Bilingual Education

* Regarding “Beleaguered Bilingual Educators Regroup” (Feb. 6), I must ask the following. Why are our standards of education so low? My father, who attended school in Geneva, Switzerland, was required to learn (speak, read and write) three languages before being allowed to graduate high school. Most European and many other countries including Latin America, are required in today’s world to learn more than one language in order to graduate high school.

As a native Californian, I am amazed and saddened that there are so many here in Los Angeles who are upset with the idea of bilingual education. Our Spanish and Mexican roots should be honored and respected. As the mother of five children, I encourage my children, at the very least, to learn both Spanish and English. Let’s not live the idea that this should be an English-only country. Is ignorance really bliss? Will our educational system ever catch up with other countries? One can only have hope that prejudice, the real root of this controversial problem, will someday be conquered.

VIELKA DA COSTA DUSENBERRY

Manhattan Beach