Poll on Bilingual Education Initiative

“Bilingual Education Gets Little Support” (Oct. 15) neglected to point out that the results of The Times Poll showing support for all-English instruction for limited English proficient children are inconsistent with the results of all other polls on this topic. Previous polls have shown that the public supports the idea of using the students’ native language for some of the school day to help them learn subject matter and develop literacy while they acquire English, as does published research.

Why was this poll different? Perhaps because the “English for the Children” propaganda has been effective. Perhaps because only one question was asked on this issue, and responders were not given a choice of answers.

STEPHEN KRASHEN

Malibu

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* It seems to me that to allow voters to select teaching methods in our schools has about the same folly as voting what medicines a doctor can prescribe or politicians voting to make pi equal to 3.0. Let the professionals in a school district evaluate their needs and requirements. Certainly a solution for Brentwood should be different than for Santa Ana.

DALE PROCTOR

San Clemente

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* Sadly, only one proponent of the “English for the Children” initiative whom I have spoken to was aware that $50 million of taxpayer money each year for 10 years will be spent from the general fund to provide “free or subsidized programs of adult English language instruction to parents or other members of the community.” Nowhere in the initiative does it say that the recipients of this largess must be citizens or qualified aliens. I am strongly opposed to my taxpayer dollars being spent in this way.

PATRICIA SHUFF

Fullerton

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* Mayor Richard Riordan ought to be better informed before making a blanket statement about bilingual education (Oct. 14). He needs to visit schools with truly bilingual classrooms, where English-speaking children and Spanish-speaking children are learning together.

He needs to visit schools where there are positive results, where bilingual students are mastering English and becoming successful.

He needs to visit schools where children have a good attitude toward learning because their home language is accepted and valued along with the new language, English. He needs to visit schools where parents of fluent English speakers request bilingual classrooms for their children, because they value the goal of knowing two languages.

ANN ESPINOSA STRAUCH

CLAUDIA HERNANDEZ BENITEZ

Bilingual teachers

Culver City