Bilingual Education Has People Talking

Reading ‘The Bilingual Schooling Battle Flares Anew’ (Feb. 20), about the confusion over implementing Proposition 227, was like reading the proposition for the first time four years ago. The voters thought they knew what they wanted; unfortunately, they did not realize the repercussions of passing Proposition 227. Why not teach all our children a second language? Everywhere else in the world children are taught one, two and sometimes three other languages. All of our classrooms should be bilingual in some way. Yes, every child in California and the U.S. needs to learn to read, write and speak English. No one denies this. It is time for us to put away our discrimination against anything that is not deemed ‘American’ and truly embrace the real America. We are a country that has melded many cultures into its own and also added a unique spirit. Let’s get back to educating our children and include other languages, starting in kindergarten.

Colleen Ancrile

Van Nuys

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I am an American Hispanic. I raised three children speaking only English at home. All three of them were always academically ahead of their classmates. They all have university degrees and make a good living. I have a daughter who is a professional writer. I am convinced that there is a Hispanic element that does not want Hispanic children to get ahead in school. Keep Hispanics ignorant and they will make good followers and be easy to control politically-that’s the idea. If Hispanic children are going to grow up in the United States and make a living here, they should be immersed in English as soon as they enter school. Bilingual education will slow down the learning process both academically and with the English language. A child born here or raised here should not sound like a foreigner.

Haydee Pavia

West Hills