Rowena Robles - Asian Americans and the Shifting Politics of Race

ASIAN AMERICANS AND
THE SHIFTING POLITICS OF RACE

The Dismantling of Affirmative Action
at an Elite Public High School

Rowena A. Robles

Routledge
New York & London

2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

Transferred to Digital Printing 2008

International Standard Book Number-10:0-415-97632-4 (Hardcover)
International Standard Book Number-13:978-0-415-97632-9 (Hardcover)

No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Robles, Rowena A.

Asian Americans and the shifting politics of race : the dismantling of affirmative

action at an elite public high school / Rowena A. Robles.

p. cm. (Studies in Asian Americans)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-415-97632-4 (alk. paper)

1. Asian Americans--Education. 2. Discrimination in education--United States. 3.

Affirmative action programs in education--United State--sCase studies. 4. Stereotype

(Psychology)--United States--Case studies. I. Title. II. Asian Americans.

LC2633.R63 2006
373.182995073-dc22

2005034072

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Publisher's Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original may be apparent

Chapter One
From Racial Integration to Colorblind Policies

Chapter Two
Racialized Politics Surrounding the Battle to Begin, Save, and End Desegregation in San Francisco

Chapter Three
Asian Americans as Victim and Success StoriesA Discursive Analysis of the Ho v. SFUSD Lawsuit

Chapter Four
Student Perceptions of the Racial Caste System at Lowell

Chapter Five
Assessments of Diversity from Different Places within the Racial Caste System

Chapter Six
The Burden of Racial StereotypesExamining the Interconnectedness of Achievement, Goal Formation and Race

Conclusion
The Effects of the Shifting Politics of Race

Asian Americans and the Shifting Politics of Race began as my dissertation project for the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. I was truly blessed to have three committee members who guided me through each step of the research and writing process. As a research assistant for Pedro Noguera on The Lowell High School Study, I completed the fieldwork on which the second half of this book is based. His insights on school district politics and its intersections with race were crucial to my intellectual development. Michael Omi helped me work through much of my thinking on racialization, racial politics, and inter-racial minority relations. He also has continued to provide sound professional advice and support well after my dissertation was filed. Evelyn Nakano Glenn, my chair, pushed me to think through my arguments, constantly recommended supplementary readings, and guided me through every step of the way. I also have to credit Evelyn for the helping me re-work my title. Additionally, I want to acknowledge Elaine Kim for her ongoing support throughout my graduate school career.

I am greatly indebted to Walter Allen and Linda Trinh V6, who acted as unfailing mentors, easing my transition from the San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California and who continue to guide me professionally. Ophelia Dano, Gloria Gonzalez, Susan Suh, Dean Toji, Juan Benitez, Luis Arroyo, Lisa Kirtman Marsh, Maythee Rojas, and Eve Oishi have all provided wonderful sources of support and friendship. I met Barbara Kim, Linda Maram, and Anna Sandoval as fellow colleagues when I taught at Cal State Long Beach for a year; these fabulous women ended up becoming three of my dearest friends, a sisterhood that I cherish. I owe a debt of gratitude to John Tschuchida and Cassandra Kao for giving me the space to write in the Asian and Asian American Studies department at CSU Long Beach. The Asian American Studies Department at the University of California, Irvine provided me with a home for nearly two years, one of which was funded by the Faculty Fellows Postdoctoral Fellowship. I thank Dorothy Fujita-Rony, Ketu Katrak, Inderpal Grewal, John Liu, Glen Mimura, and, especially, June Kurata for daily chats, coffee, and words of encouragement. I also want to acknowledge Edward Park, Deena Gonzalez, and the American Cultures Program at Loyola Marymount University for their support. Dean Michael Engh and the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts at Loyola Marymount University provided me with support through the American Cultures Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship during which this manuscript was finalized and brought to press. Lastly, Ricardo Stanton Salazar generously took the time to read and critique the entire second half of the book, a favor for which I am greatly indebted.