Ethnicity, Gender, and the Education of Cambodian American Students in an Urban High School

This paper explores the role of gender and ethnicity in the education of Cambodian American high school students. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed ninth-grade Cambodian American students (n=10), teachers (n=4), and administrators (n=2) from a California high school. The data revealed tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kimmie Tang, Dennis Kao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Purdue University Press 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement
Online Access:http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jsaaea/vol7/iss1/3/
Description
Summary:This paper explores the role of gender and ethnicity in the education of Cambodian American high school students. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed ninth-grade Cambodian American students (n=10), teachers (n=4), and administrators (n=2) from a California high school. The data revealed that Cambodian students are often mistaken for other Asian groups and due to stereotypes, expected to excel academically. Fearing that they would disappoint their teachers or be ridiculed by other students, students remain silent about their academic struggles. Culturally-based gender and familial expectations also play prominent roles for both Cambodian boys and girls and their academic progress.
ISSN:2153-8999
2153-8999