Hmong High School Students
Discuss Finance Reform,
Governor’s Taskforce Recommendations
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Students of Freedom
Inc. discuss school funding reform.
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Members of a Madison community organization for Southeast
Asian youth called Freedom Inc. met August 24, 2004
to discuss how school finance issues affect their education.
Students listened to a presentation on the Wisconsin
Adequacy Plan, and then talked about how they are affected
by school funding and budget cuts.
More specifically, they discussed how inadequate funding
pits students with different needs against each other.
“At Madison East, kids in different activities
are always competing for funding. I’m in the United
Asian Club and we have to raise a lot of our money.
When kids are active in school activities its good for
the community. That’s why all kids should have
the support they need to participate in extra-curricular
activities,” said Meng Vang.
The students also discussed the affect cutting specialty
classes and electives have on their education.
“All students are different, some want to take
advanced classes and some take regular math. Some students
need help learning English and some excel in learning
foreign languages. Many students want to go to college
and like taking math and science classes, but others
are really talented artists and musicians. Every year
we cut a couple of classes, and the electives we do
have are hard to get into. We need to give enough money
to schools so that all kids can take courses they enjoy
and are interested in,” said Phouthaphone Maly.
Along with learning about school finance reform, students
discussed proposals from the Governors Taskforce on
Educational Excellence.
All of the students agreed that the taskforce’s
recommendation on attracting and retaining more teachers
of color would improve the educational outcomes for
students of color in high school.
“I’ve never had an Asian teacher in school.
Students do better when they have someone to go to who
understands where they are coming from and the problems
they face. If we had more teachers who understood our
culture, it would be easier for us to succeed in school,”
said Linda Vang of Madison West high school.
The students will support the $24 million dollar increase
in aid for English-language learners by making phone
calls to Governor Jim Doyle and Superintendent of the
Department of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster.
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