Forum to Host Legal, Educational Experts

Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas, public defenders and educational and legal experts will discuss parental rights and obligations today during a town hall meeting with the Vietnamese community.

The forum will be from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Westminster Community Center. Discussions will cover crime and punishment, as well as medical care and education.

“We want to know what their concerns are,” said Linda Le, a community liaison with the district attorney’s office.

“Children think parents need to give them a new car and new clothes, but you only need to provide them food and a safe place to stay,” she said.

A 50-member Vietnamese advisory committee formed in December proposed the forum as a means of fostering better relations between the criminal justice system and immigrant communities, and to encourage immigrants to report and help solve crimes. Similar forums have been successful with the Latino community, Le said.