Bill exempts English learners from exam

AP ^ | June 12, 2004 | MICHAEL GORMLEY

[sarcasm]

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Immigrant children learning English wouldn't have to pass the state English Regents exam to graduate from high school under a proposal with strong Assembly support.

Assemblyman Peter Rivera said the alternative route is needed for immigrant students living in the United States for five years or less because it takes more time than that to master English enough to pass the Regents exam required for graduation. Without the measure approved last week by the Assembly Education Committee, Rivera said more bright immigrant students will drop out and potentially lead less productive lives, when they just need more time to learn English.

[raybbr]

"A recent immigrant could be gifted in math, science, history or other subjects, but because he or she is not fluent enough in English, he or she will not be able to graduate high school and go to college," Rivera stated in his bill sponsor's memo to the Legislature. "Instead, such students will instead be stuck in a high school environment that does not provide them with the resources necessary for them to move on."

How do we know they are gifted in these other subjects if they can't speak english? This is pandering, pure and simple.

[JamesA]

For every immigrant who enters and refuses to even learn to speak english delutes American culture just that much more.

[RunningJoke]

"It certainly is a departure," said Senate Education Committee Chairman Stephen Saland, a Poughkeepsie Republican."

This is a departure from what? The writer of this article must enjoy irony.

[Paleo Conservative]

I guess the word student is not in their vocabulary.

[TXnMA]

Put some of those worthless, NEA-protected, overpaid "educators" to work developing proficiency tests for each year of English study.

This is just another union featherbedding cop-out -- and another excuse for getting paid to do nothing!

...as are "Zero Tolerance" 'policies'.

[NYCVirago]

The New York media's been talking about Danny Almonte this week -- he's the baseball pitcher who pitched a perfect game in the Little League championship series, then turned out to be older than the age limit. Anyhow, he's been in this country for at least five years, is in a local high school here that just won a baseball championship, and he still can't be interviewed without an interpreter. Good to see how well bilingual education is working in the city!