Parents and students urge East Side Union to keep Vietnamese parent/community involvement specialist at Yerba Buena High

Several students, parents and community members urged the East Side Union High School District board on May 20 to preserve the Vietnamese parent and community involvement specialist position at Yerba Buena High School, saying the role provides translation, outreach and links to social services that support attendance and family engagement.

At public comment, translators and speakers described the position as a daily point of contact for Vietnamese-speaking families. A translator summarizing remarks for Hanh Tru said the community representative "was concerned of the reduction of the Vietnamese parent specialist at YB... and he believed that this person helped to connect the school with the family and help students to achieve, and the reduction will have a big impact to the Vietnamese community."

Students and parents gave specific examples of services the position provides. "Removing this position will hurt those families," said Kenny Tran, a student at Yerba Buena High School. "This isn't about a convenience. It's a basic access. Many families rely on this person every day to stay informed and involved."

Luann Vu, who identified herself as a parent of Yerba Buena students, said the parent coordinator helps Vietnamese families navigate the school system and provides translation and interpretation services that strengthen family–school relationships. "The Vietnamese parent coordinator has played a vital role in assisting Vietnamese parents in understanding and navigating the school system," she said.

Eighth-grader Valerie Vu spoke about the broader connection-building role: "They translate not just language, but meaning, emotion, and intention," she said, and described the coordinator's work connecting families with registration, housing, food and mental-health services.

Why it matters: multiple speakers tied the role to the district's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) goals on attendance and student engagement, arguing that removing the position would make it harder to meet those objectives for families facing language barriers.

Claims and data cited by speakers

- Several speakers said Yerba Buena High School has a substantial Vietnamese population and called the coordinator essential to keep families informed and engaged; one presenter noted the school’s Asian student population and said Vietnamese families represent a significant portion of that group.

- Commenters linked the position to measurable supports: translation at meetings, help with student registration, and referrals to school counselors and community services.

Board response and next steps

Board policy limits replies to public comment during the meeting, and trustees did not take formal action on the staffing concern at the time of the hearing. The board clerk confirmed that public comments will be directed to the superintendent and appropriate staff for response. Speakers asked the board to reconsider the staffing decision and to preserve the role to support immigrant families.

Speakers who addressed this issue included: Hanh Tru (represented by a translator), Luann Vu (parent), Kenny Tran (student), Amy Vu (student and co‑president of the Vietnamese Student Association), and Valerie Vu (eighth grader).