Campaign Against Bilingual Education

Re “Campaign Targets Bilingual Education,” July 9:

It is good that Ron Unz and Gloria Matta Tuchman want parents to get their wish in which educational program they choose for their children. But the verbiage is too extreme and ethnocentric. Only when parents truly understand the intent of bilingual education can they make an informed choice. I’ve taught for 14 years in a bilingual classroom, and only twice have I seen at my school site any comprehensive meeting to inform parents of what each educational program offers their children and the proven research that validates bilingual education, as well as other programs.

Every year at parent conference time I make it a point to tell my parents the reasons their children are in a bilingual program. They want to know, and deserve to know. You see, I believe in it. I see it benefit the children academically. The bottom line is to see that children transition into English.

I’m not saying bilingual education is a panacea. I do readily acknowledge the need to retool some of the program, but to outright abolish it is a throwback to the dark ages.

MARIA J. REYNOSO III

West Hollywood

Ruben Navarette Jr.’s portrayal of public opinion on bilingual education (Opinion, July 6) is not quite accurate. He claimed that in the Times poll, “83% of Latino parents . . . favor English-language instruction as soon as their children begin school, while only 17% support native-language instruction.” Here is the question asked, and the results:

“Which of the following do you most prefer for teaching students who speak limited English?” Among Latinos, 57% answered “mostly English with some help in their native language,” 26% answered “only in English as soon as they enroll in school,” and 17% answered “native language until they are ready to learn English.”

This data needs to be interpreted carefully. Few supporters of bilingual education would choose the third option, which appears to call for no English exposure at all at the beginning. In other words, only 17% of the Latino respondents supported an extreme version of bilingual education. In addition, only 26% preferred programs with no instruction in the first language.

Most experts on bilingual education recommend a program that includes English from the beginning, and moves children into more English instruction as they are ready for it. The first option is not exactly this kind of program, but it is the closest among the three options, and it received the most support.

STEPHEN KRASHEN

Malibu