Bilingual Class End Applauded

Congratulations to the Orange Unified School District trustees for scrapping the bilingual education program (April 18). It has proven it does not work. As a teacher of a language (Esperanto) I can tell you that total English immersion is the best method.

We already print the voting ballots and vehicle code in several languages. It’s about time we say we cannot afford to be all things to all people.

To my friends of other lands who have chosen the United States to live and work I say, become united with us and learn our language and culture. One language unites, two languages divide us. Look at Canada with English and French.

J. TILLMAN WILLIAMS

Garden Grove

* Re “Orange District OKs Bilingual Education End,” April 18:

I take exception to the remark by Sonia Reyes, who states, “They’re trying to get rid of the Spanish language, which is our culture.”

While it is true the Spanish language is her culture, it is not the culture of the United States. Nor is it the responsibility of any school district in this nation to teach the Spanish language to its students, with the exception of those who enroll in a course to specifically study it.

It is, however, the responsibility of school districts to see to it that their English learners learn English. But bilingual education has not effectively done that.

Data supplied by the California Department of Education’s demographic division shows the highest dropout rate in 1994-95 was for Hispanics--32,583. This is almost double that of the next group. Another state study some years ago showed these students dropped out because they couldn’t get reclassified out of the bilingual system and thus were ineligible for college prep classes. The number of English learners to become fluent in English was only 5.7% in 1995, down from 13.3% in 1982, by California Department of Education figures. As bilingual education increased, the number of English fluent decreased.

Be grateful that this school board had the intelligence to scrap a system which has failed children for 30 years.

How do I know it has failed them? I have received children from the bilingual, as well as from the immersion system, into my third-grade room and there is a world of difference between the two.

Would that the four incumbent members of the Anaheim City School board had enough intelligence to do the same for their Hispanic population.

CATHERINE E. LISKA

Member, Parents & Teachers

for a Successful Future

La Habra