Prop. 227

* Re “Schools Are Subverting the People’s Will,” Commentary, Sept. 3: I think that Alice Callaghan would rather subvert the will of the parents. According to Proposition 227, parents must request the waiver in order for their children to receive instruction in a bilingual program. As written, there are no limitations for school districts to grant waivers. As written, the law states that instruction should be overwhelmingly in English. If the intention of the law was for instruction in English only, then it should have been written as such.

As the bilingual coordinator at Utah Street School in the Los Angeles Unified School District, I will implement the law. Not because I agree with it, but because I believe that we must teach our children by example. I cannot break the rules and then tell a child how important it is to follow them at the same time. If a parent does not believe that his/her child is getting enough English in the district’s Model B classroom because of its primary language support, then the parent is free to put the child in a Model A classroom. There is nothing more precious to parents than their children, so I hope you excuse me for following the will of parents over that of Callaghan.

ARMANDO RAMIREZ

Los Angeles