Vista Teacher wrote on Jan 27, 2008 11:19 PM:I teach in Vista and I can safely say that the students in question are some of the best students around. I sometimes hold classes entirely in Spanish. This way the english speakers have to learn to speak spanish and the class proceeds on a very advanced level. The article makes it seem like spanish speakers are a liability rather than a assest.

Rosetta Stone wrote on Jan 28, 2008 4:13 AM:'Vista Teacher' must teach at a very low grade level. I put my kids in public schools assuming that foreign languages were electives. One chose Spanish and the other one chose French. It seems that they got out just in time. If I had to do it over again and had the resources, I would have placed them in the private schools that their teachers sent their own kids to.

Jim wrote on Jan 28, 2008 6:02 AM:Vista Teacher, I thought we outlawed these "Spanish Only" classes. If not we should. It is a sad day when an American has to learn Spanish to be taught.

Tuck wrote on Jan 28, 2008 6:29 AM:To Vista Teacher: Do you teach a bilingual class? If not, just more proof as to why I would never send my kids to that district. Oh yeah, the influx of illegals isn’t a drain on our resources at all. Bridge for sale!!

I am paying my taxes wrote on Jan 28, 2008 6:48 AM:so my children can learn in English. They need English to master the sciences! In advanced studies, one plus one equals two, not uno plus uno equals dos! You want to teach spanish teach it as an elective, but not on the tax payers dime.

Oceanside Parent wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:09 AM:My son is in elementary school, the Spanish is not a problem. Love the diversity and the opportunity for him to be exposed to many cultures, not just the plain vanilla BS. Remember also, kids learn best at home, not from day care or nannies. It is all about parenting

yep wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:24 AM:you need to face up to the facts: this is bilingual country and your kids will greatly benefit in their future careers if they are bilingual.

English Only wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:52 AM:I took my kids and left the Vista School District 10 years ago when the 'bilingual' classes were starting to outnumber the regular classes. I didn't see how it gave anyone an advantage and I think its appalling that Vista teacher would speak Spanish only on any given day -'forcing' the english speakers to learn spanish. First of all - ENGLISH is the INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE of BUSINESS. Only in Southern CA and Mexico South America is it important to know Spanish. If SPANISH speakers don't learn to speak ENGLISH, then they hold themselves back from learning the most widely accepted language in the WORLD- how is it better to coddle them in their third world lifestyles when AMERICA has built this country on the foundation of the ENGLISH langauge? My grandparents were immigrants and the first thing they wanted to do when coming here was to become AMERICAN and speak ENGLISH. I am so glad my kids are not in VISTA anymore because of this ignorant attitude.

Robert24 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:57 AM:To "yep"; You need to face the facts: This is America, and English is the the language we speak. If you want to be bilingual, that is great, but for the rest of us, it should be a choice, not shoved down out throats by those that chose to live here (legally or illegally) and not assimilate. Sorry, but I shouldn't have to "push 1 for English"....

How so amigo? wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:59 AM:Do you perfer Arab speaking parents sue the schools because their children are not being taught Arabic in Escondido? That I would really love to see all the nationalities suing the schools, DMV and all the other public institutions. Hospitals don't provide doctors who can speak german, sue them!

Mike wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:20 AM:Enjoyed the article, and the comments, except for the: "...as migrant workers move their families into communities with plenty of agricultural work..." which seems to perpetuate the same stereotype which has permiated the debate on illegal immigration. Fewer than 2% of illegal alliens work in agriculture.

Typical wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:50 AM:Sad state of affairs. If these apologists really want to help the next generation succeed, maybe they should force the kids to learn the languages of China and India. These 2 countries are much more involved in our national economy.

Our Gov. wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:04 AM:Here is the kicker, most of school monies go to special education and to other programs such as English Language Learners. I am talking a huge amount is spent per each special education student as compared to just your regular everyday students. After our Governor cuts 14 billion from the education budget these special education students will still receive their same education, which is already about 4 to 1 on the spending scale, and the regular student will suffer. We are absolutely killing the average American, making them dumb while trying to boost the academically challenged. There has always been the have and have nots, let us please keep it that way, not everybody is going to be successful, just face it.

Colin wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:31 AM:I'm from England. I hate to break the news to you but Americans speak very poor English and would probably benefit by learning another language.

This from wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:59 AM:a country that uses, "Bloke" and :Blimey well done mate"? Soon to be replaced with the muslim language.

El Guero wrote on Jan 28, 2008 10:10 AM:To Colin: Thank you for your kind words about our English. I endorse your idea about learning another language. How about French?

Global Browning wrote on Jan 28, 2008 10:33 AM:Can everyone just face the fact that a large portion of California and the rest of the country is undergonig a major cultural change again. The first time around evryone had to learn english. Just like global warming, things are happening that some people are trying to stop, but precautions that should have been enforced a long time ago are not really gonna change things now. Can't we all just get along?

Colin wrote on Jan 28, 2008 10:44 AM:To 'This from': Thank you for underlining my point. Your grammar is atrocious and your ignorance of the world has been displayed. Just what is a 'muslim' language?

complainers wrote on Jan 28, 2008 10:45 AM:Did'nt you all read. English is making a comeback. Most of you are so full of hate that you did'nt catch the good news.

About the teaher teaching in Spanish wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:01 AM:You complainers show your absolute ignorance of the school system. That poster is just jerking your chain. Maybe you should spend less time watching Jerry Springer and more time at your childs school and you would have recognized it as BS

To Vista Teacher wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:20 AM:You are a sell-out and a traitor. (Censor... WHAT is so wrong with this which I posted earlier in the day???)

To Our Gov. wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:25 AM:I've got news for you....most of what's offered (by our public schools) to special education students is CRAP that doesn't help them anyway. Also, MOST of the students that qualify for services do so under "Specific Learning Disabilities" & the MAJORITY of those students are really Math &/or English disabled. Translation for you: they were NEVER properly taught & the school districts WAITED for them to FAIL for two or MORE years before they did anything about it.
Instead of acting as a mouthpiece for school districts ("we don't have enough money to educate these kids, this is an UNFUNDED MANDATE, don't make us responsible for educating this group & these children are STEALING from the "regular" kids"), please take the TIME to educate yourself. You may wish to research RTI (Response to Intervention) programs that are supposed to provide serices for the "regular" kids BEFORE they fail & then qualify for special education services. What a novel idea, giving them the help they need now to avoid having to provide MORE services later!
You may also wish to educate yourself regarding UDL (Universal Design for Learning) principles that, when done properly, will truly teach to the multiple intelligence & therefore benefit ALL students.
Further regarding the ELL students. Please go look up those recent studies (there were 22 of them) & report (coordinated by Stanford's Institute for Research on Education Policy & Practice - IREPP) in CA, "Getting Down to Facts." My favorite recommendation is that we don't need a lot of money to provide excellent ELL programs. How could this be...you may wonder. That's because that study looked at 6 quality ELL programs that were actually working well for this population of students. Translation for you: these schools & districts were using the money they were being provided & their ELL students were/are progressing academically! It's called best practice. That report didn't see the need for substantial increased funding to teach ELL students because the schools they included in the study ALREADY do that (& do it well) with the money they were/are ALREADY being provided.

We the parents wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:25 AM:are demanding a day of school taught in Russian!

Dumbing Down wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:26 AM:of America contiues, looking at some of these posts. Rah Rah Spainsh so their kids can learn or continue to do manual labor. I will push mine in English so they can be the bosses and make big bucks. That way they can hire these folks at min or lower wages and pay my retirement.

Can your child's wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:49 AM:teacher answer the following questions? And I will give you a hint, it is not Green, White and Red.
1. What are the colors of our flag?
2. How many stars are there in our flag?
3. What color are the stars on our flag?
4. What do the stars on the flag mean?
5. How many stripes are there in the flag?
6. What color are the stripes?
7. What do the stripes on the flag mean?
8. How many states are there in the Union?
9. What is the 4th of July?

Another Vista techer wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:02 PM:I'm with Vista teacher on this one. You can fight the current and wear yourself out OR you can go with it and guide your students to the desired goal. Since the goal is education, I choose to teach about 1/2 of my classes in Spanish. It helps both the spanish-speaking and the english speaking students. The children learn about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as well as Karl Marx and Che Guevara. It is simply the best way to educate today's children.

To Another Vista teacher-- wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:16 PM:You also are a sell-out and a traitor. By the way, what the heck is a "techer"? God help us all. Did you get a degree to become a techer? How is the teching gig going for you? Did they, by any chance, tech you to proofread? ...

Diversity yes, wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:18 PM:I am all for diversity but when a majority of the students in a class do not speak English a lot of time is spent addressing that issue, and the quality of education decreases. Perhaps we should have schools or programs geared toward English learners and when they pass a language test they can move to the schools or classes that teach in English. We could encourage a language exchange program where English and Spanish speakers teach one another as part of an elective, but the quality of education in our American schools will not be watered down or presented at a snails pace. BTW - I just read that to obtain citizenship one must learn the English language. If we decide that it is our responsibility to teach those who are here against the law perhaps we should have seperate schools for those who do not have legal status rather then ruining the schools for English language speakers. Both those who are native and those who have entered under the law will get the quality of education that they deserve.

From Frank wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:36 PM:
Let's face it, Mexico has take over our public schools.
If you want you child to get half an education, just keep him in the public school. I now see why our private schools are growing so quickly. This comes from a teacher who taught in the public school system for 35 years.

Culture and Language wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:46 PM:Another Vista teacher makes it clear that she is having to settle for the situation she has been delt and make the best of it. She should not have to make the best of a bad situation and we should not have to settle for less because people come here without immigration papers. It is great to teach about Washington, Jefferson, Marx, and Guevara, but you can teach about them and much more if you didn't have to teach it twice - once in English and again in Spanish.

Jin wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:54 PM:Colin, why is it that whenever I see a movie where the characters speak with a British accent I wish they would provide subtitles?

Americans don't have a monopoly on bad grammar that is for sure, regardless to your superior attitude.

Robert24 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 12:58 PM:To "Another Vista techer (sic): Aside from the fact that you spelled "teacher" incorrectly, let me also rephrase one of your comments. You said "You can fight the current and wear yourself out OR you can go with it". I read that as "I don't have the backbone to stand up for what is right, so I'll roll over". Thank God (yes, God, which you are probably not allowed to talk about in your classroom either) that our Founding Fathers didn't roll over when they fought for the rights of the American people, and the Constitution! I am thankful every day for the sacrifices that I made to send my son to private school. Comments like this one just serve to reinforce that I made the right decision when I was choosing where he would go to school.

Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 1:18 PM:To be brutally direct, California ranks 49th out of 52 States and Districts in 4th grade reading. We also rank 49th in 8th grade reading.
There is something to say for consistency, so we also rank 49th in 4th grade math– and somehow our 8th graders managed to finish 46th in math.
Now, it is hard to put enough lipstick on this pig to provide much help. The best news is that this year the Federal National Report Card only tested reading and math. Probably next year they will test science and writing, but if you are hoping for better results, it ain’t gonna happen!
You see, the National Educational Assessment Program has been publishing these results (Google “National Report Card”) for years, but the results are so abysmal that news outlets have papered over them.

"sigh" wrote on Jan 28, 2008 1:43 PM:It's a false choice between educational excellence and multilingualism. Study after study shows that exposure to foreign languages improves performance in English (both reading and writing), Math, and even IQ. I am a world-wide marketing manager for a Fortune 500 tech company. The United States simply can't retain the best jobs in the world with xenophobic attitudes and policies. My son is enrolled in Spanish immersion education, now threatened because English learners are leaving Encinitas. Multi-lingual programs do not excuse under performance, they actually improve acedemic performance. Go ahead xenophobes, I dare you to ask me for proof.

to Jin wrote on Jan 28, 2008 1:55 PM:seems like most of the posters here have taken a 'superior attitude' of English over Spanish and American over Mexican

HALT! wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:12 PM:Where are the German clases? My people are being discriminated against. ...

Not superior wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:18 PM:but if you look south of America, we have Mexico, in Mexico the language is Spanish. Now if you are in Mexico and look north you will see America, in America the language is English. See you can learn something new about everyday! And if you are a teacher you have my permission to teach that in your classrooms.

I don't get it..... wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:22 PM:I have nieces and nephews that live and go to school in Palo Alto, Ca. The public schools there offer a spanish immersion curriculm (free of charge) in elementary school, and follow it up all through high school. My nieces and nephews all did the immersion thing, and they are now fully fluent in both english and spanish, and one is now going for a third language! Oh, and the 2 high school seniors are going to college - one to Stanford, and the other to Columbia. My own kids are a product of the North County public schools. All three speak more than one language, and all three have spent time in different countries. Unfortunatly, they are not going to Stanford of Columbia, opting for Cal State schools - but that's OK. Seems to me teaching a second language early on is a good thing! It also seems to me that all this nationalistic chowderheaded thinking is really holding alot of people back. These people don't realize that this new generation does not tolerate the way us older folks have managed the world. They will do it a new way, with a much broader understanding of the world, the cultures, and the languages around them. Seems to me these natinalistic chowderheads will be relegated to sitting out on the front porch in their old age complaining about how different the world is, and how it was so much better in their day. As the Dead say, "get out of the house and go have a look around"!

Another Vista Teacher wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:22 PM:Teachers! You are making the district look bad in the media. I teach in Vista and I know that we are NOT to teach in Spanish in the classrooms any longer. Yes, children who are bilingual are very fortunate but your job is to teach them English. Please do them a favor and teach them what their parents are able to.

Another Vista Teacher (correction) wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:22 PM:Teachers! You are making the district look bad in the media. I teach in Vista and I know that we are NOT to teach in Spanish in the classrooms any longer. Yes, children who are bilingual are very fortunate but your job is to teach them English. Please do them a favor and teach them what their parents are NOT able to.

English before preschool wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:26 PM:Shouldn't kids already know how to speak English before pre school? Why should American children be deprived of a good education because the teachers always have to stop to explain something 10 times to non speaking students, its a disgrace. My kids going to a private school because I want him to excell, not be held back by kids that can't even speak the language, its a joke. If you want your kids to get a great education, send them to private schools. I know its expensive, I can barely afford it, but I'm thinking of my childs long term future. Theres no substatute for a great education.

SSS wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:38 PM:I have taught math in high school for several years and have sometimes had difficulty doing my job because I could not communicate with my students. I have worked around this problem using different methods, with varying degrees of success.

The issue of bilingual education is complex, touching on other issues beyond education, including immigration and economic status. However, I find there is a serious drawback to "accepting reality" or "giving in" as part of the solution. When these students leave school, if some of them only speak Spanish and others only speak English, how will they communicate with each other?

to "Sigh" wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:48 PM:Spanish emersion is a great program that is offered as a choice to students that already speak English and want to learn Spanish. ELL is teaching Spanish to Spanish kids in an English speaking country, state, county, district, and city. The two have nothing to do with each other. They are actually diametrically opposed. If we didn’t spend so much money separating kids from the rest of the class to teach them in Spanish there would be more money for special program that intentionally teach students a “second” language that in the end will make them more marketable as adults.

Anonymom wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:54 PM:Of course it is beneficial to speak more that one language! The point is that one should be the commonly spoken language of the country, and any others should be left up to personal choice. When some of us travel, it is to places other than below our southern borders. The world is a big place and we need to see the bigger picture. Spanish should be one choice but not the dominant choice. Spanish only doesn't spell DIVERSITY.

To I don't get it wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:55 PM:Clearly you don't get it. In one sentence you state that your kids are going to Stanford and Columbia, and in the next sentence you state that have opted to go to a state school instead. How much of your post is actually fact? The fact is that anyone who can afford to is fleeing the public schools en mass. Why are they doing so if their children are getting a fine education in the public schools?

sigh wrote on Jan 28, 2008 2:57 PM:It's a false choice between educational excellence and multilingualism. Study after study shows that exposure to foreign languages improves performance in English (both reading and writing), Math, and even IQ. I am a world-wide marketing manager for a Fortune 500 tech company. The United States simply can't retain the best jobs in the world with xenophobic attitudes and policies. My son is enrolled in Spanish immersion education, now threatened because English learners are leaving Encinitas. Multi-lingual programs do not excuse under performance, they actually improve acedemic performance. Go ahead xenophobes, I dare you to ask me for proof.

I was going to send wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:14 PM:my child to a school in Mexico, but they don't teach in English. As a matter of fact when I called they didn't have press 2 for English, can you believe that???

hey Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:15 PM:Problem is the likes of people like you have relagated control to the goverment. Take a hand in your childs education and you will not have to worry about whatis going on in the schools

Help!!! wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:18 PM:We students are being forced into taking spanish when some of us want to know french!!! There is alot more to gain financially knowing an European language.

Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:28 PM:To hey Reardon: What in my post gave you the impression that I am a product of California public education, have children in California public schools, or support California public schools? I reported FACTS, available even to public school graduates simply by a Google search of National Report Card. The results are provided by the US Department of Education. Is it possible that the results are from a disproportionate number of "English Learners?" Yes. Is it possible that the results are from a bad teacher credentialing program? Yes. It is even likely that the results are from: c) All of the Above.

Ok sigh wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:37 PM:your on, what fortune 500 company?

I am willing to bet wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:45 PM:the teachers can't teach Castilian which is the official Spanish language, not what is brought here from Mexico.

to 2:55 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:46 PM:I'm sorry to say, dear poster, that it is you who do not get it. My nieces and nephews can not possibly also be my own children! Please take the time to read the post before commenting on it. I fear that perhaps when you went to grade school, you may not have even recognized which language was spoken?!?
No wonder our children are shaking their heads at our generation.......

Another Vista Techer.... wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:47 PM:go ahead correct my typos! Asfor the bilingual situation, there is a big difference between what's supposed to be done and what actually GETS THE JOB DONE. I teach in both spanish and english because I have to. Both native soanish speakers and english speakers benefit from BILINGUAL EDUCATION!!! My education philosophy is that we must reach all the children with our message of American values and revolutionary change within the capitalist political economy. That is why I teach about the founding fathers as wise men who also owned and raped their slaves (think Thomas Jefferson). My goal is to install basic skills within each student and present the major social currents of our time.

El Guero wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:50 PM:To "Sigh": I wouldn't dare ask you for proof that multi-lingual programs actually improve academic performance. I would however ask you if you are actually "world-wide."

To Another Vista Teacher wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:57 PM:What language is soanish? You aren't teaching students are you?

Sigh wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:57 PM:Spanish immersion and ELL have everything to do with one another, they are in fact the same classroom. The Spanish immersion kids are put into a classroom with the ELL kids. 70% of the academic day is taught in Spanish. English learners learn English faster than when they are isolated, because they have same-age role models (kids learn to speak like other kids faster than they learn from an adult teacher). The Spanish learners benefit, well, because, the scores show they do better on Math, English, and IQ.

Can't wait to get out of CA wrote on Jan 28, 2008 3:58 PM:Don’t get me wrong I love this state but it seems to be going down hill more and more every year. I refuse to have my kids learning Spanish just
to survive in school. This should be an elective for them and they should be able to choose what foreign language they need/want to learn. Sounds
kind of funny coming from me since English is not my native language and I am foreign born myself. I am however American by choice because I
love what this country stands for and the principles it was founded upon. The problem is our law makers have to be so darn chicken s… to pass any
laws that say English is the official language of the U.S. and that you must learn it to survive. If it were up to me the law would read – You no speaky English
you no get any services. If you don’t like it get out. I was always taught learn the language of the land you are living in and not force them to learn yours.
That is after all how I learned English. My grammar and spelling may be off at times but at least I am trying unlike so many other that don’t. Nothing get me more
than to have some ask me “Habla Espanol?”. No, but I speak English/German and Dutch. This goes for automated phones systems and ATMs too, I hate that. Maybe
I should start suing to get Dutch or German added to list since I feel left out.

Sigh wrote on Jan 28, 2008 4:06 PM:To El Guero: Bwahh! I hope not, although it is difficult to eat healthy on business travel!

Jack wrote on Jan 28, 2008 4:13 PM:So, in Poway if the non-English speakers are not hispanic then English immersion is viable. Why is English immersion ignored when dealing with a non-English speaking hispanic majority?

Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 4:23 PM:What to do about schools? First, let no one in the ESL program attend “regular” classes until they are fluent in English. Second, disassociate EVERYTHING not academic (sports, band, etc.) from schools. Third, pay beginning teachers $100,000 a year – not to reward the current bunch but to offer an incentive for bright students in computers and engineering to come into teaching. Fourth, do no permit ANYONE with an educational degree near a classroom – require teachers with math degrees to teach math, and English degrees to teach English, etc. Fifth, do away with tenure – good teachers don't need it, and bad teachers should not have it. Sixth, strengthen the CBEST test for incoming California teachers. Massachusetts, which stands number 1 in most test categories, has just released their decade-long study of their incoming teacher test – and their incoming Caucasian teachers FAIL the test at a 24% rate. (Their Hispanic teachers fail at a 52% rate, and their Black teachers fail at a 54% rate.) In California, our incoming teachers pass CBEST at a 100% rate! Any test with a 100% passing rate is, by definition, too easy! Seventh, elect me as the State Czar of Education.

Robert24 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 4:26 PM:To "sigh"; It is okay to only post your point once (you posted the same message at 1:43, and again at 2:57). Maybe you meant to post the second one in Spanish? That or you are just trying to impress us with your employment in a Fortune 500 company (yea, right). Too funny; maybe you were taught by a "Vista Techer"!

Sigh wrote on Jan 28, 2008 5:05 PM:R24, Page refresh resulted in an error message stating that my first comments were not posted (Image Verification Error). Thus, the second mirror post. Sorry for that. Now, did you have anything . . . what's the word . . . relevant?

to Not Superior wrote on Jan 28, 2008 5:22 PM:You are trying to look clever but fail miserably.

'Americans' are people from the northernmost point of Canada to the tip of Patagonia in Argentina, not just people from the USA. Look at a world map - maybe you'll learn something today.

Citizen X wrote on Jan 28, 2008 6:49 PM:This is why we need school vouchers. This is why we need a border fence. This is why we eed English to become the official language of the country. This is why my children will be attending private school.

Ray wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:29 PM:To Colin: you are right on the dot, these people need to travel, meet other cultures, expand their knowledge of other nations and their contributions to the world in order to understand the benefits of diverse learning.

Ray wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:36 PM:To Citizen X: As usual, you are listening to Hunter retoric and not analyzing and asking for specifics. First of all who is going to pay for the rest of your kid's schooling after the voucher runs out? or you think 5 or 6k will do it?
On your imaginary border fence, where is the money? the goverment is proposing to send you a rebate in the next months and you think they will ever have the money for a fence?
Now will you change every street name, bussines name, landmarks, state names etc. after you make English official?

GFN wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:36 PM:"Another Vista Techer" who says, "go ahead correct my typos!" in his 3:47 pm post sounds like SDRAOUL who wrote on on Dec 22, 2007 10:20 AM:
"GFN, typos are not misspellings, they are just that, typos by fast fingers." Then he makes FIVE more spelling and grammar mistakes in the next FOUR sentences!!! Yes, the pattern is clear; this could not be a real teacher; sdraoul. CSI VISTA!

GFN wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:45 PM:Citizen X, this is why my children attended private school at a high cost. They went to public school ONLY when honors classes were offered, and we, his parents, verified the "rate my teacher" dot com network. They thrived in public school, immersed in the diversity in social and sports surroundings; but diversity was NOT important in the classroom; only being with other students who cared was.

pancho wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:48 PM:
It's not about one spanish class that might be given. It's about spanish being spoken ALL day in a class. This is precious education time taken away from our
english only speaking children. We want them to be ready for college.
Forget about diversity they can get that in the Boy Scouts or on the playground.

Robert24 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:50 PM:To "sigh"; If you did not Image Validate, you wouldn't have posted at all. Nice try, but I'm not quite that stupid (and I don't work for a Fortune 500 company, but I still understand Image Validation). Relevant? Sure: Immerse yourself in assimilating into the American culture, including speaking English, and take all the other classes that you feel are important in a world culture. Just don't make me, or anybody else who has learned to abide and be a part of America and her laws, wait for those who didn't take the time or effort to assimilate. When I run a race, I don't go back and run with the slowest runner, and I don't expect to wait for those who chose not to learn English in America either. Relevant enough?

to Citizen X wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:52 PM:Good that you will send your kids to private school. I don't want my kids mixing with a family of intolerant xenophobes. You probably claim to be Christians too.

Sam wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:06 PM:
As a educator I have the impression that these minority children are pit at the head of the line and come with the attitude of what are you going to do for me. The more money we throw their way it's not going to help. By time they are in high school they are into sex, drugs and gangs and half will drop of school. No need for new schools as more kids will be going to private schools the way things are going.

Cry, Cry, Cry wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:26 PM:all you want haters! Poor biggots, where what will you do when cable t.v. puts out more and more spanish channels? " La Officina"?...

Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:31 PM:If a plethora of non-English-speaking students is NOT the reason that California students rank right with Louisiana and Mississippi in national testing, would anyone care to take a guess as to what the reason might be?

To Reardon: wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:35 PM:The CBEST is only one requirement to become a teacher, not the only requirement. I would suggest your do some research before you speak as if you are stating facts. Teachers must pass the CSET, and other silly tests required by the state. School is an extension of the home….

Sue wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:03 PM:The solution--- Send all these spanish speaking kids to private schools, hire teachers from Mexico, sent the tab to Mexico or our feds.
Then we might get our schools back.

Ken wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:07 PM:the solution--Hire only teachers that can't speak spanish. Can anyone add to these solutions?

Silly Me wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:09 PM:I was confused by the headline because I thought everybody in school was learning English.

to Vista teacher 11:19 wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:16 PM:I would like to get your name and have you fired on the spot for breaking the law. Vista should have quite a law suit on their hands.

Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:31 PM:To To Reardon: I was a professor at a California university for 14 years -- I taught the teachers! One of my courses was a core course requirement for graduation, and my lowest grades were ALWAYS students from the School of Education. Because it was free to me, I entered the School of Education for a second Masters, a Masters in Education, and quit half-way through the series because of the lack of academic rigor! And you are going to lecture me on teachers? The mind boggles!

TO Reardon wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:44 PM:.......

I DARE you to even score 30% on the California Math Test (CSET part 1, part 2, part 3.

Considering you have a 1/4 chance of guessing 25%, I'll give you credit for being a sapien and not a neaderthal.

Go call Rick Roberts and complain to him, dummy

bryan wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:46 PM:Ive read a study that showed US pre kindergartners ranked in top 3 compared to other countries. Then they compared 1st graders, 3 graders and 5th graders of US kids to other nations and US kids dropped to second to last in intelligence. It showed the longer our kids stay in public schools the dumber they get.

With Jorge wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:24 AM:pushing for vouchers for private schools, who will be attending public schools? And if few or if any are attending then why do the teachers and public schools need money?

Thank you for enlightening wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:26 AM:me, I didn't know Canadians and Mexicans are called Americans. Does this mean they have to pay American taxes in their countries?

If the teachers can't wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:29 AM:guarantee that at least one half of their class will graduate, then these teachers need to go to Mexico to teach. VOTE NO ON ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR SCHOOLS!

SUE THE SCHOOLS wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:32 AM:for not teaching all of the different languages. These schools are racist in that they only will teach spanish.

JakeP wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:41 AM:Viva Los San Diego Padres!!!

Patriot wrote on Jan 29, 2008 1:27 PM:The teachers union in California is the most powerful special interest in Sacramento. Now that we have education bureaucracies dedicated to serving English learners, the union has an interest in growing the number of students the bureaucracies serve.

Sigh wrote on Jan 30, 2008 7:58 AM:Robert, Your premise is flawed. You assert that having Spanish spoken in the classroom "slows down" learning. You also posit that Spanish speakers should be isolated to learn English faster. Both are wrong. Exposure to multiple languages improves academic performance of native English speakers AND Spanish speaking kids learn English faster when they are mixed in with English speaking kids. A mix od Spanish and English teaching and a mix of students is best all around.

Cooper, T. C. (1987). Foreign Language Study and SAT-Verbal Scores. The Modern Language Journal, 71/4, 381-387.

Armstrong, P. W. and J. D. Rogers. (1997). Basic Skills Revisited: The Effects of Foreign Language Instruction on Reading, Math and Language Arts. Learning Languages, Spring, 20-31.

Garfinkel, A. and K. E. Tabor. (1991). Elementary School Foreign Languages and English Reading Achievement: A New View of the Relationship. Foreign Language Annals, 24/5, 375-382.

Samuels, D. D. and R. J. Griffore (1979). The Plattsburgh French Language Immersion Program: Its Influence on Intelligence and Self-esteem. Language Learning, 29/1, 45-52.

Robinson, D. W. (1992). The Cognitive, Academic and Attitudinal Benefits of Early Language Learning. In Met, M., ed. Critical Issues in Early Language Learning. White Plains, NY: Longman.

There are dozens more, but these are a good start.

To Sigh wrote on Jan 30, 2008 9:11 AM:
Why don't you try teaching and find out what is really going on in the classroom. You have no idea but sit in your castle and read about it. Having taught school for many years I have seen a dumbing down of education while we wait for these spanish speaking kids to catch up.

Sigh wrote on Jan 30, 2008 2:34 PM:If you followed my posts, you would know that my son is enrolled in a bi-lingual / Spanish immersion classroom. I don't just read about this stuff--I live it. Question: If the research clearly show that multi-lingualism in the classroom improves the academic performance of native English speakers AND accelerates the native Spanish speakers' learning of English (and it does), then is it possible that your observations are more accurately ascribed to your personal teaching skills?

Again, I do not excuse under-performance for any reason. The schools should teach, and teachers should be held accountable. But the research shows clearly that multi-lingual teaching IMPROVES academic performance.

Olaf wrote on Jan 30, 2008 5:25 PM:I am not one to question blogger like SIGH but when you list books and studies it peaked my curious nature. I went ahead and Googled scholerly journals and plugged in Problems with bilingual education and then plugged in positive attributes of bilingual education. I guess the fact that the first had 62,000+ hits and the last only 21,000 should speak volumes.

Now with that said I too have heard of the studies of multi-lingual studies and their positive attributions to childen. This starts when they are as young as 3-4 years old and continues throughout the childs life. I believe this is just like music, art, or anything else that is introduced in a childs mind when young helps develop their little minds with more positive traits.

To use this argument on why we should be teaching Spanish in the California schools is flawed in many ways. First we are getting people who flee across a desert or jump the walls to come to this country and then deposit their child in our system. These children, and more importantly their parents, have way to many thing going on in their lives to benifit from dual education. To put it plainly they or the parents just don't care. In most countries around the world it is an emmersion in the host language that is prescribed then maybe a second language can be taken up. Your studies stink SIGH and I do believe you knew this.

Vista Teacher (the original) wrote on Jan 30, 2008 6:57 PM:All these so called teachers from Vista piping in about teaching in Spanish! Wow!!! Guess the VTA has really gotten to them. The problem with teaching your class in Spanish instead of English (as the law requires) is quite simple: The language of business in the US (and the World for that matter) is English. If your students don't master the English language, and most VUSD graduate aren't, then you relegate your students to doing "those jobs Americans won't do." Now I put it to you, are you attempting to help your charges with getting ahead in society, or are you attempting to keep them in their place? I hate to tell all of you this, but it is not only our legal responsibility to teach these students English, it is our moral responsibility as well. Remember, Caesar Chavez was against Illegal Immigration as it artificially kept wages for his Union Brothers and Sisters low! He worked very hard to get the American Government (his Government!) to keep the Mexican citizens in Mexico! Was he a racist? No, he was a Man whom I admired while growing up, and who taught me many things about my own culture. And yes, I too speak Spanish very well. I spent 7 years in Mexico learning the Language while I taught English at a Mexican school. I hate to say what most of the Vista Teachers I know are speaking, but I can tell you it is NOT Spanish! And, unfortunately many are doing a poor job of teaching English as well! Now, get off your duffs and do the job you all know how to do: Teach!

Sigh wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:04 AM:Olaf,

Seriously? Google hits? Wow. Our schools really are failing. By your logic the most important person on earth is Britney Spears.

"Sigh"

Here's a few more just for you, my friend:

Curtain, H. (1990). Foreign Language Learning: An Early Start. ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, Center for Applied Linguistics, (Document No. EDO-FL-90-12).

Genesee, F. and N. Cloud. (1998). Multilingualism is Basic. Educational Leadership, March, 62-65

Georgia PTA Board of Managers. (1994). RESOLUTION: Foreign Language Programs

Dumas, L. S. (1999). Learning a Second Language: Exposing Your Child to a New World of Words Boosts Her Brainpower, Vocabulary, and Self-Esteem.

Research Notes: Language Learning and the Developing Brain. (1996) Learning Languages, 1/2, 17. Reprinted by the Center for Applied Linguistics on: .

Olaf wrote on Jan 31, 2008 8:26 AM:SIGH

Just posting books or journals that you have never read or maybe understand isn't a great argument either. My point was that I havent read nor pretend to know more then everyone else but with a 5 minute search can find out socialogicaly what people are saying. More titles won't say anything since you are hand picking them and not really understanding them.

One that I have read many times though is "Content of Our Character" by Shelby Steele. As mentioned in the book should you heap judgement and guilt upon people just because you can? SAME FOR YOU SIGH.

Ron wrote on Jan 31, 2008 5:12 PM:I find it revolting (but not surprising) that we have teachers in the public school system who feel that they have the authority to teach students in a foreign language. Yes...it will benefit our future generations to be fluent in a foreign language but it is not the right of these persons to pick Spanish as that language. Simply because we happen to be close to a third world country that speaks Spanish doesn't mean that we should lower our a standards in our cities and in particular our school systems to accommodate them. These "teachers" should be formally and immediately reprimanded for their actions. It they continue they should be terminated.

Give Us Our Schools Back wrote on Feb 1, 2008 1:35 PM:It's a sad day when legal, hard working taxpayers have to pay out more of their hard earned money to send their children to private school. It's very sad that the public schools are no longer places where a middle income, english speaking student can get a decent education. Not only do the taxpayers of this state have to pay to have these non-english speaker learn english but we have to foot their lunch tabs as well. Please go back to Mexico and quit mooching off our resources (not just schools -- but health care, food and other programs as well).

Karl Marx and Che Guevara wrote on Feb 1, 2008 11:09 PM:Are a big part of why Latin America is a dump. If they created the "worker's paradise" promised, how come people are wiling to risk life and limb to leave them and come here? Free market Capitalism is what creates a higher living standard. Communism just changes one bunch of Totalitarian Oligarchs for another. But I'm sure you teach that they are Saints. You're a huge part of the problem.

Anonymom wrote on Feb 2, 2008 4:13 AM:My son always reminds me that the top(most motivated) students will always get a very good education. There are EXCELLENT teachers in the public schools BUT there efforts are being sorely tested by current politics. Both of my kids excelled in the public school system and I have the highest regard for theit teachers. Never-the-less we can't toss out the rest of us for some misguided vision of political correctness. I've got mine and I hope you have the same opportunity.

Anonymom wrote on Feb 2, 2008 4:15 AM:My son always reminds me that the top(most motivated) students will always get a very good education. There are EXCELLENT teachers in the public schools BUT their efforts are being sorely tested by current politics. Both of my kids excelled in the public school system and I have the highest regard for their teachers. Never-the-less we can't toss out the rest of us for some misguided vision of political correctness. I've got mine and I hope you have the same opportunity.

Jimbo wrote on Feb 3, 2008 1:51 AM:I don't think there's any argument as to whether it is beneficial to learn a second language. What is frustrating to many posters here about "Vista Teacher's" comment (assuming it is true) is that English Learners (not bilingual, because if they were bilingual they'd speak English, hence no need to teach in Spanish) are being catered to in tax payer funded classrooms, while the English speaking American tax payers' children are either forced to learn a language they didn't sign up for and may not receive as quality an education as could be provided for otherwise. The English Learner students don't speak the language of the land, so it is their responsibility to learn it. Not the other way around. I personally find it flat out disrespectful to insist on staying in a country and not making an effort to learn the language. And no, this is not a bilingual country. A bilingual country is one like Canada where some areas speak English, some French, some both. There are many people here that don't speak English, hence this discussion, but that does not make this a bilingual country. Since its founding, the USA has had English as its spoken language. That's why The Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Legislative proceedings, laws, presidential debates, major TV networks, movies, books, road signs, etc, etc are in English. As a courtesy, there are some things printed in other languages, but make no mistake, this is not because English is not the first and foremost language of the USA. And when using the word "American" it is generally referring to people from the USA, not the entire two continents. Try going into Mexico from Guatemala with that viewpoint. See how far you get. And to the point of learning to accept the change forced upon areas like SoCal due to immigration legal or illegal...uh NO. This is America, those who come here should come here to become part of America, not to force their culture upon those who have been established here already. Diversity is great, but there needs to be a balance and understanding of assimilation as well. Starting with speaking the same language so we can understand one another and not have failing schools.

step wrote on Feb 3, 2008 11:14 AM:well said jimbo!

Syl wrote on Feb 3, 2008 3:27 PM:There is a new migration, within the United States, to the states and cities more receptive to the reality of the undocumented immigrant. The growing exodus is the result of dozens of new state and local laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration. The two toughest measures are in Oklahoma and Arizona. Now a new rush of illegal immigrants is exiting Oklahoma and Arizona and heading Texas and California or other Illegal Immigrant friendly states to flee tough new anti-illegal immigrant laws. The generous California Taxpayers have always graciously picked up the tab of providing services to Illegal Aliens. Hey what are a few million more Immigrants anyways?

Eduardo wrote on Feb 12, 2008 8:40 PM:Reconquista! Like it or millions have come to seek a better life in the US and not only has our government left miles of border wide open (don't believe me- try a going on a border patrol ride along in El Centro, thousands of employers are welcoming them with open arms and low wages. Worst of all it is hurting the kids the most. That is on both sides- American children have to deal with the influx of children from migrant families and the children of these illegal migrant workers have to deal with the consequences of the choices their parents made. Bilingual education, if done right, is one way to make the best out of the situation. Speaking from experience, learning Spanish in high school and college is ineffective, very difficult and a waste of resources in comparison to exposing children to the Spanish or any other language at a young age. Maintenance bilingual education (look it up, its different) also helps children retain their natural gift of speaking their first language while learning English. Both learning english and a second language is a good thing and the earlier the better.