The Progression of

Inclusion
Relating to the Hmong People

Julie Quackenbush
EDUC 626 Inclusive Classroom Strategies
 I intend to point out some key dates in history that deal with Inclusion in
education; and in particular how it relates to minorities in the Unites States,
particularly the Hmong people. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the U.S.
Congress proposed rules and laws to give Indochinese communities, such as the
Hmong, refugee status enabling them to come to the United States. The Hmong
ethnic group emigrated from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos,
and Thailand. Many of the Hmong people were educated and had valuable trade
skills. Of those who immigrated to the U.S., however, many had been poor
farmers.
Francois Bernier (1625-1688)
1684
In 1684, Franois Bernier published an article in a French journal, Nouvelle division de la
terre par les diffrentes espces ou races l'habitant. ("New division of Earth by the different species
or races which inhabit it")

The article is believed to be the first all-inclusive system of organizing humans into easily
distinguishable groups of races. Breniers races were as follows:
1)European, North African, Middle Eastern, South Asian and Native American race
2)East Asian, Southeast Asian, and Central Asian race
3)Sub-Saharan African race
4)Lapp race

Source: (1)Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Franois Bernier, 21 November 2015, Accessed: January 22,
2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_race_concepts
(2) Mannan, Abdul History "Francois Bernier Came to Dhaka " Star Weekend Magazine Volume 7 issue 33,
August 15th, 2008 Accessed: January 22nd, 2016,
http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2008/08/03/history.htm
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
December 10th, 1948

On December 10th, 1948,in Paris, France, the main ideas of

Inclusion were established in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR), that is, the human right to education.
"Everyone has the right to education". "Education shall be free,
at least in the elementary and fundamental stages".

1) Source: The United Nations, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 1-30, Accessed January 22, 2016,
http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html
Hmong Language
July 1952

The first of four Hmong writing systems(1) is designed and

finally put the Hmong language in print. The languages were
derived from missionaries, Christianized Hmong, and other
educated Hmong.(2)

Source: (1)After Five PC "The Hmong Culture" January 23, 2016

http://www.hmongculture.net/hmong-people/hmong-timeline
(2) Weinberg, Meyer Asian-american Education: Historical Background and Current Realities
Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education, Routledge, 2012
Oliver Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

May 17th, 1954

On May 17th, of 1954, the famous court case in the fight for equal
rights "declared state laws establishing separate public schools for
black and white students to be unconstitutional". This was a major
step in the right direction towards equal rights for all peoples in the
United States.(1)

Source: (1)Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education

Accessed: January 22, 2016
Learning Disabilities Term Coined

April 6th, 1963

At a conference in Chicago entitled Exploration into the Problems of the

Perceptually Handicapped Child in 1963, Dr. Samuel Kirks conference
paper coins the term Learning Disabilities, publically, for the first time. 1
Samuel Alexander Kirk was born in Rugby, North Dakota in 1904. He earned
both his bachelors and masters degrees in psychology from the University of
Chicago . He also earned a PhD in physiological and clinical psychology from
the University of Michigan. He worked for many years studying children
with disabilities. On July 21st, of 1996 Dr. Kirk passed away. 2

Source: LDA Learning Disabilities Association of America :History: Defining A Need", Learning Disabilities
Foundation of America Accessed January 22, 2016
http://ldaamerica.org/about-us/history/
2) source http://special.edschool.virginia.edu/professionals/pix/Kirk.html
Terms of Inclusion: Multiculturalism Redefines Equality

July 1st, 1968

James Coleman (1968) and Christopher Jencks (1988) discuss

questions about equality in education relating to "resources,
rewards and achievements among individuals and across groups"
in society. The fair distribution of education as relating to equality
of education among racial and ethnic groups.

Source: Olneck, Michael R.. Terms of Inclusion: Has Multiculturalism Redefined Equality in American
Education?. American Journal of Education 101.3 (1993): 234260. Web...Accessed January 22nd, 2016
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1085515?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act

May 23rd, 1975

The Indochina Migration and Refugee Act was passed on May 23,
1975, under President Gerald Ford. It was a response to the Fall of
Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Refugees from South
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were allowed to enter the United
States under a special status. This Act allocated funding or
"special relocation aid and financial assistance" for education and
welfare for the resettlement of Vietnamese and Cambodian
refugees in the United States.

Source: Immigration to The United States, article 337 Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1987, Accessed:
January 22nd, 2016
http://immigrationtounitedstates.org/337-amerasian-homecoming-act-of-1987.html
The Education For All Handicapped Children Act

November 1975

In November of 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the first

national piece of legislation mandating appropriate and free
education for students with disabilities. The law states that there is
a "Zero Reject" which states that all children, regardless of ability,
are entitled to have a free public education.(1) (2)

Source: (1)Hunt, N., & Marshall, K. (1999). Exceptional children and youth (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company.

(2) Cengage Learning, Student Resource Center, The Education For All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)
1975, Accessed January 22, 2016
http://college.cengage.com/education/resources/res_prof/students/spec_ed/legislation/pl_94-142.html
Convention on the Rights of Children

November 20th, 1989

On November 20th, 1989 a Convention on the Rights of a Child

(CRC) was held. Under Article 23 it stated that all children with a
disability should have "effective access to and receive education,
training, health care service and rehabilitation...".

Source: :"Convention on the Rights of the Child" Audiovisual Library on International Law New York, 20
November 1989, Accessed January 22, 2016, http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/crc/crc.html
Education for All

March 5th 9th, 1990

In March of 1990, the EFA declared "Education for All". "Every

person - child, youth, and adult - shall be able to benefit from
educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs".
Furthermore, "underserved groups: the poor, street and working
children, rural and remote populations, nomads and migrant workers,
indigenous peoples, ethnic, racial, and linguistic minorities; refugees,
those displaced by war, and people under occupation, should not
suffer any discrimination in access to learning opportunities".

Source: Source: World Declaration of Education for All, World Conference on Education For All Meeting Basic
Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thiland, March 1990
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001275/127583e.pdf
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

1992

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights shared their finding on a

study entitled The Civil Issues Facing Asian Americans in the
1990s. The report suggested that were widespread violations of
educational equal opportunity. The re[port aimed to show the
Department of Education lacked understanding of cultural
differences, in relation to Hmong / Asian Americans.

Source: Weinberg, Meyer Asian-american Education: Historical Background and Current Realities
Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education, Routledge, 2012 p
Hmong National Development (HND)

1993

In 1993 the Hmong National Development (HND) was established

as an advocacy group from Hmong Americans. The mission of
HND is to "empower the Hmong Community to achieve prosperity
and equality through educations, research, policy advocacy, and
leadership development."

Source: The State of The Hmong American Community, 2010 U.S. Census Report Hmong National
Development Inc., Washington D.C. Accessed January 20th, 2016
http://www.hndinc.org/cmsAdmin/uploads/dlc/HND-Census-Report-2013.pdf
Amendment to the Rights of Children

May 25th, 2000

On May 25th, 2000 an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the

Rights of Children (from 1989) is established. It adds protection to
children whom are involved in armed conflict. 1

Source:"Convention on the Rights of the Child" Audiovisual Library on International Law New York, 20
November 1989, Accessed January 22, 2016, http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/crc/crc.html
Optional Protocol on Convention on the Rights of a Child Takes Effect

February 12th, 2002

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the

Child, particularly those involved in armed conflict, took effect on
February 12th, 2002. It required each State to take steps to secure
that children do not take part in fighting or conflict.

Source:"Convention on the Rights of the Child" Audiovisual Library on International Law New York, 20
November 1989, Accessed January 22, 2016, http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/crc/crc.html
Hmong Migration Education Act

January 25th, 2007

Wisconsin Democrats began drafting a bill that would make

schools include history lessons on information about the Hmong
people. The proposed education of the Hmong would include:
their role in the Vietnam War, and why they've migrated to the
United States.

Source: Forster, Stacy. "Just a bill: Hmong migration education act" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online,
accessed January 25th, 2007, http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/31928729.html
Victims of Violation considered under Rights of a Child

December 19th, 2011

On December 19th, 2011 the Optional Protocol to the Convention

on the Rights of a Child added that it will provide "a mechanism
for the submission of communications by or on behalf of an
individual or group claiming to be victims of a violation of the
Convention. Communications submitted under this Optional
Protocol are received and considered by the Committee on the
Rights of the Child". (1)(2)(3)(4)

Source: (General Assembly resolution 65/197 of 21 December 2010 (Rights of the child)

2)Human Rights Council resolution 17/18 of 17 June 2011 (Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child on a communications procedure)

3)General Assembly resolution 66/138 of 19 December 2011 (Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child on a communications procedure

4)Source:"Convention on the Rights of the Child" Audiovisual Library on International Law New York, 20
November 1989, Accessed January 22, 2016, http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/crc/crc.html
Every Student Succeeds Act

December 10th, 2015

President Barak Obama signs the bill titled Every Student

Succeeds Act to make it become a law on December 10th, 2015.(1)
This new legislation allows each state to decide how to intervene
when students fall below academic standards (are not "college
ready") .

Source: 1) Civic Impulse LLC, "GovTracks Bill Summary" Gov Track, Accessed January 23rd, 2016
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s1177/summary
2) Explain Like I Am Five, "What is The Every Student Succeeds Act?" Accessed January 23rd, 2016
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3w8t4h/eli5_what_is_the_every_student_succeeds_
act_what/