Cupertino Library hosted a policy forum on June 14th, focusing on education and discussing the impact of California policies on students, parents, and the community. The forum aimed to urge Asian residents to pay attention to municipal, district, and state-level policies, encouraging active involvement in public affairs.
Minna Xu, one of the organizers and a Cupertino resident, highlighted the importance of Asian communities not only working hard but also being engaged in municipal, district, and state policies. She emphasized that policy changes could directly affect family life and children’s futures, calling for unity in voicing concerns to decision-makers.
The forum, titled “The Next Steps in College Admissions and Student Education,” welcomed various education and community representatives, including Nan Zhong, founder of SWORD Education, Tony Guan, co-founder of Equal Rights for All (ERFA), Santosh Rao from the Cupertino City Planning Commission, and Steven, a seasoned SAT preparation and college application essay writing teacher.
Cupertino Vice Mayor Liang-Fang Chao attended the event as a special guest. The forum was moderated by advocate and Cupertino City Planning Commissioner Tracy Kosolcharoen.
During the forum, Liang-Fang Chao discussed Proposition 209, SCA 5, Proposition 16, ACA 7, and other policy developments, explaining their effects on education equity, university admissions, school rating standards, and resource allocation.
Liang-Fang Chao stated that this forum was the first of a series of community engagement forums aimed at explaining policy issues closely related to people’s lives and enhancing community awareness of public policies.
She stressed that educational policies not only influence college admissions but also could involve school rating standards, education equity, and student assessment methods. Thus, parents should be proactive in monitoring policies being implemented or discussed at the district, city, and state levels.
She also mentioned that future forums would discuss topics such as public safety, emergency response, insurance policies, and city planning to help residents understand the practical impact of policy changes on daily life.
Nan Zhong, founder of SWORD Education, shared how despite his son Stanley Zhong’s outstanding academic performance, he was rejected by 16 universities, leading to a lawsuit against California university admissions policies.
Through video presentation at the forum, Nan Zhong updated on the case’s progress, highlighting challenges in such lawsuits, including opaque enrollment data, high legal costs, difficulties in finding lawyers, reluctance of witnesses to testify, and restrictions on plaintiff qualifications.
He emphasized that continuing with the lawsuit was not just for his son but aimed at advocating for fair university admissions for more Asian students and future generations.
Tony Guan and Santosh Rao discussed observations on California education policies from the perspectives of the Chinese and Indian communities, analyzing the impact of relevant policies on students, parents, and community participation.
Tony Guan explained to the Epoch Times that ACA 7 and the 2020 Proposition 16 have similar goals of amending equal rights clauses in the California Constitution. If passed, these bills could weaken the protection provided by Proposition 209 in K-12 education and university-related areas, making it easier for schools to implement differential treatment based on race or color.
He expressed concerns that if ACA 7 opens up a loophole, it could lead to more racial policy disputes and legal battles, ultimately borne by California taxpayers. He urged parents and voters to be vigilant and monitor its impact on student educational opportunities and fairness principles.
Steven, a seasoned SAT preparation and college application essay writing teacher, discussed changes in college admissions standards. He warned that the increasing use of ChatGPT by students to write college application essays may raise academic integrity concerns and impact admissions.
He advised students to showcase authentic experiences, personal reflections, and differentiation in their applications rather than relying on AI-generated content.
Many speakers at the forum urged parents not to wait until policies are finalized to pay attention but to subscribe to district, city, and state information, engage in meetings, public discussions, and community organizations. This involvement would help children gain public engagement experiences and make decision-makers hear the voice of the Asian community.