[grania]

I’d say AZ would save a bundle if they could heave all the programs, staff, and paperwork required to comply with Federal regulations and still be able to educate their children. They’d probably be better off all around.

There's no probably about it.

For starters, ESL is dumb. If the spanish-speaking (or any other) residents are here legally, the folks should be learning English at home. Back in the 1920s and 30s, that's what my mom's family had to do growing up. Now, we're just empowering the parents to not acclimate to US society and laws.

There's no doubt that they'd save money without the feds. For starters, scrap pre-school and full day kindergarten. No more breakfasts served; if the families really need food assistance, then they pay for lunch with food stamps. Kick out troublemakers. No more silliness like one full time teacher for some students with disabilities. The list is endless. And you know what? I'd bet parents would be fighting to get their kids in 1950s-style schools without all of the BS.

Grrr....

[Oatka]

If the spanish-speaking (or any other) residents are here legally, the folks should be learning English at home. Back in the 1920s and 30s, that's what my mom's family had to do growing up. Now, we're just empowering the parents to not acclimate to US society and laws.

I posted this sometime back. A few years ago I was a volunteer reading tutor at a Middle grade school in Nevada. We were attempting to bring the laggards up to grade level. I correctly expected mostly Spanish kids (90%, the rest were whites with attitudes) but learned that some Spanish kids were illiterate in their own language. What topped it off was when the teachers told me that some kids were lagging because their fathers wouldn't allow them to speak OR READ English at home. "Spanish is your heritage." they were told. The kids wanted to learn, just couldn't.

We still had a pretty good success ratio though and I made a point to have them read aloud books about America.