Hmong students demand apology from Wisconsin law professor
(Published Tuesday, February 27, 2007 10:42:54 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Ryan J. Foley Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - Hmong students are demanding a University of Wisconsin law professor publicly apologize for remarks they consider offensive and the law school to show a greater commitment to diversity.
In a statement late Sunday, the students asked law school administrators to take several steps in response to remarks professor Leonard Kaplan made during a Feb. 15 lecture to his legal process class.
Students have attributed several statements to Kaplan, who was discussing the relationship between culture and law. He allegedly said Hmong men's only talent is to kill; that many second-generation Hmong Americans become gang members; and that Hmong men buy their wives.
Kaplan was trying to make a point about the difficulties Hmong, an ethnic minority from southeast Asia, have faced in assimilating to Wisconsin. In the process, students say he made the disparaging remarks.
Along with the apology, students are asking for funding for Hmong cultural events and for the school to adopt a new critical race theory and law program. They said those efforts would help create a learning environment free from ethnic and racial stereotypes.
"This incident introduces an opportunity for not only the law school but the entire University of Wisconsin System to engage in necessary and overdue dialogue about Hmong Americans," said KaShia Moua, a third-year law student.
Law School Dean Kenneth Davis said the university was already moving to satisfy many of the requests and would consider the others. He said it was up to Kaplan to decide whether a public apology was needed.
Kaplan's remarks came amid already contentious race relations in Wisconsin. A Hmong hunter was killed last month in a wildlife refuge near Green Bay, and white hunter is charged in his death. Two years ago, six white hunters were killed by a Hmong hunter in northern Wisconsin.
"Though we do not assert that racism motivated Professor Kaplan's statements, his remarks were irresponsible considering the tense relations between Hmong Americans and the greater community in Wisconsin," said Kanha Vuong, a second-year law student who was in the class.
In the statement, students called for:
- Kaplan to publicly take back his remarks and acknowledge they had a damaging effect on the learning environment and on how students view the Hmong.
He has met privately with offended students who say he stood by his remarks but said he was sorry if anyone was hurt by them.
Kaplan, a law school faculty member since 1974, has not returned phone or e-mail messages. Davis said he believed Kaplan apologized during the meeting.
- The law school to fund and promote a Hmong Cultural Series in April and other cultural awareness events. Davis said the school was interested in hosting discussions and events to highlight the Hmong community.
- The school to implement a critical race theory and law program. Critical race theorists explore how race affects society.
Davis said some faculty members are already active in this area. The school tried unsuccessfully to recruit another such scholar two years ago and is always looking for others, he said.
- The school to preserve the Legal Education Opportunities Program, which aims to recruit and retain minorities. The program, which offers a support network for those students, began in the late 1960s.
Davis said the program has aided many prominent Wisconsin lawyers and would continue.
