January 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Service: Hispanic Issues: Education: Bilingual Education: LA Times: The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Swaziland: Special Report: RPCV Reed Hastings: Reed Hastings: Archived Stories: January 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Service: Hispanic Issues: Education: Bilingual Education: LA Times: The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-13-244.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.13.244) on Friday, January 21, 2005 - 10:24 pm: Edit Post

The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate

The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate

The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate

The Split Over Bilingual Education

Re "Democrats Reject Gov.'s Nominee," Jan. 13: Most children quickly integrated into English-only classrooms when parents chose these after seeing the lack of progress in the bilingual programs of the past. Positive results are evident when seeing children serving as interpreters for parents at clinics, hospitals and businesses.

The rejection of well-respected community leader Reed Hastings to the State Board of Education is most unfortunate. He dared support English-language reading for immigrant children. The backing from the state superintendent of public instruction, business leaders, California Teachers Federation, charter schools and others could not outweigh the advocates of bilingual education.

Hastings was accused of not showing enough empathy for Latin parents' concerns. Really? Where would Latin lawmakers Martha Escutia, Don Perata and Gil Cedillo be today had they been mired in ill-conceived bilingual programs and not learned the necessary English for their careers as state senators?

Eva L. Barcia

Los Angeles

*

Bilingual education in California is more often than not monolingual, which means that students who speak Spanish at home are handicapped in not learning the language that is spoken in college, boardrooms and the Congress. If only an hour a day were allotted for real "bilingual" education, then all students in the state would learn Spanish, starting in preschool.

In Europe, most people know more than one language. There is no excuse for Americans to be less educated than Europeans. Learning the language of a neighboring country makes for understanding that culture and alleviating prejudices. Learning a second language early in life leaves room in the brain for learning languages in general.

Bilingual education should not be restricted to college-bound students and children of immigrants. It's time for "mainstream" American students to see there is more than one way to say "freedom," "democracy" and "love."

Mary Jacobs

Los Angeles

*

Oh, what a fiasco for the Democrats! Reed Hastings, one the wealthiest and most energetic Democrats in government service, lost his seat on the State Board of Education because he refused to support the voter-discarded bilingual education travesty.

Perata and two other Democratic senators put a knife into the back of one of their own because he wouldn't kowtow to the open-borders lobby, which obviously still wants to teach the children of illegal immigrants in Spanish so they can (theoretically) return to Mexico untainted by our tongue or culture.

This is more proof that crazy people run Sacramento and another boost for the governor's redistricting plan.

T.J. Pierce

San Francisco

*

Hastings ran into trouble because of his stand on bilingual education. I find this to be quite troublesome, that a man such as Hastings is being rejected for this reason.

We are a nation of immigrants who, outside of the Pilgrims, who already spoke English, did not speak English on their arrival in this country. The government didn't require those already here to learn Italian, Polish, Yiddish, Russian, Gaelic, etc. Yet these people grew and prospered anyway.

Why is it we are now asked to offer bilingual education? When we go to a foreign country, we must get by in their language. When the governor came here, did he have bilingual help in German? I think not.

I don't think it is too much to ask that, if you are here and making use of what this country has to offer, then speak English.

Stephen Hariton

Westlake Village





When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Ask Not Date: January 18 2005 No: 388 Ask Not
As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

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Bellamy finishing term - Veneman to head Unicef 15 Jan
230 RPCVs volunteer for Crisis Corps 14 Jan
Peace Corps Fund needs silent auction items 12 Jan
Matt Gould in one-man Peace Corps show in Hollywood 12 Jan
Taylor Hackford's "Ray" Nominated for Golden Globe 12 Jan
Ambassador Johnson shares memories of Thailand 11 Jan
Senator Dodd suggests PC return to Venezuela 11 Jan
Ambassador Hull wants PC to return to Sierra Leone 11 Jan
Poiriers unhappy with PC investigation of missing son 10 Jan
Emile Hons reflects on the Deborah Gardner murder case 10 Jan
Judge Paul A. Bastine criticized for stalling Divorce 6 Jan
Volunteer Patricia D. Scatoloni dies in Macedonia 4 Jan
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Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."
RPCVs active in new session of Congress Date: January 8 2005 No: 374 RPCVs active in new session of Congress
In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.
RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid  Date: January 4 2005 No: 366 Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid
Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?
The World's Broken Promise to our Children Date: December 24 2004 No: 345 The World's Broken Promise to our Children
Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.
Changing of the Guard Date: December 15 2004 No: 330 Changing of the Guard
With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.
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RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.
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Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.
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Read the stories and leave your comments.






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Story Source: LA Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Swaziland; Service; Hispanic Issues; Education; Bilingual Education

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