Debate About School Programs

* The conservative majority on the Orange Unified School District board is at it again. This school board, nationally known as taking controversial and often bizarre stances on issues, has dropped voluntary counseling programs (July 11).

According to a board-ordered report on the counseling program, the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education program office reported that the programs were a success and showed almost no flaws in the system.

Yet the board quickly ignored the presentation and instead listened to adults, some not even parents, talk about how school should only be a place for learning math, science, and computers. These [people] have almost never been seen at prior board meetings.

Having graduated [from] Canyon High School with honors in 1997, I will tell you that if I had only learned math, science and computers, I would surely not be ready for the 21st century, let alone any university.

A 4.0 GPA may get you into college, but it is certainly not the only requirement for a successful life. School has been a place of collective learning, of interaction, intervention and a forum to become aware of issues that are facing our generation every day.

What does this majority on this school board represent when they say that we need only be concerned with academics, and ignore any kind of social responsibility? The students of this district are getting mixed signals; one minute our role models tell us to “just say no” and the next minute our trustees tell us that if we need help with just saying no we cannot get it. Unfortunately the majority of our members are steered by their own political ideologies on an issue that should have nothing to do with politics.

Yes, parents should be the primary example for students, but unfortunately, not everyone has Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver for mom and dad. Some of us have parents that are already taking care of other children, multiple jobs, or simply don’t care. Yet this district has time and again put students on the back of their agenda.

KEVIN SABAT

Orange

* Re “State Allows English-Only Test in Orange,” July 11:

What good is a one-year trial? The bilingual program has been in place for many years and, in my opinion, is a complete failure.

Any sensible person knows a one-year trial will prove nothing. In order to see any change--good or bad--a different program would need a three-, five- or 10-year trial.

High school graduates need remedial reading classes in order to enter college. It is clear the current program is not working, and it is obvious that some kind of change is necessary.

HAZEL SCHWAB

San Juan Capistrano

* Board members of the Orange Unified School District killed the Student Assistance Program despite unanimous approval of the program from the PTA councils, the principals of the schools involved and the recommendation of the director of the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education program that funds it at no cost to the district.

The program had been running for many years to help children with disruptive behavior, low grades, poor attitude toward school and other problems that affected their learning in class.

The present board ordered an evaluation of the program in November 1996, and also ruled that parents must give written permission for their children to be able to receive assistance. The evaluation was presented and the sponsor requested continuation.

At the meeting, a noisy group of opponents spoke of their fears of having their children “counseled” by interns, of having “their heads messed with,” of what they called “social engineers” trying to help at-risk students and their general dislike of any help being made available in the public schools. They said that it was the duty of parents to help their children and that the church could also help.

In spite of the fact that students needed written consent from their parents, that interns were supervised, and that participation by schools was voluntary, these people wanted the program stopped.

The majority of the OUSD board members also expressed the view that students should be referred to “outside” agencies, although there was disagreement as to how much free outside aid, if any, was available. All of the board members agreed that some students had serious problems, but they could not agree on what to do about it. They asked the superintendent to come back with “suggestions” at a future time.

I am disappointed that the board ignored the recommendations to continue student assistance at the schools. I think it will be difficult to come up with an alternative and that the result will be more school dropouts and truants, and more kids getting into the criminal justice system.

T. SHAPIN

Orange

* The stand taken by the Orange Unified school board is the best solution to the form of ignorance which has been displayed by some of the parents of students.

Bilingual education is a program completely lacking in merit or logic. It is one of the biggest wastes of money in the educational system. What this program has accomplished besides wasting many millions of education dollars is producing students who are illiterate in Spanish and English.

English is the language of the United States and is the only language that should be compulsory in our educational systems.

RAOUL F. SILVA

Garden Grove

* In the last two paragraphs of your July 11 article, Suzanne Vaugine, president of the local teachers union, casts doubts. She says, “I don’t have a clue as to what they could show in a year.”

My mother taught the fifth grade in El Centro during World War II. Her students spoke seven different primary languages--none English. The students entered having tested at the third-grade level in language. They left performing at the sixth-grade level. They made three years’ progress in one. Although my mother was fluent in Spanish, she taught only in English. Spanish wouldn’t have helped the kids who spoke two different Native American tongues, Portuguese, German, Japanese and Chinese.

An incredible amount can be learned in a year when the desire is there. Set the expectation that Orange students can learn English and they will. It’s true whether they currently speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog or any of the other 47 primary languages in the district.

Kids are learning marvels. Have faith in their abilities. Let them know it’s what’s expected. Cast no doubts. They deserve better.

BRUCE CRAWFORD

Fountain Valley