The superintendent of San Dieguito Union High School District insinuated during a diversity, equity, and inclusion training session on April 11 that Asian students do better in school because they have more money than other students, according to a video recording of the training.
Board Trustee Michael Allman asked Superintendent Cheryl James-Ward, “Do we know why Asian students do so well in school?” Allman asked for specific district data on why Asian Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese students receive fewer bad grades than other racial groups.
“We have an influx of Asians from China, and the people who are able to make that journey are wealthy,” James-Ward said. “You cannot come to America and buy a house for $2 million unless you have money.”
James-Ward argued that Latino families “don’t have that type of money” and don’t have parents who can be available at home for children because they’re working. The superintendent also said that an “influx of Chinese families” are moving into her community.
“In my community, in Carmel Valley … we had a large influx of Chinese families moving in, sight unseen, into our homes, into the community, and that requires money,” James-Ward said.
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California Equal Rights Foundation, an organization founded by Chinese-Americans, released a statement condemning James-Ward’s statements as “inflammatory bigotry.”
“Dr. Ward’s comments were deeply offensive, grossly inaccurate and intentionally divisive, which ill-fits her leadership role in a major school district,” the organization said. (RELATED: Teacher Launches Into Anti-Trump Rant During Supposed Lecture Of Nazi Laws)
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that during an interview, James-Ward initially blamed the person who posted the video for dividing the community.
“We have this person trying to play at the heartstrings of our community, to divide the community, to harm me,” James-Ward said. “That’s what this is about. To take what I said so out of context and put that little thing there is wrong to the core.”
James-Ward later admitted that she “probably should’ve been a little more careful and thoughtful in [her] words,” and apologized.
“If I harmed any member of my community, I am deeply sorry, and that would never be my intent,” she said.
San Dieguito Union High School District has a median household income of more than $135,000, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The same outlet reported that a majority of Latino students in the district, 56%, are not socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Following the video leak, the district announced that it canceled a Wednesday town hall with James-Ward and a former board trustee.
San Dieguito Union High School District was unable to respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment as the district’s spokesperson is out of office.