LAUSD Test Scores

My brother is in the eighth grade. Recently, he took home his SAT scores, those very embarrassing SAT scores L.A. Unified wishes it could hide. His score in reading: 1%! His score in spelling: 2%!

How can this be? This boy was born in America just like I was. We have the same Spanish-speaking parents. We grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same schools, we even had the same kindergarten teacher! I love to read. I have successfully taught my 6-year-old to read. The difference is, I didn’t get a bilingual education. What have the schools been teaching my brother for eight years? Certainly not how to read. We should get our money back!

My brother thinks he is a failure. I know better. L.A. Unified has failed. Bilingual education has failed. Opponents of Prop. 227 don’t want to implement English immersion programs because they are concerned about “harming” the children or because teachers will have to “make it up as they go.” Let me tell them something: It cannot be worse than 1% in reading!

SYLVIA DAVID

Ontario