Editorial: New Madison School Needs New Name Now
Neil Heinen Weighs In On Name Controversy
Updated: 2:12 pm CDT June 6, 2007
By Neil Heinen
Editorial DirectorWith all due respect to the Hmong community of Madison -- and there's no other way to put it, we mean with ALL due respect -- it is time to reject the idea of naming the city's new elementary school for Gen. Vang Pao and move on.The news of Pao's arrest in California dramatically changes the proposal. Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty. And political charges will certainly never be enough to change the minds of some people about the contributions Pao has made to the lives of the Hmong people. But we are talking about the appropriateness of naming a Madison school for Pao, and that idea seems ill advised right now.We've already thrown our support behind naming schools for the neighborhoods in which they are located, and we think Hawks Landing is a fine name for the school. But we'd be happy with whatever name finished second as well. Just make change, for the good of the children who will go there if nothing else.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
Editorial DirectorWith all due respect to the Hmong community of Madison -- and there's no other way to put it, we mean with ALL due respect -- it is time to reject the idea of naming the city's new elementary school for Gen. Vang Pao and move on.The news of Pao's arrest in California dramatically changes the proposal. Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty. And political charges will certainly never be enough to change the minds of some people about the contributions Pao has made to the lives of the Hmong people. But we are talking about the appropriateness of naming a Madison school for Pao, and that idea seems ill advised right now.We've already thrown our support behind naming schools for the neighborhoods in which they are located, and we think Hawks Landing is a fine name for the school. But we'd be happy with whatever name finished second as well. Just make change, for the good of the children who will go there if nothing else.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
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