Washington, D.C. – In recognition of his work fighting against discrimination towards Asian Americans by elite universities, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) has been awarded the “Champion of Equal Education Rights Award” by the Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE).
“Being Asian American should not be an obstacle to receiving a top university education. It’s sad I have to make that clear in 2016. An education is the path to success for many Americans, which is why I find these allegations of discrimination so disturbing. Supporting the Coalition’s complaints is a mountain of evidence. Asian American parents are right to be concerned when their hard-working, high-performing children are shut out of top schools. We should be encouraging and inspiring our children to excel, not telling them their academic performance and merits are less important than their ethnicity. Any discrimination by elite universities against Asian American students is wrong and an offense to our Constitution’s 14th Amendment which offers citizens equal protection under the law. I will keep fighting to ensure that the Asian American community is not discriminated against in any way,” said Chairman Royce.
“Congressman Ed Royce has been continuously supporting the Asian American community, especially in the field of equal education rights. Last year he took the lead to write a letter in support of our Administrative Complaint against Harvard’s discriminatory admission practice against Asian American applicants. Hereby, the Asian American Coalition for Education presents Congressman Ed Royce with the Champion of Equal Education Rights Award,” said Mr. YuKong Zhao, President of the Asian American Coalition for Education.
Last year, Chairman Royce sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice in support of the AACE’s complaint against Harvard University alleging systemic discrimination by the admissions council towards qualified Asian American applicants. Chairman Royce asked both Departments to thoroughly investigate the allegations. AACE, which is made up of over 100 civic groups representing the Asian American community, plans to file a similar joint complaint against Yale University, Brown University, and Dartmouth College. This represents the largest joint legal action ever taken by Asian Americans communities against Ivy League universities.
The President of the United States also signed legislation first authored by U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Chairman Ed Royce to strike the offensive term “Oriental” from preexisting federal law and replace it with “Asian American.”
