Letters
Get facts before pointing fingers
I have a few thoughts on Judy Hu’s well-intentioned, but
exaggerated portrayal of injustice against Asians ("Model minority
myth detrimental to everyone," Viewpoint, March 1).
Hu repeatedly implies that there are no Asian Pacific Islanders
(APIs) in certain areas of society. In the interest of truth, I
have taken it upon myself to answer her rhetorical questions.
Are there no API professors outside ethnic studies and language
courses? Go look up names like Philip Huang, Lucie Cheng, S.T. Hu,
Eugene Wong, Terry Au and Harumi Kasamatsu. All are professors,
some emeriti.
Are there no API chancellors, deans, CEOs or politicians? How
about Pauline Yu, UCLA Dean of Humanities, former Berkeley
Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien or former State Treasurer Matt Fong?
Absent or negative media portrayals of APIs? I’m sure we all
remember "Friends" character Julie, Ross’s anthropologist
girlfriend. As for your "Ally McBeal" comment, I’m shocked that you
see the "foreign name Ling" as an example of an Asian stereotype.
She’s Asian! I’m glad her name reflects her culture.
We have to remember that APIs make up a very small percentage of
the population. Rare media portrayals are not necessarily evidence
of racism.
I agree that there are too many stereotypes about Asians and
Pacific Islanders, but making these broad, unsupported
generalizations about the pervasiveness of oppression does not help
the situation.
Andrea Saenz
Third-year
English
Keep teaching honorable
First let me thank you for even addressing the issue of
education in the Daily Bruin editorial, "Schools failing in
education department" (Viewpoint, March 3). I would like to address
the issue of accountability and the need for teachers.
As a first-year graduate student in the Teacher Education
Program (TEP) program here at UCLA, I am doing my best to prepare
myself for my career as a teacher. I do so knowing the financial
benefits of teaching are somewhat less than spectacular. The money,
however, is not my primary concern (don’t get me wrong, for in
today’s society, it’s all about the Benjamins).
My concerns are for our kids and the quality of education they
receive. Yes, this mantra has been recited over and over, but I am
also concerned about plans to increase the salaries of
teachers.
I welcome the raise, but only for those teachers who deserve it
through their dedication to the education of their students.
I fear that such an increase will lead some people to the field
of teaching solely for financial gains. To those who are even
considering this notion, those who "think" they want to be a
teacher until they find something else to do, please do me and my
peers a big favor: Go into accounting, marketing, law, medicine or
cyberspace and make your money there.
I, personally, don’t want you in my profession. There are
already enough undedicated, unqualified, "I’m counting the days to
my retirement" teachers who are screwing it up for everyone.
If you truly want to teach our children, then please do so. If
not, you are doing a huge dishonor to the profession and to our
children who deserve dedicated teachers and a quality
education.
Mark Jutabha
First-year graduate student
Teacher Education Program