It is Not Just About Scoring Points

Abstract

This article examines the controversy around race-related topics in US education policies and their relation to the Asian American identity. Asian Americans are often viewed as the model minority among ethnic minority groups in US society. The myth is especially prominent in education, where Asian students in the US are often seen as hardworking, ambitious, and acing the standardized tests. Nevertheless, Asian students and Asian families often found themselves in awkward positions in debates around US education policies, especially regarding racial politics. They perceive that affirmative action in the higher education admission process discriminates against Asian students, who are often omitted by such policy, albeit their identity of color. The continuing debate on whether critical race theory should become part of the US curriculum also attracts discussions in the Asian community, some of them contending that the achievements of Asian Americans disprove the existence of systematic racism. The analysis of discourses on educational policy debates relevant to racial relations in the U.S. demonstrates the inability for the model minority myth to capture the demographics of Asian Americans. Moreover, through the rhetoric of meritocracy and utilization of misinformation and emotional appeal, the model minority myth within conservative narratives functions as a reactionary forces in racial activism through hindering the solidarity among ethnic minorities.