Racial discrimination in private education system among Chinese immigrants in US
Introduction
The United States has become a melting pot of people from all walks of the world, making it an increasingly diverse society. The population represented virtually every religious, linguistic, cultural, ethnic, racial, and national group in the globe. The largest groups of Asians to migrate to the U.S in the past are South Asians, Japanese, and Chinese. According to Kuo, Chinese Americans have the largest history of discrimination and longest presence in the U.S (182).
He adds, that despite these facts, the Chinese immigrants have continued to be discriminated in the American private education system. Their efforts to legally challenge the education system have over the years been overlooked. In the Brown v. Board of Education 1971 case, Justice William Douglas revealed the ruling was not beneficial for the African Americans only, but was also inclusive of the Chinese Americans, who were segregated by the California public school system (Kuo 182). In the 1990s, majority of the states discriminated against the Chinese even in the Private education system.
Throughout the history, the problem of discrimination has remained relevant and overlooked, and almost forgotten (Lee 38). According to Miller, majority of the private schools in Southern states practiced racial discrimination while admitting students (155). He adds that over the years, much concentration has been on racial discrimination in public schools forgetting discrimination in private schools. Although racial discrimination in private schools was deemed illegal in the Berea College vs. Kentucky case by the Supreme Court, it was under the jurisdiction of the State to enact laws prohibiting such practices (Miller 156-157).
Despite the numerous lawsuits and policies to curtail racial discrimination in private institution of learning, the vice is still common in the U.S. For example, in the article: ‘Some Asians college strategy: Don’t check ‘Asian,’ Brent Jones notes that because of racial discrimination it is hard for Asian-Americans to get admitted in top private schools in U.S (Jones 1). The article draws from experiences of different students who belief that racial discrimination for Asian Americans is evidently high in U.S private institutions of learning. Steven Hsu, a physics professor at the University of Oregon has stated that there is statistical evidence of racial discrimination existence in private schools (Jones 1). The Chinese immigrants are discriminated against in the US Private education system and this could be solved through affirmative action.
Solution Statement.
Since majority of the elite schools and colleges have no room for students of Asian origin, (inclusive of Chinese immigrants) (Jones 1) there is need to curtail the high level of discrimination experienced in the private education system. One of the major ways to ensure inclusion of Chinese students in private education in US is through affirmative action. Affirmative action in the education system describes legislative approach to make sure that students from other races are incorporated in the education system or are given the same chance as other students from majority races.
The logic and purpose behind affirmative action is not to promote reverse discrimination but rather ensure equality through the consideration of gender or race during the admission process of students in private schools (Takagi 2). In other words, affirmative action programs are implemented to promote optimal education experience to all persons despite their nationality, race, gender, or ethnic background. The aim of affirmative action is to prevent racial discrimination in private education system (Takagi 2; Rose 263). Moreover, this kind of a solution protects minorities and eliminates racial discrimination in private education system. Affirmative action is the proposed solution that can effectively end racial discrimination against Chinese immigrants in America’s private education system.
Since the civil rights era, colleges and schools in both in private and public education systems have come with divergent ways to increase diversity and reduce racial discrimination against people of color and minority groups. The implementation of affirmative action programs in the U.S have promoted the integration of segregated people and provided equality in the education sector.
The major three ways adopted to promote affirmative action in the education system with the objective of ending racial discrimination are:
(a) designing an environment that welcomes minority students,
(b) using race or ethnicity as a positive aspect in students’ admissions, and
(c) admission of more students from minority groups (Beckman 53).
All these ways of incorporating affirmative action have both positive and negative effects. Asian Americans are divided on the implementation of affirmative action programs in the education sector to curtail racial discrimination in private education system (Takagi 3). Some see it as a way of reversed racial discrimination, but I perceive it as an effective method, if effectively implemented through a legal process can end racial discrimination in private education system among Chinese immigrants in US.
Affirmative action programs that create conducive environment for Chinese immigrants students in U.S create an equal platform that advocates for admission of minority groups of people. On the other hand, race can be used as a positive factor has the possibility to reduce racial discrimination is private schools. Lastly, through affirmative action, private institutions can have a policy that advocates for increasing the number of Chinese immigrants. Notably, affirmative action programs are effective and moral if implemented to triumph over issues related to historical racial discrimination in private institutions.
Analysis
Affirmative action is considered as a complex and diverse issue that receives divergent views from both its opponents and proponents. The critics of affirmative action argue that consideration of race while admitting a student in private institutions is a typical example of racial discrimination (Jaschik 1). However, supporters of affirmative action have argued that it is through affirmative action that majority of the Chinese immigrants have received education system.
Opponents continue to argue that the use of affirmative action is biased since all minorities will be stigmatized by classmates under the presumption that they have entered an institution for higher learning with low average test scores (Allred 70). Although the argument maybe correct from a social perspective, the use of affirmative action opens gates of opportunities to Chinese immigrants racially discriminated against in the U.S, private school system. Allred (70) contends that existing empirical findings have firmly challenged the stated argument by opponents of affirmative action.
The effectiveness of affirmative action programs in private education system can be analysed by looking closely at effectiveness in Southern states such as California, which have the largest population of Chinese immigrants and other Asian Americans. F0r example, the proposition by California Assembly to repeal education provision 209, which advocates for an affirmative action ban has received mixed reactions from Asian Americans (Hing 1).
In the article: “The Chinese-American Community Grapples With Affirmative Action, and Itself”, ad hoc Chinese-American groups have come forward to ensure that SCA5 that would repeal Prop 209 is not passed. California Assembly objective was to repeal the affirmative action ban with the hope of promoting equality in private schools. However, these groups have argued that revival of affirmative action would promote racial discrimination. Contrary, advocates of affirmative action have argued that affirmative action is beneficial because it shall address the issue of educational inequity in the state. Supporters of using affirmative action have argued that its application promotes status quo by tackling educational equity issues such as racial discrimination (Hing 1).
The removal of affirmative action has negative effects to minority groups in the society. . Long “most of the empirical research on the effects of traditional affirmative action has found that minority students benefit from it” (317) because they are provided with an opportunity of being admitted. In the article: “The New Affirmative Action” David Leonhardt of The New York Times observed that abolishing affirmative action reduced the number of black of students reduced from 221 in 1997 to 100 2006, which shows the negative effect of affirmative action elimination in private schools. Therefore, affirmative action programs are important as they promote ethnic and racial diversity, which in turn, addresses the issue of racial discrimination among Chinese immigrants in the U.S.
After Prop 209 was passed, race-conscious affirmative action that promoted diversity and equity in education system, the enrollment of minority groups was affected as a result of racial discrimination. According to Allred (71), the enrollments in UCLA School of Law of minority groups plummeted, while that of Whites increased. He concluded that “it was white applicants to the law schools, rather than Asian American applicants, who were the main beneficiaries of the ban on race-conscious affirmative action in the UC system” (Allred 71).
A survey carried by the National Asian American Survey, as quoted by Hing (1) shows that majority of the Asian-Americans (79 percent inclusive of Chinese) have shown support for affirmative action programs designed to improve the level of education among minority groups. This is despite its criticism by some of its opponents who perceive it as a policy that hurts Chinese immigrants and other Asian Americans.
The figure below as adapted from Chen (2010) shows the effects of affirmative action after the Exclusion Act was abolished.
From the figure, there is a higher college and High school completion rates among the Chinese immigrants after the Exclusion Act was abolished and replaced by affirmative action programs. As such affirmative action has the potential to increase cultural diversity and reduce racial discrimination is implemented through a well thought legal process. Besides, affirmative action programs are effective and moral if implemented to triumph over issues related to historical racial discrimination in private institutions.
One of the challenges faced in U.S is promoting equality in different sectors. Dorsen has observed that “. Equality is indivisible, and the American dilemma will not be resolved until all channels of opportunity are cleared for citizens irrespective of their origins, beliefs and color” (38). This means that addressing the issue of racial discrimination to promote equality is complex and can only be solved if people are equally treated. However, this may be hard given the high population and racial history discrimination in U.S. Nonetheless, affirmative action is deemed appropriate although it does not promote equality.
Affirmative action is recommended because it offers a fair playing ground for all people although equal representation is not provided. It offers a chance for the selected minority to be part of the larger group and not be left out because of their race, color, nationality, or ethnic background. As such, affirmative action programs in U.S private schools shall reduce racial discrimination because students of Chinese immigrants shall be provided with a fair ground and a chance to enjoy private school system.
The implementation of affirmative action programs like the use of quotas may promote racial discrimination among Chinese students in U.S. In the article: “‘Affirmative action’ amendment SCA 5 withdrawn for revision”, the president of the Joint Chinese University Alumni Association, Olivia Liao has showed her fears in enacting affirmative action as it may result to racial discrimination (Vuong 1). However, supporters of affirmative action keenly observe that the law does not advocate for the imposition of racial quota system in the education system. Therefore, it is through affirmative action that racial discrimination in private school system shall be reduced.
Conclusion
In my argument, I posited that affirmative action programs not only have a significant impact on student diversity, but also ensures inclusion of Chinese students in private education in the US. As such, affirmative action is a better solution to end racial discrimination in private education system among Chinese immigrants in the U.S. However, as indicated in the essay, affirmative action ought not to be used as a means to provide special preferences to the Chinese immigrants in the U.S, but rather as a window opportunity for equality in the private education system.
A law should be passed that supported the later as the former is a reverse discrimination, which is often criticized by opponents of affirmative action. Although critics have argued against the implementation of affirmative action programs in the education system, there is adequate empirical evidence that shows its effectiveness in addressing racial discrimination. The major methods that can be used to enact affirmative action programs are such as designing an environment that welcomes minority students, using race or ethnicity as a positive aspect in students’ admissions, and admitting more students from minority groups. The removal of affirmative action programs from private education system harms the society negatively, and Chinese immigrants are no exception. Therefore, it is advisable to implement affirmative action programs to end racial discrimination in private education system among Chinese immigrants in the U.S.
Works Cited
Allred, Nancy Chung. “Asian Americans and Affirmative Action: From Yellow Peril to Model Minority and Back Again.” Asian American Law Journal, 14.1 (2007): 57-84. Print.
Beckman, James. Affirmative Action Now: A Guide for Students, Families, and Counselors. Westport: Greenwood Press. 2006. Print.
Chen, Joyce. ” Chinese Immigration to the United States: History, Selectivity and Human Capital.” The Ohio State University (2010). Print.
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Vuong, Zen. “Affirmative action’ amendment SCA 5 withdrawn for revision.” Pasadena Star-News 03 Mar. 2014: 1. Print
