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Verde Magazine

Verde Magazine

Verde Magazine

Asian-American student stress forum stirs controversy

Palo+Alto+High+School+sophomore+Jeffrey+Yu+does+his+homework+intently.+Yu+is+one+example+of+the+kind+of+Asian-American+student+that+the+Asian-American+stress+forum+will+discuss.+fix+caption+later.+Photo+by+Eoin+O%E2%80%99Kramer.
Palo Alto High School sophomore Jeffrey Yu does his homework intently. Yu is one example of the kind of Asian-American student that the Asian-American stress forum will discuss. fix caption later. Photo by Eoin O’Kramer.

ASB will hold a discussion on February 28 in the Library’s English Writing Center concerning the Asian-American Palo Alto High School student population and the different forms of stress the population experiences.

According to ASB member Cezanne Lane, this is the first time a discussion will focus on a particular ethnic group rather than a specific grade-level or the student body as a whole.

“The dialogue allows for a place for students, mostly from the Asian-American community to talk about their background and culture and experience as Paly students and have a place to have a dialogue about what that means,” Lane said.

The discussion is already receiving mixed reactions from the student body.

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“I’m glad they’re focusing on just my ethnic group, because I feel as though the rich conservative white parent’s voice sometimes gets heard as more important than that of Asian’s,” sophomore Bryan Yang said.

One on the other end of the spectrum, some students oppose singling out a whole ethnic group.

“I don’t think Asian Americans are the only ones that need to be de-stressed,” freshman Alex Liu said.

Liu isn’t the only one who holds this opinion.

“I feel like there must have been some reason why that specific group was seen as very stressed, so it’s not bad that they’re focusing on the specific [ethnic] group as long as other groups are acknowledged as well,” sophomore Riya Kumar said.