15816: Walton: RE: 15806: Pichard in response to #15800, French to be taught in Pam Beach County (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Walton, Robert" <waltonr@emh1.ftmeade.army.mil>

The Palm Beach County authorities who made this decision should be asked to
justify it with numbers.  Unless the situation in VERY unusual, a PBC public
school with a majority of French-speaking students, the choice of French for
a bilingual program to the exclusion of Spanish or Hatian borders on the
ridiculous.

Bilingual program dollars are not intended for enrichment programs.
Bilingual education is intended to assist children to learn a core
curriculum in their native language.  If the school authorities cannot
defend their choice with numbers, this matter should be brought to the
attention of the Governor Bush, and the Chairperson, Florida Education
Committee, Senator Lee Constantine (constantine.lee.web@flsenate.gov).
Persons living in Palm Beach County should contact their State senators and
congesspersons.  If this program is being funded by federal dollars intended
for Bilingual Education Programs it should be be brought to the attention of
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)- fraud, waste and abuse!

Bob Walton