The trouble with dual-language
Not only is School District U-46 close to losing 200 teachers and implementing a dual language program, but other surrounding districts are as well, like District 300, which just voted to dismiss 363 teachers and administrators.
Most people think that dual language is great. Students from prekindergarten to kindergarten, 80 percent speak Spanish and 20 percent speak English. In first grade the mix is 70 percent Spanish and down from there.
Do parents and taxpayers know the consequences? Learning English is not properly taught until third grade. Students are not expected to pass state testing until after sixth grade.
There is a significant cost to hire and train dual language teachers. Cutbacks include eliminating regular education teachers who do not speak Spanish. Cutbacks include combining grade levels of regular education classrooms. Increasing regular education classes to 32 to 35 students per teacher without an aide.
Many Spanish-speaking teachers come from all over and speak in a variety of dialects, so there is little consistency. And Spanish-speaking teachers have a broad range of ability when it comes to speaking English.
Dual language only works when implemented with all necessary resources, which is expensive and not available to us. The arts and electives are being minimized.
I find it odd that we are investing in this minority at the expense of the majority and no one speaks out. My daughter is a teacher who has taught many students who have exited from the English as a Second Language program after three years. The students originating from India, Poland, and other Eastern bloc counties perform well when mainstreamed, but the vast majority of students from Mexico perform poorly.
Many schools in U-46 are failing based on this one subgroup’s test scores.
Failing students are not just the teacher’s fault. Some students are set up by the system to fail. Many teachers have had experiences with students whose parents are unsupportive or absent.
If every citizen becomes involved, perhaps education could be meaningfully reformed.
Roy L. Harmon
Geneva