By Kailash Mishra

The Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio (BCCO), in collaboration with the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin County, recently concluded a three part series of Parent School Engagement Listening Sessions.

Held in the North Side of Columbus, Reynoldsburg, and Blacklick areas – regions with significant Bhutanese American populations – these sessions aimed to understand the challenges faced by Bhutanese American families in Franklin County, with a particular focus on mental health.

The sessions, led by Aarati Chapagai, a recent graduate from the Ohio State University, provided a platform for more than 60 parents to share their experiences and concerns regarding their children’s education.

One prominent issue highlighted by the participating parents was the prevalence of addiction, mental health challenges, and financial instability among Bhutanese American students, which significantly hindered their academic performance.

The Executive Director of BCCO, Sudarshan Pyakurel, expressed optimism about these listening sessions and added “I hope this serves as a bridge to finding effective solutions to the ever-growing problems faced by Bhutanese parents and their children.”

The sessions shed light on a range of difficulties encountered by new American parents when engaging with the U.S. educational system. These challenges included language barriers, lack of familiarity with educational institutions, and structural obstacles that dilute meaningful parent-school involvement.

Parents actively voiced concerns about bullying and cultural incompetence within schools, emphasizing the need for increased efforts to teach students about cultural diversity and foster inclusivity in the classroom. The challenging terrains of the school system were also highlighted by the parents.

Following the completion of the Parent School Engagement Listening Sessions, Chapagai stated, “We have discovered several distinctive challenges facing the Bhutanese community through these sessions. We will be compiling a comprehensive report to be distributed to the county and the school system, highlighting our findings and recommendations.”

Chapagai specifically noted that parents raised concerns about the lack of vegetarian options in school cafeterias, an issue particularly significant to the Hindu majority Bhutanese American community.

The collaboration between BCCO and ADAMH in conducting these listening sessions demonstrates a commitment to addressing the educational hurdles faced by Bhutanese American families in Franklin County.

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