Here's a way to find more qualified instructors

As Mexican consul general in Dallas, Ramon Xilotl’s job is to represent his government. Usually that entails such routine matters as issuing visas and protecting the interests of Mexicans visiting or residing in the United States.

To his credit, Mr. Xilotl has taken his work a step further, trying to find a way to alleviate the Dallas public schools’ acute shortage of bilingual teachers.

His proposal is beginning to catch fire. It is relatively simple: take the Mexican lawyers, doctors, engineers and other professionals who reside in Dallas but cannot practice for lack of the requisite certifications and retrain them to teach. The Mexican professionals would have rewarding work educating the mass of Dallas schoolchildren whose primary language is Spanish, and the children would get adequate schooling.

If Mr. Xilotl’s proposal is implemented, 50 scholarships would be offered to Mexican non-education professionals to convert them to certified bilingual educators. The University of Texas at Arlington would provide instruction. The amount of course work required of the Mexican candidates would depend on how much of their studies in Mexico are transferable. The candidates would supplement their courses by working as assistant or substitute teachers in Dallas public schools.

Funding for the scholarships is still being sought. Mr. Xilotl hopes that it might come from various sources, including the business community, the university and the Dallas Independent School District. The school district is short nearly 700 Spanish- and English-speaking bilingual teachers.

Most diplomats enter and depart their foreign postings without making a lasting impact. Rarely do they become intimately involved in the problems of the communities where they work. If Mr. Xilotl’s idea works, if the result is more bilingual teachers for the vast number of Dallas children who lack proficiency in English, he will have proved himself as good a Dallasite as any native



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