardships endured by today’s Negroes" . The model minority paradigm suggested that the failure of other minorities, therefore, due to a lack of initiative, and not something systemically racist within society. While the model minority paradigm glorifies the accomplishments of ethnic Asians and their traditional values of hard work, thrift and morality, Gary Okihiro asserts that it still "assigns Asian Americans places of subordination within social formations and oppresses them . One example of this repressive discourse can be seen in Juanita Tamayo Lott’s narrative,"Growing Up, 1968-1985". Lott asserts that the implications of this "racist love" can be seen in the workplace for example, as upper class whites have purposely created the model minority stereotype to assert their superiority over "exotic, Oriental, friendly and thus submissive" minorities. Asians are exhibited, writes Lott, "as model employees, and model minorities that don’t rock the boat"

A reading that stood out in Current Issues and Enduring Questions was “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” by Ronald Takaki. Throughout his essay Takaki expresses how although it seems the Asian minority in the United States has superiority over other minorities, this assumption is false. He touches on many ideas why Asian Americans seem superior. These ideas include: acceptance into universities, high household incomes, and praise for their entrepreneurial effectiveness (Takaki,1990,p.123).

that despite the supposed success of Asian Americans, the statistics prove the expectations to be

Even though the word positive sounds like a good thing, positive stereotypes have the opposite effect on the victim. It can sabotage “the process of forming a realistic and accurate perception” (Koppelman) and are often used as a distraction to shield acts of discrimination experienced by the victim. The Model Minority Myth is an example of a positive stereotype because it “diverts attention away from serious social and economic problems that affect many segments of the Asian American population, detracts from both the subtle and overt racial discrimination encountered by Asian American, places undue pressure on young Asian Americans to succeed

The Model Minority myth not only effects the education system but altercations with the law as well. “There is the story of Kuanchang Kao, an intoxicated Chinese-American fatally shot in 1997 by police threatened by his “martial arts” moves.”(Why Ferguson Should Matter to Asian Americans) As said in the article, this incident parallels the incident that has happened in Ferguson but did not receive national attention that the Ferguson case has gotten. This is mostly like due to the Model Minority. As it puts Asian Americans in a spotlight of success and makes Asian Americans disregard the validity of their struggles. Jack Linshi says that due to the Model Minority the idea of the Asian American struggle has been erased from the American

The author, Ronald Takaki, wishes to illustrate that the perceptions of Asian Americans as a "model minority" are not entirely accurate. Takaki writes that the facts and figures used to compare Asian-Americans to other, less successful minority groups are misleading. For example, the author writes that although Japanese Americans are seen as upwardly mobile, they have not yet achieved equality. The essay states that "while Japanese American men in California earned an average income comparable to Caucasian men in 1980, they did so only by acquiring more education and working more hours." In addition, the author found that while some Asian American groups do have higher family incomes than Caucasians, at the same time

What is the “model minority” stereotype? It is a common portrayal amongst Asian American students that suggests they are more academically and economically successful than other races. It is believed they are more successful than other minority groups because their cultures value hard work. Throughout the Second Edition of Unraveling the “Model Minority” Stereotype, Stacey Lee investigates this stereotype by examining the population of “Asian American” students at Academic High School.

Asian-American students from widely divergent backgrounds have tended to be grouped together under the “model minority” stereotype. In result, a misconception that Asian students are conscientious, brainy and successful made teachers became in unattentive to those Asian-Americans who we may label them as unsuccessful groups.

Lastly, Leung’s article discusses the perception of Asians in America. According to Leung, Asians are portrayed as “hardworking, highly educated, family-oriented, and financially successful.” (Leung, 2009. 390). Although these are positive judgments, the stereotype can make it easy for others to discriminate against an Asian (Leung, 2009. 392). Asians may undergo discrimination and inequality through their peers who do not treat them as individuals. They can be mislabeled according to their income, grades, achievement, and more. Leung points out that discrimination occurs among races that are considered inferior and superior.

It might be hard for most people to believe that Vietnamese Americans are discriminated in the United States; however, this fact is regularly reflected especially in working places through Vietnamese wages or job opportunities and at schools through relationships between Vietnamese Americans and teachers as well as classmates. “Vietnamese men earn 7-9% less than comparable East European men, with more discrimination among the less educated” and “Vietnamese immigrants, male and female, are much less likely to hold managerial and supervisory positions than comparable East European immigrants” (Yamane, 2012). If Vietnamese Americans are really the model minority, they should not be discriminated and such differences between Vietnamese immigrants and White immigrants should not exist. At schools, according to findings of a study conducted in 2000 by Santa Clara County, California Vietnamese Americans account for 11.5% out of the total number of students feeling teachers discriminate against them; it is estimated that 11.5% is “the highest for any refugee or immigrant group studied, and was more than twice the percentage for Asian Americans overall (at 5.0%)” (Yang).