Citizenship Classes

For anyone who has been involved in the teaching of citizenship classes, “Community Colleges Miss Deadline to File for Funds” (Sept. 22) is upsetting. Up until about 10 years ago, public schools adequately prepared students for the citizenship exam in English. Adult students came out of these classes with a basic knowledge of the Constitution, etc.

Along came amnesty and the sheer number of students seemed to bring about a dumbing down of these important classes. Bilingual classes sprung up, along with storefront citizenship purveyors. Recently, trying to help an immigrant find a class in the San Gabriel Valley, I was given a number by one school district where the answering machine was not only in a foreign language, the establishment was a combined income tax and insurance office. The tuition was not cheap, for the privilege of memorizing a list of questions and answers usually asked on the big test. This is a far cry from the traditional citizenship classes. There are exceptions, of course, where real civic learning is accomplished.

MARY MEYER

Pasadena