DEAR EDITOR:
I am appalled at the way our local school district is being run.
In fact, they continually tell the citizens of Gilroy how fairly
and equally they are working towards educating the children of
Gilroy.
DEAR EDITOR:
I am appalled at the way our local school district is being run. In fact, they continually tell the citizens of Gilroy how fairly and equally they are working towards educating the children of Gilroy. But in reality, they have put up economic and racial barriers so wide and deep the chasm is simply too wide to cross for most
The District is so quick to point out the “No Child Left Behind Act” as the basis for ensuring that children learn English. However, if that really is the case, then why aren’t there classes in Tagalong, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Taiwanese, Japanese, Chinese and the like for those children who need the language assistance? Why do teachers push for the ability to ensure that the Latino children be read directions for testing and such in their own language and yet children of other races are LEFT BEHIND? Why don’t they offer translation into other languages at Board Meeting or, better yet, why do they only offer translations of their literature in English and Spanish? Is one race any better than the other? Or is it simple oversight on their part? Or, is it more as some of us have experienced, that those people who run and command the daily school lives of all children of Gilroy are, themselves, a bit racially biased?
Example: Log onto their web page at www.gusd.k12.ca.us and you will find that you can access reports in English or Spanish. And reports they utilize to support their BOLD goals always speak from the Latino frame of mind.
I must, at this point, point out that I am bi-racial being Mexican and Filipino. I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. with my mother when I was seven years old. It was sink or swim for me back then in school. There was no one there ensuring I could live up to their goals, just myself ensuring I could do so and I just did. The problem I see is that so much time is being spent on getting 65 percent of our school district up to speed what is happening the other 35 percent MINORITY who are not of Latino descent? Upon reading other items continually published by the District and the schools, a child who is of Latino descent is also economically challenged and, therefore, is more likely to require even more HELP in their schooling. But, again I must ask, what about those students who are not disadvantaged? Are we ASSUMING that they are FINE especially if they are just at the 50 percentile in test scores? Are our school officials so blind that they feel this is acceptable to only help those people who are considered by their standards “needy”? As well, if you can’t publish letters or newsletters and can’t translate meetings in more than two languages then it is time to resort to only publishing in one and not translating in anything other than English.
Again, questions and fingers must be pointed right at the top and then filter downward. If we are of the mind that “No Child” gets left behind, then Mr. Superintendent, elected Board Members and those of you working to ensure our schools are a better place, the challenge and gauntlet are being laid down. Either say what you mean and mean what you say for every child and citizen of this town irregardless of race – OR economic standard or simply quit saying it and continue this path to racial inequality!
Lerma Corpuz-Delgado, Gilroy
Submitted Monday, July 7 to ed****@****ic.com
