More than "Model Minorities" or "Delinquents": A Look at Hmong American High School Students

Abstract

Hmong American youth are often stereotyped by the popular press as either high-achieving "model minorities" or low-achieving "delinquents." In this ethnographic study, Stacey Lee attempts to move beyond the model minority image of 1.5-generation students and the delinquent stereotype of second-generation students to present a more complex picture of Hmong American students' school experiences. The author explores the way economic forces, relationships with the dominant society, perceptions of opportunities, family relationships, culture, and educational experiences affect Hmong American students' attitudes toward school, and the variation that exists among 1.5- and second-generation youth. This article provides insight into how forces inside and outside school affect attitudes toward education, and suggests possibilities for ways in which schools might better serve these students. (pp. 505–528)

Special Issue Editors’ Introduction

“…Altogether, the authors contribute both theoretical and practical recommendations for policy debates on Southeast Asian American education. We agree with Lee (2001) who noted years ago that Southeast Asian American students are more than "model minorities" or "delinquents." They are neither of these.…”

(Mis)Labeled: The Challenge of Academic Capital Formation for Hmong American High School Students in an Urban Setting

“…The traditional lifestyle of the Hmong in Laos was agrarian, with little or no formal education (Lee, 2001;Lee & Green, 2008;McNall et al, 1994;Swartz, Lee, & Mortimer, 2003). It was typical that Laos offered an average of only two years of formal education for men, while women received no education at all (Swartz et al, 2003).…”

A Historical Analysis of Southeast Asian Refugee Communities: Post-war Acculturation and Education in the U.S.

“…In the case of Southeast Asian groups studied here, the "model minority myth" commonly held about Asian American children can mask their educational needs, leaving them unmet (Lee, 2001;Ngo & Lee, 2007). Conversely, teachers who understand the tremendous barriers faced by Southeast Asian groups can negatively stereotype these students as "delinquents" and hold lowered expectations for them (Lee, 2001;Trueba et al, 1990).…”

“…Conversely, teachers who understand the tremendous barriers faced by Southeast Asian groups can negatively stereotype these students as "delinquents" and hold lowered expectations for them (Lee, 2001;Trueba et al, 1990). A true understanding of the nature of Southeast Asian immigration experiences should result in a greater awareness of the barriers that families and individuals from these groups may face, and an increased commitment to help them overcome any obstacles to learning.…”

“…Unemployment was already high at 9% during this year, and many Americans feared that the new refugees would occupy the few jobs that would become available (Montero & Dieppa, 1982). The prejudiced attitude toward Southeast Asians affected not only adults, but children as well; for example, scholars reported that teachers often either branded Hmong children as delinquents or as part of a model minority that didn't require their help (Lee, 2001;Trueba et al, 1990). The high achievement of some Vietnamese students was overly publicized in the press, which contributed to Southeast Asians being lumped together with other Asian groups as a "model minority" and cloaked the many difficulties that refugees and their children continued to face in regards to academic adjustment (Freeman, 1995;Zhou & Bankston, 1998).…”