So, just last week I was reporting in the Vietnamese Buzz June 2006, about the Dr. Kim Oanh Nguyen Lam controversy in Westminster, CA. In short, the Westminster School District Board reversed their original decision to hire Dr. Kim Oanh Nguyen Lam as the new superintendent of the school district in a closed-door meeting without providing any explanations. Naturally, the Vietnamese and Latino community has reacted with much uproar, and I mentioned that grassroots efforts have already started last week.
Well, the grassroots efforts are reaching national headlines, and this issue is getting bigger by the day. This Thursday, June 15th, at 6pm, a coalition to keep Dr. Kim Oanh Nguyen Lam as the new superintendent is calling for a peaceful, respectful gathering in front of the Westminster School District’s next board meeting (14121 Cedarwood Ave. Westminster, CA 92683) to voice our opinion that Dr. Kim Oanh Nguyen Lam is well qualified for the position as the new superintendent (otherwise the independent search firm would have not selected her to begin with), and that a public explanation for the unusual second vote needs to be provided. Needless to say, we also hope and respectfully request the board to reconsider the decision and reinstitute Dr. Kim Oanh Nguyen Lam.
This seems like it's going to be a very big gathering, especially with the Latino community being heavily involved in this as well, and I am more than delighted to see both Latino and Vietnamese community that make up Orange County work together hand in hand with this. Heck even civil rights pioneer Sylvia Méndez will come out for the rally. I wish I can attend this rally, but I can’t (one more reason for me to seriously reconsider moving back to my beloved Little Saigon).
So, for mes amis in Orange County, please come out for the rally, keep it peaceful, respectful and constructive (yes, this means, leaving your megaphones at home) and visit www.supportdrkimoanh.org for more information and sample fax letters on this national issue and also inform your co-workers/friends/neighbors/dentists/veterinarian about this as well. Another Little Saigon history in the making, and you don’t want to miss out on this.