[LINK] "Teens' attack on Chinese girl draws comparison to 'Lord of the Flies' from judge"

[rfmcdonald]

At the Los Angeles Times, Cindy Chang and Frank Shyong use a recent attack on a Chinese student in Los Angeles by her peers to look at the phenomenon of the "parachute kids".

The March 30 attack has prompted soul-searching not just in Rowland Heights but also in China — the victim and her alleged attackers were "parachute kids," part of a new wave of Chinese youngsters who live in Southern California and attend local schools while their parents remain back home.

Parachute kids typically stay in private homes in the San Gabriel Valley, paying for room, board, transportation and substitute parenting from their hosts. Most are in high school, though some are younger, studying here to get a jump start on admission to an American college.

In the attack on [Yiran "Camellia" Liu], who is 18, three teenagers have been charged as adults and pleaded not guilty to torture, kidnapping and assault. Attorneys for Yunyao "Helen" Zhai, 19, and Yuhan "Coco" Yang, 18, acknowledge that their clients participated in the attack and said they hope to reach plea agreements that dismiss the most serious charges. Torture carries a life prison sentence with the possibility of parole. A lawyer for the third defendant, Xinlei "John" Zhang, 18, argued in court that his client was only a bystander.

[. . .]

For parachute kids, living in the U.S. is a chance to learn a new language and culture and to escape China's ultra-competitive college entrance exams. Some thrive in their new environment and go on to colleges such as UC Berkeley and UC San Diego. For others, struggles with dating, friendships or school can spiral out of control without the steadying influence of parents and other family members.

The court testimony of Liu and the second victim offers a glimpse into a world devoid of adults, centered on the Chinese teahouses and karaoke parlors of the east San Gabriel Valley, where some of these teenagers drive Mercedes cars and stay out past 2 a.m. on school nights.