Bilingual Education
The current political controversy regarding bilingual programs is obscuring many important facts. Your May 4 Times headline, “Bilingual Teachers Say They Would Defy Prop. 227,” adds to this misinformation. Unfortunately, it also baits readers who may jump the gun at another chance to attack bilingual education.
The headline and story make it appear that bilingual teachers are eager to defy the law. In fact, bilingual teachers and all district staff work diligently to obey legal requirements directed at schools from many levels.
Proposition 227 has not been voted on or passed. It is premature to assume that school districts must comply with the proposition. Prior to implementing any new requirements, they must be reviewed by the California Department of Education to verify that they are consistent with existing legal provisions. In this case, many educators believe that students’ rights to equal protection as provided by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution would be violated if the proposition were implemented as written.
Before hastily criticizing bilingual teachers it would be wise to consider the legality of the proposed initiative.
The Ventura Unified School District is committed to providing a quality education to each of its students. In January, the district’s Board of Education passed a resolution opposing Proposition 227 and supporting bilingual education. The reasons for the resolution include:
* Proposition 227 would limit the local Board of Trustees’ authority to choose curriculum and instructional programs that represent our community.
* VUSD results show that through the programs offered in our district, English language learners are learning English and achieving academically.
As the superintendent of schools for Ventura Unified, I appreciate the community’s concern that we prepare all of our students to become productive members of our society. Our teachers share this goal. Bilingual teachers are an important part of the team that makes it a reality.
JOSEPH SPIRITO, Superintendent, Ventura Unified School District
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Re letter “Bilingual Education,” May 12.
T. Bruce Graham can’t seem to understand why teachers are against Proposition 227. Doesn’t it make sense that those who are closest to the problem would understand it best?
Ron Unz has admitted that he has no studies or data to back up his claim that English immersion is best. I doubt that Mr. Graham has any either.
The teachers want to do what is best for the children, regardless of what the uninformed public votes. As for Mr Graham’s comments on Spanish-speaking opportunists coming to this country, wouldn’t it be fair to admit that everyone’s ancestors who came to this country, including Mr. Graham’s, came for the opportunity?
His comments on the Mexican war show that he is still fighting it and his vote is just another way to rub the nose of Chicanos in it. Let’s put and end to these divisive battles before it gets ugly. Have we learned nothing from Bosnia and Northern Ireland?
ALEX MAGDALENO, Camarillo
