Why This “Suburban Mom” Thinks Arne Duncan’s All Wrong
Last week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said “white suburban moms” oppose Common Core State Standards because they’ll find out “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were, and their school isn’t quite as good as they thought they [sic] were.”
SO. MUCH. FAIL. Where to begin?
First of all, I’m not white, I’m Asian Pacific American and the daughter of Chinese immigrants — and up to the age of five, I spoke mostly Mandarin Chinese despite being born in Madison, Wisconsin. I currently live in a small town outside Los Angeles and I resemble much of suburbia these days. Suburban America is increasingly more Latino, Asian, and African American, according to numerous demographic studies. Children at my son’s elementary school speak Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Thai, and several other languages as well as English. The state of California recognizes bi- or multi-lingualism as a strength by awarding a State Seal of Biliteracy to graduating high school seniors — a sign that our majority-minority state has all the elements necessary to face a diverse future with confidence and cultural competency. We’re from all socio-economic backgrounds and range from multiple post-graduate degree holders to graduates of high school or less in our community. The key thing we have in common is that we value education for the opportunities it gives our kids.
I’m the product of this country’s public schools (K-12, BS from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, UC Berkeley MA and PhD) and I happen to agree with many “suburban moms” Secretary Duncan so sneeringly derided. Yes, many of us have a problem with spending *more* time and