Bilingual Education

I most often agree with Peter King but I take exception to his analogy of the “‘talented auto mechanic” in Russia (Nov. 9). Most educators (and parents) know there is no comparison between the ability of a 6- to 9-year-old child and that of an adult auto mechanic to absorb a new/second language.

We must immerse our young non-English-speaking children in the only language that can offer equal opportunity in this English-speaking society.

ELLIS KATZ

Encino

How about sharing some of the realities of bilingual education with Ron Unz and the Gov. Pete Wilson gang. According to the state Department of Education data from 1996, 70% of the 1.3 million limited-English speakers were taught all or most of their day in English. Schools are already submersing these students in English, and they still do not seem to be doing well academically. And Unz and Wilson call these programs “bilingual education.”

How are students doing in the 30% of classrooms that are teaching students academic content in their primary language? Instead of looking at how they are doing at third or fifth grade, I would suggest we look at proficiency results or high school graduation. The media, politicians and educators have continued to spread misinformation based on ignorance and prejudice.

FRANK OHNESORGEN

Wildomar, Calif.