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Thank You

By:Judith Lemuz
November 5, 1997.

To Jaime, Ron, Gloria and Fernando,

As a second generation American, mother of two, and a future educator in the public school system, thank you for your efforts to help eliminate what I feel is helping to the increase of poverty and government dependence amoung our nations minorities.

Although I am constantly criticized by my classmates, because of my views towards California's Bilingual Education system, most of my peers in the educational field commend my stand. What disappoints me the most is that as a student in the CLAD program, I have noticed what the government is attempting to do to the future educators; brainwash them. If Krashen and Cummins say it is true (even though the theory is over 15 years old) it must be true.

What I would like to know is how can we get this brainwashing to stop? The entire purpose of the CLAD and BCLAD programs is suppose to educate us about ethnic diversity in the classroom and how to implement this dievrsity discretely, in addition to recognize the special needs of ALL children. However, my particular program has turned into a seven-month session on the importance of bilingual education. And, of course, many of these courses are taught by extremely biased individuals. I feel that this must also stop. Let us focus on what is most important - a good educational opportunity for all. And, to think that people seem to wonder I send my children to a parochial school.

Thank you once again, and I hope that you can help answer my questiion.

Sincerely,

Judith Lemuz