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Sacramento's Hmong community divided over charter school

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Published Monday, Mar. 01, 2010

The idea of a charter school tailored to Hmong students has generated excitement among local Hmong educators and parents, whose children are some of the lowest achievers in the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Proponents of the school say the struggles of Hmong students have been obscured by the academic successes of Asian students in general. Specialized teaching methods and lessons at the Yav Pem Suab Academy, they say, would help those children flourish.

But the pastor of a small Hmong church on 47th Avenue says the proposed school lumps together culturally different ethnic Hmong groups.

Sacramento's estimated 20,000 Hmong include White Hmong, Blue Hmong (some of whom don't spell it with an "H" and are also known as Green Hmong) and even Striped Hmong and Black Hmong.

The Rev. Txer Paul Vang of the 130-member Hmong Calvary Evangelism Center details differences in dialect, spelling and culture in a passionate letter to Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jonathan Raymond. He charges that the proposed charter marginalizes the Blue Hmong-Green Hmong.

Raymond could not be reached for comment.

But board member Diana Rodriguez said: "I wasn't aware of that. I had heard there were different dialects."

Vang, who also is chairman of Mong Federation Inc., said Western missionaries translated "Mong Leng" as "Blue Hmong" and "Hmong Der" as "White Hmong."

"However, Blue Mong and White Mong are misleading terms and … must be ceased and discontinued," Vang wrote to the superintendent.

Vang, 55, said about 40 percent of the district's 3,000 Hmong children are Mong Leng, and if the Hmong language teachers speak Hmong Der dialect, "it will be confusing for our Mong Leng children, and we do not feel comfortable to study the Hmong Der Language."

Proponents of the charter school presented a revised proposal to Sacramento City Unified trustees during their Thursday board meeting.

They're asking for a five-year charter for their kindergarten-through-sixth-grade program that would open in the fall. The school board has until March 27 to accept or deny the petition.

The petition specifies, "Both the Hmong Der language (White Hmong) and the Hmong Leng language (Blue Hmong) will be taught."

And the school's name, Yav Pem Suab Academy (pronounced Yah Bay Shooa), means "preparing for the future" in Blue Hmong, said Vince Xiong, the front-runner for the principal's job at the charter. "It sounds good so we all agreed to it – it's recognizable in both White and Green Hmong," he said.

The academy will be open to students of all races, Xiong said, and Hmong language – taught in both dialects – will be offered to any student who's interested.

Hmong leaders acknowledge different dialects among ethnic groups, comparing them to the differences between Thai and Lao languages, or British and American English.

And each of the groups – including the Striped and Black Hmong – has distinct ceremonial garb.

Kathy May Ly, director of Sacramento Asian-American Inc., said she owns four traditional Hmong costumes: White, Blue, Striped and Hmong Chinese.

"I don't segregate – all Hmong are one," said Ly, whose parents speak Blue Hmong.

Lue Vang, who identifies as Blue Hmong/Green Hmong, said that in Laos, "somehow the White Hmong were the ones who dominated because they joined the French first."

Each group made fun of the other's dialect, but when the CIA forced Hmong jungle fighters into an anti-communist guerrilla army during the Vietnam War, "we blended," Lue Vang said.

"All Hmong kids are really behind in school, not only the Blue/Green ones," said Lue Vang. "They need both dialects – whoever teaches Hmong needs to be a master of both."
 
Thai, US officials to visit returned Hmong Friday: Laos

HANOI, Feb 24 (AFP) - Thai and US officials will get access on Friday to a newly built village in Laos where thousands of ethnic Hmong have been housed after their expulsion from Thailand in December.

Rights groups and foreign embassies have been seeking access to the returnees to ensure they are being properly treated.

The visit is a way "to show our sincerity in good treatment" of the Hmong, Laos government spokesman Khenthong Nuanthasing told AFP on Wednesday.

Bangkok sparked outrage in December when it defied global criticism and used troops to repatriate about 4,500 Hmong from camps on the border with communist Laos, including 158 recognised as refugees by the United Nations.

Thailand and Laos both said the Hmong, who fear persecution for fighting alongside US forces in the Vietnam War, were illegal economic immigrants.

Khenthong said officials from the United States embassy will join the Thai military, foreign affairs officials and reporters on the visit to Ponkham village.

The spokesman said that "the Thai government has rendered good cooperation to the Laos government so we should allow them to inspect the site first".

In Bangkok, Thai foreign ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said: "A group of army officials and representatives from the foreign ministry, together with the press, will go to Vientiane and Ponkham on 25-26 February to follow up the sending back."

According to the Vientiane Times, Ponkham village is being built in Bolikhamxay province to house about 3,000 returned Hmong.

Human rights groups have expressed concern for the safety of the returnees but diplomats say there have been no reports of mistreatment. US congressmen earlier visited some of the repatriated group.
 
Lao Minister Warns Hmong Returnees of Subversion

Thursday, 18 February 2010, 4:19 pm
Press Release: Hmong Advocate

Lao Defense Minister Warns Hmong Returnees of Subversive Elements

Last Saturday, the Lao Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichit, paid a special visit to a group of 3000 Hmong returnees resettled in Phonkham village, Borikhan district, Borikhamxay province.

On February 15, the Lao government’s state-controlled newspaper Vientiane Times reported that the Defense Minister had called on faster progress in developing the resettlement village. The paper further stated that the Defense Minister “gave advice on the structure of the village’s administrative body. He called for continuous education of the people on Party and government policy, and to make them aware of the tactics employed by subversive elements.”

The Hmong returnees well understand this type of ambiguous language used by the Lao government. The term “subversive elements” refers to “General Vang Pao Hmong” or those who sided with the United States during the Vietnam War and who the Lao military continues to hunt down in remote jungle areas.
Earlier this year, western journalists had again visited remaining jungle groups in military-controlled Saysomboun Special Zone claiming that survivors reported recent Lao government attacks, which included the killing of an unarmed 14-year old boy who was out foraging for food. The Lao foreign ministry spokesperson continues to deny that any such jungle groups exist or that any such attacks take place. Instead, the government refers to these subversive elements as bandits.

Rather than continue to hunt down the small remaining group of starving Hmong in the jungle and threaten former General Vang Pao with a government death sentence if he ever thinks about returning to Laos, his home country, maybe the Lao government should point its finger at someone else. Instead of secretly kicking around these helpless Hmong and blaming their General Vang Pao for the mass U.S. bombings in Laos, why don’t you target those who should really be held accountable. How about former U.S Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the one many believe should be held accountable for the mass bombardment of civilians in Laos. Maybe that wouldn’t be politically correct now for the Lao government to direct its anger at such an obvious target after the U.S. just opened up a new Defense Attache Office there.

The Hmong returnees, many believed to be political refugees with legitimate asylum claims, were forcibly repatriated from Thailand to Laos on December 28, 2009. According to the U.S. Ambassador in Thailand, the Thai government had identified about 800 of these returnees as having legitimate protection concerns. The UNHCR had also recognized a group of 158 as being political refugees. Despite assurances from the foreign diplomatic community that these UNHCR-recognized refugees would have access to the UNHCR immediately upon their return to Laos and be allowed to resettle in third countries, they have been isolated and denied access from the outside world.

The Lao government has quite boldly stated that these UNHCR-recognized refugees are just illegal migrants who have broken Lao law by fleeing to Thailand. The Lao government has also stated that these Hmong have now decided to stay in Laos rather than resettle in a third country. At the same time, the government continues to deny UNHCR access to the group.

The Lao government threatens those who do not tow the government line. If they speak out then they are guilty of being manipulated by subversive elements. A Hmong refugee can just not win against the Lao government, especially when they are the whipping dog for something the U.S. government should be responsible for.
 
Lao Family of Sacramento closes its door
Friday, 19 February 2010 07:53
One of the oldest Hmong service agencies in the nation, Sacramento Lao Family Community Inc., has folded because of financial mismanagement, county officials said.

Lao Family – a fixture on Franklin Boulevard since 1982, and one of 10 Lao Family offices in California originally opened by Hmong Vietnam-era general Vang Pao – lost its county funding in September.

The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency – which gave Lao Family $467,000 in federal funds in 2009 for job training, placement and English language classes – cut off the agency for misspending the money, said fiscal chief Roy Kim.

"They weren't paying their employees, were behind on their payroll taxes and were bouncing checks," Kim said. "Their auditors basically started the fiscal year 2008 audit and walked out saying there's insufficient records, so they had no audit report."

The center will reopen today as Sacramento Asian American Minority Inc., an all-volunteer grass-roots organization. SAAMI – which has three women on its board and a female executive director – represents a new generation of pan-Asian leadership, said President Steve Vang.

Vang said he and other volunteers have spent $30,000 of their own money renovating the old Lao Family headquarters at 5838 Franklin Boulevard.

Lao Family staff were helping about 250 Hmong, Russian and Ukrainian refugees learn English and find jobs, "but weren't getting paid on time," Kim said.

Along with the Franklin Boulevard location, Lao Family's north area office on Palm Avenue, which served almost exclusively refugees from the former Soviet Union, also closed, Kim said.

Lao Family was put on notice in August 2008 "and to date has failed to adequately respond to SETA's fiscal monitoring findings, concerns and recommendations," said County Refugee Services Manager Michelle O'Camb.

Longtime Lao Family Executive Director Kobi Vang could not be reached for comment. Vang – who used to own Sam Thong Meat Market on Franklin Boulevard – is "no longer here," said his step-grandson Matthew Saechao. The last time Vang was heard from was "two or three months ago," Saechao said.

Saeng Her, a 12-year Lao Family employee who has stayed on to help SAAMI, confirmed that Lao Family's leadership "couldn't provide information for auditors, so they shut down."

Over the years, Lao Family helped thousands of Hmong, Iu Mien, Lao and Russian refugees adjust to their new country, Her said. "We helped over 500 people a year with ESL (English as a second language) classes, job training, transportation, translation, paper work, family counseling and healthy marriage classes.

"Even though Lao family closed down, people are still asking for help," Her said. "We can't leave them alone."

At least 20 people a day drop in, said Kathy May Ly, SAAMI's executive director. "They need help making calls, filling out forms, reading their mail, dealing with mental health issues," Ly said. "I have elders that just come in to socialize."

Ly, who is not paid for her work, said the new agency needs about $100,000 a year to stay open.

Community leaders welcomed the new organization. "They have a mix of Hmong, Japanese and Vietnamese," said Hmong radio host T.T. Vang. "The new leaders are more educated and should be more professional."

Neng Vang, who's helped Hmong families battle gang violence and gambling addiction, said the new agency's leaders "are very well-intentioned young individuals who want to change how business was done in the past."

Neng Vang said many of the region's 30,000 Hmong remain isolated and mistrust the upcoming U.S. census. He said he hopes SAAMI will play a role in getting the Hmong counted.

Kim, SETA's fiscal officer, said he's met with the agency's new chief Ly, who has a background in finance and accounting. "We'll certainly take a look at them carefully," Kim said.

IN THE KNOW

Sacramento Asian American Minority Inc. is at 5838 Franklin Blvd. in Sacramento. It's open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information: (916) 392-8010.
 
St. Paul Rep. Cy Thao not seeking re-election

www.twincities.com

Cy Thao
Rep. Cy Thao, DFLSt. Paul, a four-term lawmaker representing parts of St. Paul's Frogtown, Summit-University and Rice Street neighborhoods, is not running for re-election, a party official said.

Thao, who has been coy about his plans, recently was fined more than $4,700 for campaign finance-related violations. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Sources told Minnesota Public Radio he was leaving for other opportunities. Thao is one of two Hmong lawmakers in Minnesota.

The DFL nominating convention for his seat, which can be tantamount to winning in heavily Democratic St. Paul, is set for March 7, though DFL officials said an endorsement may be delayed. Senate District 65 DFL chair Bob Spaulding said Thao announced in an e-mail to supporters sent Friday that he is not seeking re-election.

St. Paul Public Schools employee Jeremiah Ellis, former Frogtown Times publisher Tony Schmidt and lobbyist Jessica Webster all have expressed interest in the seat.

— Jason Hoppin
 
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