Bilingual Education

I wholeheartedly agree with Reeves that L.A. Unified is a mess. I take exception, though, to his comments about bilingual education.

All the politicians keep stressing that we are in a global economy and we must compete, yet we refuse to teach children a foreign language at an age when they can learn it best. If a child comes to school with a foundation in a language other than English, that language should be nurtured, giving that child a better chance in the future in our global economy.

One of the most commonly heard complaints about the current curriculum is that it is not practical; what is learned cannot be directly applied to real world situations. Reading, writing, and speaking as many languages as possible are some of the most practical skills a student can have.

CAROL MAY

Los Angeles