An Unruly Standard of Knowledge

No roosters crowed, but the sunrise emblazoned the horizon with beautiful orange and yellow. Middle and high school students leave early in the morning, under the morning air. Now, no roosters crow still, and the sunrise still emblazons the horizon. But, students are forced to stay at home as a virus rampages their cities and towns. Though, another virus plagued some students for nearly their entire career.

The virus of society's standards. Under the shroud of a ceiling, home or school, the virus of society's standards spread. Under the blue sky and under any roof, the virus of society's standards spread. An expectation, poised to cause harm to those who don't follow.

"Why don't you speak that language. Why don't you have good grades? Get good grades."

A virus of society, but hard-hitting to certain groups on the absolute highs and lows of the spectrum. As a matter of fact, EVERY INDIVIDUAL in those groups are inclined to be held to a good standard because to the amount of mastery of a group in a certain field. As a biased claim itself, an example can help validate the claim:

Language, the one of society's standards that easily hit nearly all, but incredibly hard to those of AAPI descent. Amid the scarily spontaneous, spread out, and growing anti-AAPI sentiment in the community, red targets fall on those who are AAPI. Yet, there's still a process to put that red target on someone. It may be looking like one of the AAPI population. Maybe being asked if someone is Chinese. But, also, commonly a question of "Do you speak [language tied to Asians/Pacific Islanders]?" A demonstration of the social standard that those who are AAPI must uphold - an ability to speak the language of their descent. This, a cruel demonstration that causes the mental injuries and scars of many. Those who cannot speak the language do not speak the language. Yet, they suffer the same consequences. Seemingly a disgrace to not speak the language of your descent. And ultimately why the social standard is existent, but important to manage. It's unruly.

Grades, a long known factor of someone's future. Grades, the ultimatum of academic factors. Grades, a measure of performance.

"Could grades really hurt more than they do?" "Getting good grades should be a relief, right?"

The truth hits.

A stressful measure of school performance dawns upon the stress for those who reach for it, but sadly those who master it likewise. A unique story where the AAPI population, with one of the highest average grades in the USA, feels the stress to withhold the good ranking but succumb to the standards set by society. Too often, a certain question is asked in many ways. At the end, the question stating: "You have good grades, right? You're Asian." Myself, a student of the AAPI population, I have been asked too many times. Equate the "too many times" to asking the smarter student in class for answers to anything, and that's how many is "too many". A refusal of an answer portrays one as not smart and not conforming to the standard. The sad standard. The horrendously rigorous and inexcusably detrimental standard. It's unruly.

Society's standards will exist, regardless of our tireless efforts. Society's standards will rampage and destroy those who fall below but raise others with significant disparity for meeting their "standard".

Mentioned are just two examples of many, two common and harsh ones to us. Getting a B is okay, mistakes happen. Not speaking Indonesian as an Indonesian American is okay, because you may not want to learn it. Though it is good to make sure everyone is moving forward without falling behind, supported by the standards of society, it is important to manage it. Detrimental words and actions right as it gets out of control. This is what we want to stop. This is a message to the students of the era: Let's work together to manage it.