The myth of being 'honorary whites': Examining the racialized experiences of K-12 Asian American educators with a critical race theory lens

Stereotyped as perpetual foreigners, categorized as model minorities, and labelled as honorary Whites, Asian Americans have been repeatedly affected by racial microaggressions based on these perceptions. The purpose of this study was to compare the experiences of racial microaggressions undergone by White American and Asian American K-12 educators at their workplaces. The study utilized the critical race theory lens to focus on the perpetual foreigner stereotype and the model minority myth and to examine the differences in the frequency of microaggressions as well as the intensity of distress from the microaggressions experienced. The sample consisted of White American and Asian American K-12 educators in the southeastern part of the United States of America. Both the White Americans as well as the Asian Americans K-12 educators took a survey based on the Racial Microaggressions Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted using weighted least squares regression, robust ANOVA, and nonparametric tests. The results showed that the frequency of microaggressions as well as the intensity of distress from microaggressions based on the perpetual foreigner stereotype and the model minority myth experienced by K-12 Asian American educators stereotype and the model minority myth experienced by K-12 Asian American educators were significantly different from those experienced by K-12 White American educators. The study conclusively proved that the perceptions of being perpetual foreigners and model minorities influenced the nature of microaggressive experiences for K-12 Asian American educators. At their workplaces, when compared to K-12 White American educators, K-12 Asian American educators experienced a higher frequency of racial microaggressions and a greater intensity of distress from these microaggressions.