Proposed reforms intended to ease pressure on students and lessen stress is dividing many Asian immigrant parents from Whites in a school district near Princeton, New Jersey, reports the New York Times.
School Superintendent David Aderhold of the high achieving West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District is proposing a more holistic approach focusing on the “whole child” along with “social emotional development” and “deep and meaningful learning.”
The issue has divided the district which has an Asian American student population of 65 percent.
”What is happening here reflects a national anti-intellectual trend that will not prepare our children for the future,” said Mike Jia . He called it a “dumbing down” of the curriculum.
On the other side are many White parents who feel lessons are being sped up to accommodate Asian American families who send their kids to SAT Prep courses and other additional tutoring as well as push their kids to excel in music and advanced placement courses.
“My son was in fourth grade and told me, ‘I’m not going to amount to anything because I have nothing to put on my résumé,’ ” said former PTA president Catherine Foley.
A sociology professor says the source of the divide may be opportunities or the lack of opportunities for Asian Americans.
“They don’t have the same chances to get their children internships or jobs at law firms,” Professor Jennifer Lee said. “So what they believe is that their children must excel beyond their white peers in academic settings so they have the same chances to excel later.”
What do you think? Do we put too much pressure on our students to thrive and excel? My children have been fortunate to have been admitted to some high achieving academic schools. I’ve stressed to them the importance of education, but also told them as long as I know they’ve done their best, I would never get mad of them for not getting A’s or the so called “Asian F.”
However, I would be deceiving myself if I denied that my children don’t face stress and at times have pushed themselves to the point of exhaustion. How much is too much? There has to be a balance in academic life. I grew up going through a youth program at the YMCA that emphasized a balanced approach to spirit, mind and body.
Too much attention to the mind without attention to the spirit and the body are taking too many kids to the breaking point. Where do you stand on this issue?
RE: Intense academic pressure divides mostly #Asian immigrant parents from Whites: Let’s face it – doesn’t matter how much those Asian people work, they’ll never get anywhere in life. It’s all about who you know and who knows you. banks? law firms? consulting? tech startups? you need the right people to make the introduction.