The mood was somber as a 7-0 vote reversed the board's unanimous decision of two months ago to name the school after Vang Pao, who is revered by many Hmong for leading his people in the military and as a civilian.
"It is especially painful to be at this moment," said board member Lucy Mathiak, who like others stressed that she values Hmong sacrifices during the Vietnam War and contributions in America. ...
Shwaw Vang, a leading backer of naming the school after Vang Pao, sat silently in the auditorium's second row, his hands crossed in his lap, as the board voted to change the school's name.
'I think the board did what it needed to do in order to move forward,' said Vang, who still considers Vang Pao a hero, even if the criminal charges are true, for his efforts to save Hmong who are being hunted and persecuted in the jungles of Laos.
'This shows what's appropriate for one community may not be for another. It clearly says this community has a way to go before everybody can start to heal and understand and respect each other.'"
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