Parents and 227

In light of Prop. 227’s victory, it appears that California public schools will have to adopt a monolingual policy. Currently, children from non-English-speaking environments are at a disadvantage in school. They converse in a foreign language at home. The English they learn cannot be practiced, since their parents probably are not conversant in it.

This is like taking piano lessons without owning an instrument to reinforce what was learned. Education for these children is not a level playing field. But maybe there is a solution.

I propose the requirement that non-English-speaking parents sending children to public schools designate at least one adult to enroll in a free English as a Second Language class. This way a monolingual mother or father could eventually help the child with homework as well as speed up the learning process. Not only would it reduce the dropout rate, it would benefit society as a whole to have as many bilingual residents as possible.

DON A. NORMAN

Los Angeles