9
diversity
THE GAMUT - october 6th, 2009
Blurring the Lines Diversity breaks down cultural barriers
STATISTICS Demographics from Survey of Oxford Student Body
Melissa Riddle & Cynthia Washicko Some outsiders see Oxford as a school full of nerdy, upper middle class Asians with braces and rolling backpacks. But, in truth, we are a school composed of unique students with diverse backgrounds, and one of the most diverse campuses in the Anaheim Union High School District. In this section, we explore statistics and everyday experiences to show how diversity has become such an important part of our social experience.
How does O x f o r d ’ s diversity shape our campus? How does this influence us as individuals? These beg the question of how our racial demographics have become such an integral part of Oxford, providing a cultural exchange that helps students develop a more diplomatic and understanding mindset. Diversity is not a quantifiable aspect of our campus, but the best that can be expected of our students and administration is a valid attempt achieving it.
“...we are a school composed of unique students with diverse backgrounds, and one of the most diverse campuses in the [AUHSD].”
Sectioned by Diversity How diversity equates to a different high school experience Jessica Lim
Oxford’s racial makeup is a common subject of debate, bringing to light the issue of defining “diversity” and its role in campus life. “There is barely any diversity at Oxford because every year there are more and more Asians who are put through preparatory programs for acceptance into Oxford,” senior Jason Kim said, stating a common opinion among students. Nearly 59% of the population is Asian. Although many students believe this campus lacks variety, those previously exposed exclusively to their own race see our campus as very diverse. “As a minority at Oxford, it was weird, at first, not seeing a lot of Mexicans like I do in my neighborhood but seeing a lot of Asians and Caucasians instead,” sophomore Edgar Mariscal said. “I think Oxford is diverse because I learned and experienced more here about other peoples’ cultures, and I think if I had gone to Anaheim or Katella I wouldn’t have been as accepting of other cultures.” Such varied opinions on the status of diversity on campus result in queries about
the ethnic makeup of other schools. “Diversity at Oxford is very different from diversity at Kennedy. I would say that Kennedy is one of the more diverse schools in Orange County with a wide variety of ethnicities, while Oxford is predominantly Asian and Indian people,” former Oxford student and Kennedy junior Jason Han said. With a campus that is16% more Caucasians, 4% more Hispanics, 2% more African Americans, and 36% less Asian, Kennedy has a larger pool of ethnic groups. “[The greater diversity] really gives students an opportunity to interact with all kinds of ethnicities,” Han said. Others believe that students on Oxford’s campus take advantage of the diversity we do have better than students at other schools. “Oxford is a very diverse place. It’s different from a lot of schools because not only is there diversity, but everyone accepts each other,” sophomore Yuki Ramirez said. “From what I’ve heard of other schools, you may not be able to see people of different races becoming good friends, but there are cliques [made up] of different races at Oxford.”
Question
Answer
Number Who Answered
Percentage of Total Answerers
Do you think Oxford is diverse?
Somewhat
208
45.0
Yes
128
27.7
No
116
25.1
Yes, but the same as students at other schools
182
39.6
Yes, but less than students at other schools
149
32.4
Yes, more than students at other schools
67
14.6
Not at all
60
13.0
Many races
241
52.2
Two or more races
140
30.3
Mostly my own race
72
15.6
Do you think Oxford students stereotype?
The friends I hang out with the most are..
Student Demographics from WASC Report Race
Oxford 2008 - 2009
AUHSD 2006
African American
1%
3%
American Indian/Alaska Native
0%
0%
Asian
58%
11%
Filipino
10%
3%
Hispanic/Latino
14%
59%
Pacific Islander
2%
1%
White (not Hispanic)
15%
21%
Difficult to Measure Attempting to understand the relevance of diversity
“How does our diversity, or lack thereof, affect your experience?”
EDITORIAL Annie Yang
Of course, it is unreasonable to ask students to break all old bonds to make new ones. Diversity benefits the student body as
a whole, but affects the individual most. All that can be done is to open narrow minds and occasionally embrace another’s culture.
Dalmia, Shikha . “Illegal Immigrants are Paying a Lot More Taxes Than You Think.” Reason Foundationn. pag. Web. 22 Sep 2009. <http://reason.org/news/ show/122411.html>.
“Immigration to the United States.” US Immigration Support n. pag. Web. 22 Sep 2009. <http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/ immigration_us.html>.
taxfoundation.org/blog/show/1424.html>. StarExponent.com. 15 Apr. 2009. Web. <Report: Illegal immigrants are 4 percent of Virginia population>.
Immigration Counters. immigrationcounters.com/>.
Prante, Gerald, . “Immigrants and Taxes.” Tax Foundation n. pag. Web. 22 Sep 2009. <http://www.
<http://
10
Manon-thestreet
A gross generalization, and a common misconception that undermines the truth: we are actually one of the most diverse campuses in the district. But students forget that diversity is not so easily measured, as the large Asian population is not representative of the many different ethnicities on campus. Students look at number per race rather than number of races, and tend to make judgments based on these beliefs. There is an obvious disparity between, say, the number of Korean and Hispanic students on campus. Though no one is at fault, each race may feel alienated and consequently withdraw into their own respective groups. What further separates groups is a common language other than English. Although English is by far the most dominant language on campus, as it should be, there are students who perhaps feel more at home when they speak their native language. Such preservation of culture can be a good thing. However, language is arguably the most defining aspect of culture. Speaking different languages on campus greatly isolates a particular group and essentially blocks others from communication. Thus cliques are further emphasized. The existence of cliques dispels any benefit diversity may bring. It is natural for students of similar backgrounds to feel comfortable with each other simply because they share something familiar. However, many students have bubbled into racially defined groups and so have forgotten the true diversity of Oxford. There are exceptions, but students who completely shy away from stereotypes and cultural boundaries are the genuine minority on campus. Many students are eager to say that they are at ease when talking to someone from another racially defined clique, but these same students are unwilling to admit that they have already comfortably situated themselves in such a group. More students should take advantage of the diversity on campus by attempting to connect with peers of other cultures. In order for any significant change to happen on campus, we would not only have to ‘feel comfortable’ around their peers, but make an effort to connect.
Web.
diversity
“Students look at number per race rather than number of races, and tend to make judgments based on these beliefs.”
“The Asian culture motivated me more, because the school I came from didn’t have that mentality. But once I came to Oxford, everyone was motivated and that motivated me to get better quotes. “ -Candace Frazier, 12th grade
“I don’t feel like everybody else because I’m black and there aren’t many people I can connect with.”
“Diversity benefits the student body as a whole, but affects the individual most.”
-Kayla Williams, 10th grade
? “Sometimes it has a negative impact on me because I feel out of place and sometimes I feel pressured to respect other cultures.“
The Dark Side Of Illegal Immigration. Web. <http:// www.usillegalaliens.com/>.
-- Anonymous
11
immigration
THE GAMUT - october 6th, 2009
No Immigrant Left Behind Spotlighting the immigrant effect on campus
Allen Tran
With academics on our mind, the unique demographics of the student body often go unrecognized. Immigrants, a group rarely considered by students and teachers alike, face struggles unique to their situation but that lack representation. Immigration status is especially notable when the inherent challenges of being an illegal immigrant finally becomes a reality, in the college admissions process.
Beyond the inadequate knowledge and resources provided to assist these students, this section will consider the following issues: assimilation, prevalence, campus demographics, campus perception, national comparison. Only after considering these issues can students be educated enough to understand a dormant campus issue that has otherwise become inflamed across the national atmosphere.
A Patriot From Abroad Student reminisces about the trials of adjusting to American society Henry Tran In the summer of 1999, Huong Tran stepped out of a large airplane, concluding a twenty hour-long flight. She timidly entered the airport as her eyes wandered from crowd to crowd. She was in America, the place she would come to call home. Tran’s parents, like many immigrant parents, moved to the US primarily to provide their children with greater educational opportunities. “My parents valued education and they understood that their children could achieve more here,” Tran says. Originally from South Vietnam, Tran’s family fled the communist government and arrived in the US when she was seven and knew just a few words of English. “On my first day of school, I only knew how to say ‘hi’ and ‘excuse me,’” Tran says. “I didn’t talk to anybody and looked at the clock every other minute to see when class would be over. I told my mom I hated elementary school.” Unfortunately, Tran found it equally difficult to fit in with her classmates. “At first, I felt that American culture was too different from the
Vietnamese culture I was accustomed to,” Tran says. “I felt so out of place and socially awkward because of my mushroom haircut and brightly-colored clothing.” In time, Tran has forgotten these painfully awkward years. The moment she arrived in Los Angeles, however, will be forever etched in her memory. “When I first stepped off the plane at LAX, I saw these huge buildings towering over me, and I felt so small in this new place,” Tran says. This summer marked a decade since Tran reluctantly stepped off that plane. Today, she no longer feels so small or out of place. Tran is grateful for her friends, education, and unique American experience. “[This country] has made me believe that I could truly do anything,” Tran says.
TRIUMPH: (Above) Despite early setbacks, Huong Tran has managed to overcome the difficulties of assimilation and find fulfillment in her American experience.
Behind the Controversy Explaining the immigration debate Annie Yang
What is the controversy behind illegal immigration? It is an issue prevalent not only in the United States, but also on our campus. 54.1 percent of Oxford students know an undocumented immigrant on campus, and yet the topic is rarely discussed or addressed. Consider the chart below, which only begins to explore the national immigration debate:
PRO
CON
Often support amnesty and widening annual immigration quotas
Support restrictions on immigration—“no exceptions”
- Keeps economy moving by: - Filling low wage jobs (contribute more than they cost) - Immigrants contribute $80,000 more than they consume - Becoming consumers - Allowing farmers to plant and harvest cheaper
- Difficult to prosecute illegal immigrants who commit a crime and flee the country
- 75% illegal workers pay for Social Security - Also pay sales, auto, and real estate taxes Chain Reaction: 1. Immigrants are usually paid less while they add approx. 11 million skilled jobs 2. Create extra capital and higher worker productivity 3. Increased productivity pushes up wages, and continue increasing at a faster rate
- Occupy the job market - More than $30 billion wired outside of the country (Mexico) - May carry health risks which are not easily checked and/or regulated - Immigration quota (700,000 – 900,000 legal immigrants annually) exceeded - Crowding of public schools - More than 4 million illegal immigrant students; make up 6.8% of elementary - “Growing number of uninsured illegal aliens who can’t pay for claims”
STATISTICS PERCENT OF OXFORD STUDENTS... ...born outside United States : 28.3% ...who know one or more students born outside the United States: 75.5% ...who know/are an illegal immigrant on campus: 54.1% ...who believe oxford students born outside the United States are the same as them: 45.9%
“Is immigration a point of discussion on campus?”
Man-on-the-street
immigration
12
Undocumented Debunking a myth GUEST COLUMN
Joaquin Gonzalez
“I don’t think it’s a big deal because so much of the school is Asian. No one bothers with that stuff.” -Rowell Tiongco, 12th grade
“Normal high school students don’t talk about this unless teachers discuss it.” -- Xingya Wu, 12th grade
“Yes, immigrants are already part of America so there really shouldn’t be a problem.” -- Joujou Nguyen, 9th grade
?
“Yeah, but no one talks about it. We joke around about FOBs but we don’t talk about it much. Plus we all probably immigrated or our parents did.” -- Anonymous
Being an immigrant meant absolutely nothing as I came to the United States, and for the greater part of my life it meant as much as saying I was Mexican if someone asked me where I was born. It really only hit me in the last year to two years, when I started to realize that many of the things that my friends as citizens could do, I could not do simply because I was an immigrant. When I turned 16, many of my friends could already drive, but I could not get a license because I am an immigrant. When my parents first tried to get credit, they were denied, because they did not have a valid social security number and they could not get any form of official ID. When I started looking up colleges last year, I realized that I would have to apply as an international student, and that I would probably not be eligible for federal aid. Once all these things began to happen, I thought about why it happened, feeling that it was completely unfair to deprive someone of a college education or of a license simply because of immigrant status. I found that many people simply do
not know enough about immigration and that they base their opinions on the little information they do have. For example, most people believe that immigrants do not pay taxes and that they are constantly hoarding benefits meant for citizens and residents for themselves. In reality, there are about 11.6 million immigrants, and of those, the IRS and Social Security estimate that 11 million do pay their taxes. This is a vast majority of all immigrants currently in the United States. They also do not collect benefits, as most people believe. In fact, Social Security receives $9 billion per year from immigrants alone, and pays none of it out because immigrants either have a fake or non-working Social Security Number. I know that I cannot ask others to take up a specific view on immigration, but I can ask everyone to at least learn more about it, so that they learn about it and can make informed choices. It comes up everywhere in government, and I believe that there should be more conversation on this topic, because it is such an important topic in America.
A Detour in the Roadmap to College Undocumented students turn to alternatives to apply to college
For 200 seniors at Oxford, the prospect of applying to college becomes a looming pressure in the fall as students scramble to fill out forms and do last minute testing. For illegal immigrant students, who have to navigate the admissions process and alternatives to financial aid, the stress is of a whole different nature. Senior Joaquin Gonzalez knows this reality all too well—his father works a modest job as a construction worker while his mother cannot work without a green card. As undocumented aliens, their family only has a tax identification number through the Internal Revenue Service, much like a Social Security Number, to pay income taxes. “We’ve been working through to
find out if I can [apply to] FAFSA because of the taxes we pay,” Gonzalez said, explaining that FAFSA would check his tax identification number with the IRS and see how much income tax his family pays, to determine if he qualifies for financial aid. But with the state budget crisis, state and federal aid like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) become critical to students, as state universities and UCs may have little choice but to raise fees 30 percent next year. If Gonzalez does not qualify, Assembly Bill 540, a California law passed in 2002, is another financial option for qualifying alien students, who must have completed three or more years of high school in California.
They would also have to file an affidavit with their choice colleges, stating that they are in the process of legalizing their immigration status. “For the international application, they require you to take an extra test for English proficiency,” Gonzalez said, explaining that he could also apply as an international student. “[Ms.] Tambara said I probably won’t have to [though] because I went to a US based education system.” With President Obama’s plan to push a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill in the upcoming year, advocacy groups are gearing up on legislation such as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which could
Anhthu Tran increase access to postsecondary pathways for undocumented immigrants nationwide. “It would be great if the DREAM Act passed. It opens up FAFSA,” Gonzalez said. “I’d be able to work legally. I’d be able to drive. I’ve always wondered how I’d get around in college.” Despite these barriers, Gonzalez is hopeful, and does not feel like the additional obstacles of being an undocumented immigrant will stop him from pursuing his future as much as the next student. “I’m going to apply to as many colleges as I want, and later on figure out how to pay,” Gonzalez said. “And just hoping everything goes through, hoping the [admissions officers] are not insensitive.”
13
religion
THE GAMUT - october 6th, 2009
Facts and Faith
How religion lends its hand to modern society and schooling Julie Nguyen In English II, we covered Buddhism, and in European History, Catholicism. As seniors, we read Genesis and ancient Greek mythology. As far as classes go, our education has done its job of providing and exposing our minds to different religions, rituals, and spiritual perspectives. During Club Rush Week, Bunch of Believers (BOB) offers a home
to Christians and at the International
“...faith is a sensitive subject...” Assembly, we scurry to see foreign rituals and performances. Yet with such a
Open-ended Discussion Humanists’ Society addresses philosophy on campus
Hoping to spark discussion about religion and spirituality on campus, the Humanists’ Society aspires to offer a forum for people of all spiritual preferences It first began as a joke between cofounders Lily Fu and Chris Leon, who share secular interests and ideals. Soon, however, they decided to develop the idea into a club of their own. “We didn’t already have anything like that on campus,” Media Technician Tommy Kovac, who will be advising the club, said. “They’re very independent thinkers.” Fu and Leon, both seniors, hope to facilitate this kind of thinking with all members.
Melissa Riddle
“I always felt that Oxford needed a club dedicated to discovering ideas about the human condition,” Fu said. The group has a repertoire of film, literature, and music selections outlined for the year, encompassing everything from philosophers like Rudyard Kipling and Nietzsche to more modern works like Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and music by Jason Mraz. “We’re thinking of starting with Ancient Greeks and Romans with skepticism, stoicism, and cynicism. We’ll then go into the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, up until modern and post-modern time periods,” Fu said. Despite rumors that the group is little more than a glorified atheist club, Fu and Leon remain adamant that the club is not anti-religion. “We do not aim to ‘convert’ anyone to atheism, but instead hope to create an optimistic and warm setting where people of all beliefs and backgrounds can discuss why they believe what they believe,” Leon said. “Atheist humanists are only one type of humanist. There are Christian humanists as well,” added Fu. “The ultimate purpose is to cultivate a group of independent thinkers with strong reasoning abilities.” The club will be meeting twice a month during lunch in room 513, beginning October 12.
RECRUITMENT: Leon talks to a potential member during Club Rush.
religiously diverse campus, from a majority of Christian students to minorities like Jehovah’s Witnesses, Zoroastrians and Jain, are we really representative of a diverse student body? Most students shy away from minority religions because of both the lack of commonality and familiarity. But faith is a sensitive subject, and does not always lend itself well to discussion. In this
section, we will look at the way students address religion amongst peers—when does religion in our everyday conversation become an issue? Is it a better idea to discuss and openly study different religions, or is such a subject better left unheard of? How different would we all be if religious discussion irrevocably disappeared? And finally, do our minority religions get the equal representation our majorities do?
Campus Conversions Andres Garcia
Conflicts often arise among friends over the debate of the “correct religion.” Misconceptions originate from not understanding faith rather than not believing in it, resulting in attempts at conversion. Conversion is uncommon here on campus, with 8 percent of students recording that a friend has tried to persuade them to convert. However, religion is close to the heart of many and to debate on such an important topic usually gets out of hand and provokes conflict. “One of my best friends was a devout Catholic and the other was an enthusiastic atheist. I felt accused of a crime I had been committing all my life,” senior Jean Rose Pana said. Often times, differences in religion such as these can interfere between closely knit relationships and draw fine lines between a deep friendships and shallow acquaintances.
A religious person often wants to help to inform a “non-believer” about religious practices and ideals. Especially when 65 percent of our student body agreeing that religion is essential to the individual and society, it is only natural that it be such a prominent topic of discussion on campus. “I felt bad because I didn’t know what [my Christian friends] talked about or what to do,” junior Timothy Chu said, explaining that religious concepts are overall complicated and occasionally pushes him out of his friend’s social circle. Although friendships are not always based on faith, people still try to convert others because of specific reasons such as religious enlightenment or saving friends from eternal damnation. “It’s an inevitable spiritual challenge but sometimes we need a little push to think and decide for ourselves,” Pana Said.
STATISTICS Religious Beliefs at Oxford (all grades) Religon
Percentage
Christian: Protestant Catholic & Other
57.23%
Buddhist
10.12%
Atheist/Agnostic
8.68%
Muslim
4.13%
Hindu
4.13%
Jainism
1.24%
Sikh
0.83%
Morman
.62%
Judasim
0.41%
Rastafarianism
0.21%
Wiccan
0.21%
Zoroastrianism
0.21%
Declined to Answer
10.74%
religion
14
Religion at the Roundtable EDITORIAL
Elizabeth Koh & Tiffany Taing
PRO
EDITORIAL
GrowingSecularism How technology hinders traditional religious practices Yong Shing Chiang
Time once spent on worship and prayer has now been replaced with mindless hours on the Internet, video games, and instant messaging. As technology is advancing and consuming peoples’ lives, religion seems to have been regarded as insignificant. Technology undoubtedly increased the comfort and quality of the American lifestyle, but still cannot replace the traditional values and self-discovery religion lends its hand to. Devoting more time to religion does not halt technological advances nor stop scientific improvements, but applying less time to religion only hinders from both self progression and self improvement. The idea of secularism increasingly grows as society shifts their focus from religious matters to scientific affairs. The United States is transforming from a culture founded on religion to an indifferent society with the addition of modern renovations, industrialization, and education. People unknowingly shy away from the benefits of a religious lifestyle due to the household appliances, tech savvy gadgets, and improved communication devices, but this will not suffice when it comes to a developed and round character. Religious believers have a new
tendency to use technology as a crutch to their devotion, taking away from its deeper meaning. Sea Coast Grace now posts their sermons online resulting in the triviality of attending church early Sunday morning. Once considered a day of rest entirely dedicated to religion became an ordinary day since sermons can be seen any day of the week. The new advancements exposed by technology offers the convenience traditional churches cannot provide. This benefits not only those who lack the time but those who want to explore different religions without making a fine commitment. Those who are devout, however, should still take the time out to attend regular services to increase and strengthen the relationship not offered through the computer screen. The decline of religious values and understanding has proved to be defective to our society as a whole. Through religion, people begin to question the morality of their actions before they act on irrational impulses which is something even the latest device on the market cannot do. Measures must be taken to restore traditional religious practices before religion turns into just another Bookmark on a homepage.
Our campus has seen few religious clubs throughout its elevenyear history, and for good reason. Even on a national scale, discussing religion walks a fine line between political incorrectness and violation of the secularism expected in public schools. But even if the pursuit of religious discourse antagonizes some, open religious discussion on any campus permits us to exchange ideas and move beyond the everyday stereotypes that color our perception of others. An enhanced understanding of our peers sets the groundwork for mutual respect in spite of theological differences. We are taught the concept of tolerance at an early age – to ignore differences and embrace similarities. But tolerance falls short of respect because it merely acknowledges people; it does not include them. Most students end up avoiding religious discussions with their fellow classmates altogether, fearful of appearing to question their beliefs or of seeming to insult their faith. But, pushing issues of faith out of conversation allows misunderstandings to persist about other peoples’ beliefs, further integrating stereotypes into our worldview. The community has long praised our school for its high test scores and national rankings. This reputation and the assumptions associated with it can rankle. But, our school does seek analytical students who can consistently take tests well. And, it is ultimately this ability to analyze problems and understand solutions that we will hopefully extend beyond academia. The first step to opening religious discussion is by using these analytical skills to ask about different beliefs and understand different cultures. Whether in campus clubs or with friends at lunch, our push for religious acceptance teaches us about the diversity on campus and about respect for both others’ beliefs and our own.
CON
Religious dialogue on campus is an issue that while not fully acknowledged, still remains a concern. Understanding religious concepts noticeably benefits the development of students’ opinions, but discussing personal beliefs negatively impacts their campus lives, creating conflicts between followers of differing religions and diverting students’ concentration from academics. Being presented to a mix of spiritual cultures and religions helps students develop psychological characteristics and expand thoughts when learned through personal experiences. But religious discussion, though not inappropriate, should not be argued on campus in order to avoid potential disputes. Christian believers dominate our campus’ demographics, nearing 57%. Even expanding worldwide, students who hold different faiths from this majority tend to find themselves more isolated than others. Conversations derive mainly from topics found in common. In the case of religion, Christianity is that commonality. To lessen the weight of conversations based on solely one religion, students would have to discuss every religion followed on campus. School is built for learning and instilling knowledge, not for religious affairs. The separation of church and state has been an issue heatedly debated throughout the world, not just our campus. Although students should be able to exercise religious freedom, their priority on campus is to learn and focus on academics. Discussing personal beliefs about religion will not benefit anyone scholastically. Better-suited places where students can expand their religious knowledge exist, ranging from churches to temples. When students and families have accessibility to such edifices, arguing about various religious beliefs on campus should no longer be an issue. Religious conversations at school are not constructive to the bigger picture, not just in the classroom, but also throughout campus. Every individual has his own right to religious expression—but our campus atmosphere is not well suited as an open forum for religious topics. While on campus, students should be able to respect the privacy of their peers and, altogether, evade any potential disagreements. With religion discussed openly throughout campus, students would be unable to escape from religious differences and to dedicate time to academic success.
Man-on-the-street
“Do you think technology is causing people to drift away from religion?“
“Yes, because it could potentially be used to promote religion but sometimes I find myself playing around with my Blackberry during church service—playing brick breaker rather than using the Bible application.” -- Shawn Chen, 12th grade
“Technology would help religion and promote religious works. Works can be put online, and even though it might stray from traditional values, it will grow because everyone can have access to it..” -- Chase Hettig, 12th grade
“Yes, because people are more into science and its all about the facts. Sometimes the facts don’t match up with religious beliefs. There’s also more emphasis on technology and science in our generation and American culture.” -- Lendehl Sahgun, 11th grade
additional
STATISTICS
When I applied to Oxford, my friends…
While at Oxford, a friend/peer has tried
Are you comfortable talking about
(25.6%) Wanted to get in too
to persuade me to convert to another
religion with friends?
(13.1%) Said/Heard negative things about the religion.
(14.1%) Yes, I don’t care what they believe
(8.4%) One time
(16.2%) Yes, I accept what they believe
(20%) Tried to persuade me otherwise
(8.4%) Two or more times
(43.5%) Both yes
(25.4%) Didn’t care
(79.1%) Never
(1.7%) No, I’m afraid it will change our
(15.7%) Other
(4.1%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
school
relationship
(2.2%) No, I can’t agree with or talk about From what I know, students outside of
I think religion is…
Oxford…
(26.5%) Not important to the individual/
(15.4%) It has never come up in conversation
(11.9%) Admire it
(6.9%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
(48.8%) Make fun of it
(65.9) Important to the individual/society
society
their beliefs
Do your parents understand the college
(31.1%) Don’t care about it I would like to explore and discuss
admissions process?
more world faiths/beliefs in my classes.
(30.9%) Yes, they do more research than me
When people say things about Oxford
(38.3%) Yes, I’m all for it
(29.8%) Yes, but partially
that aren’t always true, I…
(54.1%) No, school isn’t the place for it
(18.9%) Most, but not everything
(65.5%) Correct them
(7.6%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
(14.2%) No, they are confused by it
(8.2%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
(29.6%) Say nothing/go along with it (4.9%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
How involved are your parents in your education?
Do you ever have trouble affording
(21.2%) Very involved – they know everything
from surveys distributed to grades seven to twelve
supplies for school?
(34%) Involved – we talk about it often
based on their experiences at Oxford thus far.
(6.6%) Yes, all the time
(24.7%) Somewhat involved – they check up Nearly 500 students were polled. Surveys were
(40.3%) Just more expensive items
(50.7%) No, I rarely have a problem
(11.7%) Not involved – they trust me to do
(2.4%) Neither/didn’t respond/multiple
on me my own thing
(2.2%) Not involved – they don’t care Do you understand the religions your friends practice?
Are your parents comfortable talking
(54.9%) Yes – we have discussed it
with teachers or counselors about your
(32.1%) No – I never asked
education?
(11.2%) I don’t know what religions my
(37.7%) yes, very comfortable
(37.2%) Yes, but only when they have to
friends practice
(1.8%) Neither/Didn’t respond/Multiple
(14%) No, they only talk to mea bout it (6.2%) No, they don’t even talk to me about it
Numbers and percentages were extrapolated
conducted anonymously in cluster and tabulated by the Gamut staff.