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An American School Immerses Itself in All Things Chinese
10/26/14 | New York Times
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The Rope From Which We Hang Ourselves
1/24/11 | Education Next blog
In the New York Times, Jane Peterson writes about a Chinese-immersion charter school in Minneapolis. At the Yinghua Academy, they try to “balance Eastern discipline with Western fun.” The article mentions “substantial infusions of Chinese government support” for schools like Yinghua. that teach American students Chinese language and culture.
Chester Finn has written critically about American public schools accepting support from the Chinese government for instruction in Chinese and about China.
it’s insane to think this is only about cultural understanding and international comity. That’s not how China works—though any number of American educators seem oblivious or uncaring about this topic. The Chinese regime is advancing its own interests in the West—including Walter Payton College Prep—by, in effect, bribing school systems, educators, and students to see the world through Chinese eyes and, of course, to turn blind eyes and deaf ears toward anyone who might raise concerns about the innumerable threats that Beijing poses to America’s future. I’m not sure whether senior Chinese government officials have much of a sense of humor, but I’ll wager that they are at least smiling at the gullibility, pliability, and naïveté of Western educators—and how cheaply China can buy them off.
An earlier blog entry by Chester Finn about Chinese influence over American schools can be found here.
-Education Next
