The Truth and Myth of the Model Minority: The Case of Hmong Americans

Abstract

Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing groups in the United States, and the Asian American category represents tremendous diversity (Reeves & Bennett, 2003). Individuals classified as Asian American come from different ethnic, linguistic, social class, religious, and generational backgrounds. Despite the growth of Asian America and the diversity of the Asian American population, many educators and educational policymakers know little about Asian American students and often rely on stereotypic representations of Asian American students as “model minorities.” According to the model minority stereotype, Asian Americans are academically and economically successful because they work hard and follow Asian cultural norms that emphasize the importance of education. Asian American students are depicted as valedictorians, violin prodigies, and computer geniuses. While aggregate data on Asian American students appear to confirm the model minority image, when data is disaggregated by ethnicity a more complicated picture appears. Although there are Asian American students who are highly successful, the model minority stereotype hides variation in academic and economic achievement across ethnic groups and among individuals. With respect to economic status, some Asian Americans have achieved professional success while others struggle to survive economically. In terms of education, some Asian American groups have higher levels of educational attainment than the national average while other Asian American groups have significantly lower levels of educational attainment than the national average. The model minority stereotype has a significant impact on how educational policy makers view Asian American students. It influences what they do and do not do to support Asian American students. Assumptions regarding the academic success of Asian Americans that are often confirmed by aggregate data, lead policy makers to ignore the specific needs and concerns of Asian American students (Pang, Kiang, & Pak, 2003). Teachers and other education professionals