Im tagging you all because you showed an interest in this story and I wanted to give you an update. Yesterday, I spoke at length with NY State Assemblymember Ron Kim. I dont want to misquote him so I wont try, but in essence, he is pushing for the bill because he feels that well-rounded students (Asian or otherwise) will be more competitive in the workforce and be better for society. We talked in circles, but the thrust of my point was that Stuyvesant is what pushed me to be well-rounded, and that hes getting the timing backwards. For an immigrant latch-key kid growing up in Queens, there was no support mechanism from home or from NYC public schools during grades 1-8 to even think about well-roundedness. But, aside from the policy and legal points that we traded, I couldnt shake an undercurrent sense of betrayal. Stuyvesant represents a promise to Asian immigrant families. A promise that if they sweat, sacrifice, and devote the entire familys resources, then their children can earn entry by dint of hard work to this amazing pathway through a meritorious exam. These families ask the government for nothing - no special programs, no special treatment, no favors. The only small thing they want is for NY to keep this promise. Yet its being snatched away with one hand while the other hand is patting them on the head saying, There there, its for your own good.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:26:31 +0000
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