(The following is Suzie K. Ohs presentation to the President Clintons Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Western Region Town Hall Meeting Education Panel on July 24, 2000 at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration.)

Madame chairperson, commissioners, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of our students and parents, I would like to thank you for allowing me to speak to you on a subject that has been dear to my heart for the past 25 years.

My name is Suzie K. Oh, the principal at Third Street School in the Hancock Park area in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Almost 60 % of my students are Asian Americans, primarily Korean-Americans.

By promoting the already-prevalent myth of the Asian superstars, we give in to the comforting but disturbing need to lump all Asian students into a group that requires little or no support from the Federal government.

Asian-American students may be divided into three groups:
The first is the Superstars, who meet the expectation of the great Asian myth. The second group is the Quiet Sufferers and the third is the At-Risk or Problem Youth.

The Superstars and the At-Risk youth receive some attention and are provided services. The Quiet Sufferers are often average students who compare poorly when placed next to the Superstars.

The Quiet Sufferers resign themselves to the repercussions of not meeting their parental and societal expectations of being a straight A student.
An unusual number of these students suffer from serious health problems, severe depression, have attempted suicides, and are vulnerable to gang activities. An unusual phenomenon is that problem Asian American students are not necessarily low-achieving or low socioeconomic. A second phenomenon is that while English-speaking American families may face generational gaps, Asian American parents face a triple threat of generational, cultural and linguistic gaps.

To address this major challenge within Asian American educational communities, I suggest the so often mentioned but rarely well-implemented parent involvement and parent education programs.

l. Regional commissions vigorously communicate with the mainstream and ethnic language print and electronic media regarding parent involvement and parent education opportunities. These commissions need to provide the initiative and support for such opportunities.

2. Establish national multi-language parent institutes throughout the nation modeled after Dr. Joyce L. Epsteins research on School, Family & Community Partnerships Project at the Johns Hopkins Universitys Center on Families, Communities, Schools & Childrens Learning.

3. Powerful and ongoing partnerships with the local, religious groups and civic, health, cultural, recreational and community agencies. Additionally, we need to partner with Pacific Rim multinational corporations whose headquarters are located in the region to provide support and resources for this program.

At this point, I would like to emphasize that I am just touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Asian parent involvement. I hope, with all my heart, that the good intentions and energy that I felt here talking with President Clintons Advisory Commission, will not evaporate into yet another ethnic sound bite.

In closing, I once again thank the Presidents Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for allowing me to speak on this critical issue.

(Suzie K. Oh can be reached by email at sko1212@aol.com or by FAX at (323)256-1765.)
(The following is Suzie K. Ohs presentation to the President Clintons Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Western Region Town Hall Meeting Education Panel on July 24, 2000 at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration.)

Madame chairperson, commissioners, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of our students and parents, I would like to thank you for allowing me to speak to you on a subject that has been dear to my heart for the past 25 years.

My name is Suzie K. Oh, the principal at Third Street School in the Hancock Park area in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Almost 60 % of my students are Asian Americans, primarily Korean-Americans.

By promoting the already-prevalent myth of the Asian superstars, we give in to the comforting but disturbing need to lump all Asian students into a group that requires little or no support from the Federal government.

Asian-American students may be divided into three groups:
The first is the Superstars, who meet the expectation of the great Asian myth. The second group is the Quiet Sufferers and the third is the At-Risk or Problem Youth.

The Superstars and the At-Risk youth receive some attention and are provided services. The Quiet Sufferers are often average students who compare poorly when placed next to the Superstars.

The Quiet Sufferers resign themselves to the repercussions of not meeting their parental and societal expectations of being a straight A student.
An unusual number of these students suffer from serious health problems, severe depression, have attempted suicides, and are vulnerable to gang activities. An unusual phenomenon is that problem Asian American students are not necessarily low-achieving or low socioeconomic. A second phenomenon is that while English-speaking American families may face generational gaps, Asian American parents face a triple threat of generational, cultural and linguistic gaps.

To address this major challenge within Asian American educational communities, I suggest the so often mentioned but rarely well-implemented parent involvement and parent education programs.

l. Regional commissions vigorously communicate with the mainstream and ethnic language print and electronic media regarding parent involvement and parent education opportunities. These commissions need to provide the initiative and support for such opportunities.

2. Establish national multi-language parent institutes throughout the nation modeled after Dr. Joyce L. Epsteins research on School, Family & Community Partnerships Project at the Johns Hopkins Universitys Center on Families, Communities, Schools & Childrens Learning.

3. Powerful and ongoing partnerships with the local, religious groups and civic, health, cultural, recreational and community agencies. Additionally, we need to partner with Pacific Rim multinational corporations whose headquarters are located in the region to provide support and resources for this program.

At this point, I would like to emphasize that I am just touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Asian parent involvement. I hope, with all my heart, that the good intentions and energy that I felt here talking with President Clintons Advisory Commission, will not evaporate into yet another ethnic sound bite.

In closing, I once again thank the Presidents Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for allowing me to speak on this critical issue.

(Suzie K. Oh can be reached by email at sko1212@aol.com or by FAX at (323)256-1765.)