Measure 58

Alright folks, this is about as political as you're going to see me get, but I simply CANNOT let this pass without saying something.

MEASURE 58 IS A LOAD OF CRAP!
(Measure 60 is not much better)

Bill Seizmore, the author of this measure, has absolutely NO experience in the field of education. None. Zip. Zilch. NADA. In no way is he even REMOTELY qualified to be writing these kinds of initiatives, and yet he does it ALL the time. Get a clue, Billy Boo: what you are doing is not only idiotic, but can actually have lasting damage on thousands of lives.

Not sure what I'm talking about, here? Well let me fill you in. Measure 58, or "English for the Children," as it has been so lovingly (and deceptively) named, would eliminate bilingual education completely and eradicate any native language support for English Language Learners beyond the first two years - whether or not students obtain proficiency in English. TWO YEARS. Research CLEARLY shows that students need anywhere from 5-7 years to learn academic language. Two years would never be enough, regardless of the program.

This One-Size-Fits-All approah neglects years and years of research indicating the multitude of ways in which students learn and the importance of allowing them to explore the method that works best for them. Measure 58 would impose arbitrary deadlines on students who are learning English, despite the fact that all students learn at a different pace. Parents and teachers know better than government bureaucrats how to teach English. Measure 58 does NOT make exceptions for students with learning disabilities, meaning they would be required to learn English in the same amount of time.

Basically, if this passes, all English language learners, regardless of their level of proficiency, will be given only two years to obtain the same level of English proficiency as that of a native English speaker.

Let me make this a little more clear: how many of you were required to take a foreign language class in high school? And how many of you felt like you could speak on the exact same level as a native speaker of that language after two years of classes? I've taken over seven years of Spanish classes, I've traveled to Mexico multiple times and even worked as a translator for a mission trip, I lived in Costa Rica for two months - and I STILL do not consider myself of the same level of proficiency as a native Spanish speaker.

There is no way this bill can work. It will be detrimental to the future education of all of those innocent children. And Bill Seizmore is such a sneaky man, he's written this bill in a way that tricks many people into believing he really has their best interest at heart. Trust me, he doesn't.

If you want any more information about this, please don't hesitate to ask. This is my passion in life. This is what I've been working toward for the past 17 years. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE! :)

So I'm urging you, please PLEASE vote NO on MEASURE 58. Also... vote no on Measure 60. Merit-based pay is a load of crap.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

Unknown said…
I can't imagine being fluent in a language in two years.