The plural of anecdote is not data. (Okay, that was a cliche. Sorry. But it’s true.) You said specifically that Asian parents are more likely to go ballistic, and to bribe or pressure the teacher if necessary. That is a pretty sweeping generalization, and one that you should not be making unless you have some data to back that up. You say “generally agreed.” By whom? The kids you work with? Hey, like I said, I went to a high end, high performing school that had a heavy Asian population (I’m Asian myself), and that sort of behavior was not common. In fact, I can’t think of anyone whose parents behaved in that manner. Yes, they would get upset with their kids for getting below an A. But going off on the teacher? Not likely.

One school does not a pattern make.

“it’s more of an anecdotal portrayal than anything else. ”

Of course it is. But it wasn’t one or two anecdotes, but rather a systemic pattern at the school, one that is generally agreed to be the case at high end, high performing schools.

“Usually Asian parents respectfully listen to your side of the story and if you have dotted your “i”s and crossed your “t”s they will be responsive. ”

Your “usually” pretty much covers a host of other possibilities.

You found some Vietnamese kids who say smart is cool and some Latino kids who say smart is white? Wow. I’ll walk outside my door and find the opposite in two minutes. This is what passes for reporting?

Garbage such as this does not advance our understanding of the achievement gap; it perpetuates a misunderstanding of things, a horse already so thoroughly dead, and yet so thoroughly kicked as to be mutilated beyond all recognition. I need a shower after reading this.

While you say that you know Asian kids who agree that parents go off on their teachers, I know just as many (including myself) who say that that isn’t the case. I’m not disagreeing that Asian parents aren’t often, ah, over-involved with their children’s schoolwork, to the point where they have unreasonable expectations. But that is a different kettle of fish than leaning on a teacher to change a grade.

I mentioned a cite: School of Dreams.

I also work with a lot of Asian kids who agree unhesitatingly that the portrayal in SoD is accurate (and I work with them at a different branch of the SAT prep school mentioned in the story).

I’m sure there are some who don’t, but it’s simply wrong to ignore the fact that many parents go in and nag the teacher to death until they change the grade, and that the tendency to do this varies with race.

“t’s a set of bright kids of all races.

Oh, sure. Grades are a pathetic joke. But any really bright kid who is flunking (as opposed to getting at least a B average) has only himself and his parents to blame.

Where are your stats for this?

I don’t know about other schools, but I do know at my school (also in the Bay Area, with majority Asian population), Asian parents would not “go ballistic” on the teachers and principal. I’d say that the Asian parents on the whole tended to be much more respectful towards authority — TOO respectful, even, to the point where everything was the kids’ fault and never the teachers’. I know that my parents chewed me out more than once and when I tried to complain about the teacher, my mom would bust out with, “You’re the child, you need to listen to her!”

Yes, the parents were over-involved, but it was hardly ever the teacher’s problem. It was more, “What is my kid doing wrong? What can she do to get better? Oh, she talks too much in class?” *death glare at cowering kid*…instead of, “I think you should change this grade…”