Americanized Fil-Ams perform poorly in school
Role models are needed to combat the "colonial mentality" persisting among Filipino-Americans AP photoSAN FRANCISCO - The more Americanized Filipino students become in the US, the worse they tend to perform in school. Such was the finding of a study of 10 urban communities across America conducted by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) of Washington, DC.
Speaking at the quarterly ‘Kapihan’ (‘Coffee time’) meeting of the Philippine American Press Club (PAPC) last November 15 at the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center in San Francisco, Dr. Anthony Ogilvie, Executive Dean of Seattle Central Community College, spoke on the key notes of the study funded by Wells Fargo providing insight on the academic performance of Filipino students in 10 US metropolitan areas namely:
1) Chicago, 2) Honolulu, 3) Jersey City, NJ, 4) Las Vegas/Clark County NV, 5) Los Angeles County area, 6) Miami-Dade County, 7) New York City, 8) San Diego, 9) San Francisco, and 10) Seattle.
"In the older Filipino communities in this country (San Francisco, Honolulu and Los Angeles), some one-third of Filipino students are failing, while in cities like Miami, where the Filipino influx is newer, they’re doing well," Dr. Ogilvie said.
Himself a European-American born in Manila, Ogilvie summarized: "The more Americanized we become, the less well our students do. This study is a wake-up call."
Remarking upon how families in the Philippines differ from their U.S. counterparts, outgoing PAPC President Charito Benipayo said, "Even families (in the Philippines) with meager income try to get their children the best education they can."
Similar families in the US however, often find that making ends meet economically hampers their participation in their children’s school activities.
Hydra Mendoza of the San Francisco School Board pointed out that 36 percent of Filipino students in San Francisco dropped out of high school which, while still 8 percent below the district average, still constituted a cause for alarm amongst Filipino parents.
Concerning the nearly 19 percent of Filipino students in San Francisco who were limited English-speakers, she said, "I’m a big proponent of total immersion programs."
"We should be worried because the trends in the urban areas are not good," said lawyer Rodel Rodis of the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees.
Rodis also spoke on the trend amongst Fil-Am youth to allow social pressures such as drugs, promiscuity, gang affiliations and other social ills to encroach upon their academic performance.
Speaking on the need for role models and a better self-image to combat the "colonial mentality" still persisting amongst Filipino adults and youth in the U.S. as mentioned in the report, Rodis told of his efforts to have some schools in the Bay Area renamed after some prominent Filipino figures.
"All of my efforts were in vain," he said. "In this area, there are eight to 10 schools named for Blacks, five or six named for Chinese, four or five named for Hispanics."
But even in Daly City, that contains a significantly high population of Filipinos, he said, "No street or schools in Daly City are named for a Filipino."
He further pointed out that 10 years ago, there were 10 or 12 Filipino school principals in San Francisco. "Now there’s only two or three."
Fil-Ams have highest drop-out rate
PAPC-USA Kapihan Chair Rudy Asercion pointed out that "Filipino-Americans have the highest drop out rate of all Asian students" within the Bay Area.
"When we fail to provide for our children educationally, we put our future at risk," said author Ruby Munoz, who pointed out the considerable advantages programs such as Head Start have provided for disadvantaged children since the program’s inception in 1968.
"The ‘No Child Left Behind’ program is a mandate with no funding," said Thelma Boac, principal of Silver Creek High School in San Jose.
She detailed how Filipino students tend to do very well from kindergarten through 8th grade, but noted how the Academic Performance Index fell noticeably once FilAm students entered high school.
"Most kids do well until high school," said Boac. "When the hormonal changes in their bodies and other factors start to play a role."
Stressing the need for increased parental involvement, Boac said.
"I’ve found parents are very involved at the elementary school level, but in high school, that involvement falls," she added.
Jeff Burgos, principal of the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School/ Filipino Learning Center, spoke on how family economics are causing FilAm students to do less well than they probably could do.
The meeting was moderated by Henni Espinosa, PAPC-USA Press Relations Officer.
In the following question and answer period, Burgos further addressed the need for Fil-Am parents to become more involved in their children’s academic lives as well as in their respective communities in order to push for educational assistance.
"Little problems put together become very, very big," Burgos said. "Working together is not always the easiest thing for the Filipino community." Murmurs of “That’s right" were heard from the audience.
Answering a question about gang-affiliation among youth, Burgos said "I’m beginning to understand that each student needs three to five significant adults to talk with. If they don’t have this, they tend to go astray."
Intervention is needed
Jovina Navarro, a licensed psychologist at San Jose State University, stressed the need for early-intervention program and sex education projects.
"These projects aren’t being funded," she said.
Patrick Keeley, principal of Corpus Christi High School, a Catholic private school with a large percentage of FilAm students, seconded the need for parental involvement.
"We, as a community, have to be willing to say ‘We have a problem,’" added Mendoza.
Overall the NaFFAA report recommended:
(1.) The need to dis-aggregate data on the Fil-Am students from those of other Asians collectively;
(2.) The hiring of more Filipino administrators, teachers and counseling staff to deal appropriately with Fil-Am cultural issues;
(3.) Revising and infusing the existing curriculum with Filipino culture, history and experiential content as well including these features in the training of other educators;
(4.) The increased involvement of the entire Filipino community and Fil-Am parents particularly in the educational system, and;
(5.) Encouraging the involvement of Filipino parents in school activities and programs. - Philippine News
Speaking at the quarterly ‘Kapihan’ (‘Coffee time’) meeting of the Philippine American Press Club (PAPC) last November 15 at the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center in San Francisco, Dr. Anthony Ogilvie, Executive Dean of Seattle Central Community College, spoke on the key notes of the study funded by Wells Fargo providing insight on the academic performance of Filipino students in 10 US metropolitan areas namely:
1) Chicago, 2) Honolulu, 3) Jersey City, NJ, 4) Las Vegas/Clark County NV, 5) Los Angeles County area, 6) Miami-Dade County, 7) New York City, 8) San Diego, 9) San Francisco, and 10) Seattle.
"In the older Filipino communities in this country (San Francisco, Honolulu and Los Angeles), some one-third of Filipino students are failing, while in cities like Miami, where the Filipino influx is newer, they’re doing well," Dr. Ogilvie said.
Himself a European-American born in Manila, Ogilvie summarized: "The more Americanized we become, the less well our students do. This study is a wake-up call."
Remarking upon how families in the Philippines differ from their U.S. counterparts, outgoing PAPC President Charito Benipayo said, "Even families (in the Philippines) with meager income try to get their children the best education they can."
Similar families in the US however, often find that making ends meet economically hampers their participation in their children’s school activities.
Hydra Mendoza of the San Francisco School Board pointed out that 36 percent of Filipino students in San Francisco dropped out of high school which, while still 8 percent below the district average, still constituted a cause for alarm amongst Filipino parents.
Concerning the nearly 19 percent of Filipino students in San Francisco who were limited English-speakers, she said, "I’m a big proponent of total immersion programs."
"We should be worried because the trends in the urban areas are not good," said lawyer Rodel Rodis of the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees.
Rodis also spoke on the trend amongst Fil-Am youth to allow social pressures such as drugs, promiscuity, gang affiliations and other social ills to encroach upon their academic performance.
Speaking on the need for role models and a better self-image to combat the "colonial mentality" still persisting amongst Filipino adults and youth in the U.S. as mentioned in the report, Rodis told of his efforts to have some schools in the Bay Area renamed after some prominent Filipino figures.
"All of my efforts were in vain," he said. "In this area, there are eight to 10 schools named for Blacks, five or six named for Chinese, four or five named for Hispanics."
But even in Daly City, that contains a significantly high population of Filipinos, he said, "No street or schools in Daly City are named for a Filipino."
He further pointed out that 10 years ago, there were 10 or 12 Filipino school principals in San Francisco. "Now there’s only two or three."
Fil-Ams have highest drop-out rate
PAPC-USA Kapihan Chair Rudy Asercion pointed out that "Filipino-Americans have the highest drop out rate of all Asian students" within the Bay Area.
"When we fail to provide for our children educationally, we put our future at risk," said author Ruby Munoz, who pointed out the considerable advantages programs such as Head Start have provided for disadvantaged children since the program’s inception in 1968.
"The ‘No Child Left Behind’ program is a mandate with no funding," said Thelma Boac, principal of Silver Creek High School in San Jose.
She detailed how Filipino students tend to do very well from kindergarten through 8th grade, but noted how the Academic Performance Index fell noticeably once FilAm students entered high school.
"Most kids do well until high school," said Boac. "When the hormonal changes in their bodies and other factors start to play a role."
Stressing the need for increased parental involvement, Boac said.
"I’ve found parents are very involved at the elementary school level, but in high school, that involvement falls," she added.
Jeff Burgos, principal of the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School/ Filipino Learning Center, spoke on how family economics are causing FilAm students to do less well than they probably could do.
The meeting was moderated by Henni Espinosa, PAPC-USA Press Relations Officer.
In the following question and answer period, Burgos further addressed the need for Fil-Am parents to become more involved in their children’s academic lives as well as in their respective communities in order to push for educational assistance.
"Little problems put together become very, very big," Burgos said. "Working together is not always the easiest thing for the Filipino community." Murmurs of “That’s right" were heard from the audience.
Answering a question about gang-affiliation among youth, Burgos said "I’m beginning to understand that each student needs three to five significant adults to talk with. If they don’t have this, they tend to go astray."
Intervention is needed
Jovina Navarro, a licensed psychologist at San Jose State University, stressed the need for early-intervention program and sex education projects.
"These projects aren’t being funded," she said.
Patrick Keeley, principal of Corpus Christi High School, a Catholic private school with a large percentage of FilAm students, seconded the need for parental involvement.
"We, as a community, have to be willing to say ‘We have a problem,’" added Mendoza.
Overall the NaFFAA report recommended:
(1.) The need to dis-aggregate data on the Fil-Am students from those of other Asians collectively;
(2.) The hiring of more Filipino administrators, teachers and counseling staff to deal appropriately with Fil-Am cultural issues;
(3.) Revising and infusing the existing curriculum with Filipino culture, history and experiential content as well including these features in the training of other educators;
(4.) The increased involvement of the entire Filipino community and Fil-Am parents particularly in the educational system, and;
(5.) Encouraging the involvement of Filipino parents in school activities and programs. - Philippine News
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