Asian Americans and Affirmative Action

• In Event: 18.011 - Race on Campus: Debunking Myths With Data

Abstract

The lawsuit against Harvard brought by Students for Fair Admissions alleges discrimination against Asian Americans in their admissions process. The lawsuit depends on misleading narratives about Asian Americans and Harvard’s holistic admissions process in and of itself. By positioning Asian Americans as a high-achieving, hardworking people of color, SFFA drew on stereotypical narratives of the Asian American model minority to perpetuate misperceptions that standardized test scores and other easily quantified measures of achievement (i.e. GPA, class rank) are a primary and determinative factor in college admissions. Research on Harvard’s own admissions data demonstrates that Asian Americans are not discriminated against (author omitted, in press), yet a vocal and organized group of (mostly Chinese American) Asian Americans have attached themselves to the idea that Harvard and other highly selective schools are discriminating against them in admissions and blaming affirmative action. SFFA and Asian Americans who oppose affirmative action are misinformed and misguided when it comes to their arguments. Their dangerous misinformation campaign relies on harmful stereotypes and misperceptions that may ultimately result in the drastic reduction of underrepresented minority students at selective colleges.

In a world of alternative facts and post-truth myths about race, I will discuss how Asian Americans and others can respond to allegations of discrimination within higher education admissions. I will respond to the discussion of the case as highlighted in “Race on Campus: Debunking Myths with Data” and highlight my own critiques of the SFFA lawsuit. Of course, evidence of racial discrimination should be taken seriously. However, the allegations we will discuss are unfounded and ultimately serve the interests of White supremacy; Asian Americans have an important role to play in rebuking them.

Author

• Megan Segoshi, Loyola University Chicago