The Fresno Bee reported a lawsuit filed against the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) from a teacher. At issue is comments made about her by a third party during a 2014 school board meeting.
In summary: Mai Summer Vue, a teacher with FUSD, was also active with the Fresno Teachers Association union. She would be attending the May 28, 2014 Fresno Unified school board meeting for a teacher’s rally.
Also attending that meeting was a gentleman by the name of Nao Pao Xiong (as he is identified in the FUSD minutes of May 28, 2014) or Pao Xiong, as he is identified int he lawsuit. According to Vue’s complaint, Xiong had been verbally harassing her on an internet radio show the prior month in the Hmong language. Xiong allegedly disparaged Vue’s mother, claimed she was not really Hmong and other nasty remarks. He also said he would be speaking at the May 28 meeting.
Vue claimed she informed FUSD staff about Xiong’s intention to speak.
And, Xiong did. During the unscheduled communications portion of the meeting, Xiong through an interpreter, said he was speaking for Hmong parents. He claimed that Vue made porn videos and should be fired. “A dirty teacher like Mai Summer Vue deserves no opportunity to teach our student. She is a disgrace to the district,” Xiong said in open comment through an interpreter. The interpreter then translated the comments in Hmong. There was no further comments from the board.
Vue has denied such claims. Represented by attorney Pahoua C. Lor, Vue filed suit against the district superintendent Michael Hanson (spelled “Hansen” in at least one copy of the suit) and school official Cindy Quintana. She is alleging sexual harassment by the district, among other allegations, because they knew the content of Xiong’s comments ahead of time and did not prevent him from speaking.
The Bee reports that the trial which was scheduled for today, has been pushed back to March 20.
Online court records indicate that a separate defamation lawsuit filed by Vue against Xiong is set for trial on May 22, 2017. Anthony Capozzi is Xiong’s attorney. Capozzi told GV Wire he did not know the relationship between Vue and Xiong.
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