Letters
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
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