Teaching U.S. Values

“Immigrants Want Schools to Teach U.S. Values” (Dec. 30) asserts that the public has “no faith in bilingual education.” Here is the question that the Public Agenda poll asked: “When it comes to students who are new immigrants, is it more important for the public schools: 1) To teach them English as quickly as possible, even if this means they fall behind in other subjects? 2) To teach them other subjects in their native language, even if this means it takes them longer to learn English?”

As your article noted, there was heavy support for option 1 for all groups. But the question is all wrong. It assumes that teaching subjects in the native language delays English. This is not true.

In good bilingual programs, students are taught those subjects in the first language that would not be comprehensible in English. As soon as children develop enough English ability, they study these subjects in English. The knowledge they get through the first language helps them understand the subject when it is taught in English. When done in [the proper] way, teaching some subjects in the first language accelerates English language development.

STEPHEN KRASHEN, School of Education, USC

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Many years ago, while I was serving as a poll watcher, an immigrant came in to vote. Antonio never missed an election, including school board elections. Since he did not own land in his native country, he could not vote there. He often stated that he cherished a land “where the people are the boss” and that since he had made the conscious decision to come here, he was an American by choice.

When Antonio left the voting booth he was in tears. He cried, “What a wonderful country! I come with nothing and today I vote for my grandson!” For more than his announcement being in violation of the election laws, I took him to task. Since I was also the young candidate in question, I rashly thought that his exclamation was embarrassing, rather than a heartfelt expression of both his love for the country and for me. In recalling the event, I find myself shedding a tear of joy and thanks for the immigrant who was the greatest American I ever met.

ROBERT J. ABERNETHY JR., Santa Monica