本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Hi Maria,
Guess you must have received numerous emails recently, as your name turned up in an article named 'Asian students suffering for success', published on Toronto Star on November 10, 2010. Because of your inappropriate comments and poor judgments, Toronto Star suggested that 'parents of Asian background are coming under fire from their own community for pushing their children into university programs for which many have no real interest or talent...'
Personally I don't agree with some of your opinions as regarding to the success of the students of Asian ancestry. Here's some suggestion for you: As a public role representing the education authority, I suggest you watch out for what you say in public. Think about the consequences, be responsible.
I don't know what is behind your speech during the conference, “East Asian Parents: Multiple Pathways to Success”, but the fact is, what you've said was used in Toronto Star's article, together with quotes from Maclean's article 'Too Asian?', to incite criticism and racism against parents and students that are of Asian ancestries. I guess what have happened is not something that you've expected.
(
And according to the author at Toronto Star, Louise Brown,
“The conference caught my eye because it focused on parents and education. It’s true that a lot of parents of all backgrounds are obsessed by wanting their children to go to university and don’t let their kids consider other paths such as college.
“I’d never seen one particular cultural group address this in a conference however.”
Refer to this link:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/publiceditor/article/894113--english-star-falls-below-its-standard#article
)
In my opinion, it's very inappropriate for you, who represents the education authorities, and who also happens to be of Asian ancestry, to make such comments that there are too many 'Asian' students in the universities, to suggest that students of Asian ancestry are not quite qualified and talented, to suggest that it's the parents that are forcing the students into the universities. By doing so, you actually shows your racial bias and discrimination against the 'Asian' ethnic group, to which you belong too.
FYI. here's what I've mentioned in a comment made on Macleans.ca:
{
Based on what I've seen, the majority of sensible parents would hope that one day their kids would have higher education, no matter which ethnic group or race they are from. The reason is simple, formal higher education is the key to attain skills and get prepared to contribute to the well-being of the society. Why is there anything wrong for the parents bearing such hopes? Even if it's true that some of the students are not fully prepared for the advance learning in universities, or even post-graduate social life, so what? Just let them accept the failure, accept the reality, it's purely the choices made by the students and their families, it's their own problem, not yours. As Canadians we have basic rights to make our own choices in our lives, as long as we are following the rules and obeying the laws, you as a by-stander have no right to interfere. Just mind your own business!
}
Also, here are what I've mentioned in a letter to Toronto Star:
{
- One of Maria's Yau's comments is true, in that not all students have the independence or social skills to survive in the universities. However it should also be clear that this will apply to students from all ethnic groups, not just students of Asian ancestry! In reality, students from all ethnic groups, not just Asian students, face the similar problem.
- The fact that 'East Asian parents' have the highest percentage in hoping to sending their children to the universities, should be one reason that these parents be applauded, rather than condemned!
All sensible parents would hope that one day their kids would have higher education, no matter which ethnic group or race they are from. The reason is simple, formal higher education is the key to attain the skills and experiences necessary to contribute to the well-being of the society. Why is there anything wrong for the parents bearing such hopes?
Attacking East Asian parents for the hope of a brighter future is just ridiculous! I seriously think some people blame them out of jealousy.
Once again, the students of Asian ancestry are being blamed for their hard-work here, and their parents are blamed for supporting their hard-work here. Instead blaming them, everyone should learn from these students of Asian ancestry, and their parents, and compete on a fair ground, instead of whining, and blaming other's success because of his/her own laziness and the failure as a result!
What Maria Yau said here, 'it’s not “natural” for any group to have so many students heading for university', is wrong! To calculate the 'natural' percentage of students attending universities on an ethnic group's population among the whole population is wrong!!
}
Below you may also find the letters that I've sent to Macleans, and the Toronto Star regarding this incident.
XXXXXXXXXX
...更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
Guess you must have received numerous emails recently, as your name turned up in an article named 'Asian students suffering for success', published on Toronto Star on November 10, 2010. Because of your inappropriate comments and poor judgments, Toronto Star suggested that 'parents of Asian background are coming under fire from their own community for pushing their children into university programs for which many have no real interest or talent...'
Personally I don't agree with some of your opinions as regarding to the success of the students of Asian ancestry. Here's some suggestion for you: As a public role representing the education authority, I suggest you watch out for what you say in public. Think about the consequences, be responsible.
I don't know what is behind your speech during the conference, “East Asian Parents: Multiple Pathways to Success”, but the fact is, what you've said was used in Toronto Star's article, together with quotes from Maclean's article 'Too Asian?', to incite criticism and racism against parents and students that are of Asian ancestries. I guess what have happened is not something that you've expected.
(
And according to the author at Toronto Star, Louise Brown,
“The conference caught my eye because it focused on parents and education. It’s true that a lot of parents of all backgrounds are obsessed by wanting their children to go to university and don’t let their kids consider other paths such as college.
“I’d never seen one particular cultural group address this in a conference however.”
Refer to this link:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/publiceditor/article/894113--english-star-falls-below-its-standard#article
)
In my opinion, it's very inappropriate for you, who represents the education authorities, and who also happens to be of Asian ancestry, to make such comments that there are too many 'Asian' students in the universities, to suggest that students of Asian ancestry are not quite qualified and talented, to suggest that it's the parents that are forcing the students into the universities. By doing so, you actually shows your racial bias and discrimination against the 'Asian' ethnic group, to which you belong too.
FYI. here's what I've mentioned in a comment made on Macleans.ca:
{
Based on what I've seen, the majority of sensible parents would hope that one day their kids would have higher education, no matter which ethnic group or race they are from. The reason is simple, formal higher education is the key to attain skills and get prepared to contribute to the well-being of the society. Why is there anything wrong for the parents bearing such hopes? Even if it's true that some of the students are not fully prepared for the advance learning in universities, or even post-graduate social life, so what? Just let them accept the failure, accept the reality, it's purely the choices made by the students and their families, it's their own problem, not yours. As Canadians we have basic rights to make our own choices in our lives, as long as we are following the rules and obeying the laws, you as a by-stander have no right to interfere. Just mind your own business!
}
Also, here are what I've mentioned in a letter to Toronto Star:
{
- One of Maria's Yau's comments is true, in that not all students have the independence or social skills to survive in the universities. However it should also be clear that this will apply to students from all ethnic groups, not just students of Asian ancestry! In reality, students from all ethnic groups, not just Asian students, face the similar problem.
- The fact that 'East Asian parents' have the highest percentage in hoping to sending their children to the universities, should be one reason that these parents be applauded, rather than condemned!
All sensible parents would hope that one day their kids would have higher education, no matter which ethnic group or race they are from. The reason is simple, formal higher education is the key to attain the skills and experiences necessary to contribute to the well-being of the society. Why is there anything wrong for the parents bearing such hopes?
Attacking East Asian parents for the hope of a brighter future is just ridiculous! I seriously think some people blame them out of jealousy.
Once again, the students of Asian ancestry are being blamed for their hard-work here, and their parents are blamed for supporting their hard-work here. Instead blaming them, everyone should learn from these students of Asian ancestry, and their parents, and compete on a fair ground, instead of whining, and blaming other's success because of his/her own laziness and the failure as a result!
What Maria Yau said here, 'it’s not “natural” for any group to have so many students heading for university', is wrong! To calculate the 'natural' percentage of students attending universities on an ethnic group's population among the whole population is wrong!!
}
Below you may also find the letters that I've sent to Macleans, and the Toronto Star regarding this incident.
XXXXXXXXXX
...更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net