A state witness called to rebut charges that New York City students are shortchanged state funds testified this week that Asian students work harder and do more homework than other children.

“There’s an actual difference between the Asians and everyone else,” said bilingual education expert Christine Rossell, called to Manhattan Supreme Court to bolster the state’s defense that more money won’t improve city education.

Her testimony – and the fact state Attorney General Elliot Spitzer’s lawyers called her to the stand – was sharply criticized yesterday by influential Assemblyman Steven Sanders (D-Manhattan), Assembly Education Committee chairman.

Rossell, a Boston University professor who believes in scrapping bilingual classes, gave the testimony under cross-examination by a lawyer for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, which is suing the state for more funds for city schools.

Lawyer William Russell asked Rossell about her belief that children learn English faster in nonbilingual English as a second language programs than in more costly dual-language classes. She said “other factors” determined such success, such as “social class.”

Russell then asked whether the fact that most children in bilingual classes were Spanish-speaking, and most in English as a second language Asian, affected success rates.

“There’s an actual difference between the Asians and everyone else,” Rossell said. She answered yes to whether she believed Asians had a different work ethic.

An angry Sanders said Rossell “perpetuates stereotypes.” He said Spitzer’s putting her on the stand was like “having Charles Manson for a character witness for somebody on trial.” A spokesman for Spitzer declined to comment.

The state has paid Rossell more than $120,000 for her testimony, she said.

The fiscal equity suit charges that city students represent 38% of state pupils, but get only 34% of the funds. State attorneys say the funding is enough to provide a “minimally adequate” education.



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