A STUDENT at an elite Sydney private school who scored a uni admissions rank of 99.95 out of 100 in 2008 has lost an appeal alleging discrimination stopped her getting full marks. Abbotsleigh student Sarah Hui Xin Wong’s mother Eileen complained to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that the Board of Studies had unlawfully discriminated against Sarah because they didn't provide her with adequate special provisions to help her write her exam essays. Ms Wong, 21, has hyper joint mobility of the wrist. She received some rest breaks during the exam. The family told the tribunal that Ms Wong would've got much higher marks if she had access to a computer or extra rest time during exams. Ms Wong's marks won her a place in a medicine degree at Sydney University and she came fifth in the state in chemistry. She was offered a writer to dictate her essays to but chose not to do that. [Source]
It's great to strive for excellence and all that, but sometimes you need to be happy with what you have. Particularly when a student has got one of the highest marks possible, all while dealing with a disability. And has got into the course she wanted at one of Australia's best universities.
It's one thing to want recognition for a great achievements, but now that Sarah Wong has become the butt of jokes, the extreme personification of the Asian-overachiever stereotype, let this be a warning to all those Asian mothers out there with Tigerish tendencies.
No comments:
Post a Comment