Language offerings aren't fair for all
I appreciated that reporter Jameel Naqvi did mention my concern about foreign languages, but I think he missed some key points I made. I agree with Naqvi, English is the language we all need to master but knowing a second language can only be beneficial for our children in the future. I decided to submit some key points from my speech.
I am paying $130 for an after school program, which only covers 13 classes. We are teaching many children English as a second language, kindergarten through high school.
It is only fair that our children, who speak English as a first language, have the same advantage to learn a second language without having to pay extra for their education.
When is the last time someone asked you about the Periodic Table of Elements? Or square root of 4?
However, when is the last time you heard press 1 for English, press 2 for Spanish, saw a business sign that says, "Se Habla Espanol", or a job ad that requires the applicant be bilingual?
In District 300 elementary schools, we have 71 full transitional bilingual classrooms and four dual language classrooms. The 71 classrooms are all Spanish. In addition, in all the elementary schools, we have 11 resource classrooms to help all students who have English as a second language.
This comes to a grand total of 82 classrooms which help children with English has a second language. Eighty-two classrooms is equivalent to three full schools.
I am not looking for the full immersion program for two reasons: one my daughter should not have to be bused out of our neighborhood and two, I am only looking for a foundation of a foreign language, and then in high school it will be easier for them to learn fluently.
If we can provide the equivalent of three schools to Spanish speakers, then we can provide an hour a week to teach our English-speaking students a foreign language.
Children who speak English as a second language may be entering the school system with a disadvantage, but our English speaking students are exiting with a disadvantage.
Sharon L. Fetting
Algonquin