Despite being the largest Asian ethnic group in the Fresno Unified School District, the lack of translators remains a barrier for Hmong parents from fully participating in their children’s education, reports New American Media.
Parents say that sometime forces them to miss out on important things such as parent teacher conferences and even general announcements from the school.
“When I go (to school meetings), I feel like I’m an outcast,” said Yeng Xiong, a mother of two and a native Hmong speaker.
Some of the written announcements are translated into Hmong, but many parents can not read the language.
One parent said she was fortunate that her school has a janitor who speaks Hmong and is happy to help translate when he can.
You can read more about what Hmong parents face in New American Media.