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STAN MULAIK (pscccsm@prism.gatech.edu) wrote:
: kaubrey@idirect.com (Kathy Aubrey) writes:

: >I havn't read the whole thread yet, as I am nearly out of time. so would like 
: >to respond now.
: >There was a program a couple of months ago on the Asian immigrants in 
: >B.C.  where they where interviewing teacher and others about the influx of 
: >asians etc.  A teacher did admit that the Canadian children were being held 
: >back in the courses because of the amount of time spent with the Asian 
: >kids who did not understand due to the language problem.  I firmly believe 
: >that a requirement of immigration should be working knowledge of English. 
: > Kids who do not speak English should be tutured in English prior to 
: >entering the regular classes.  This should be paid for by the immigrants, 
: >not the taxpayers. 

: Just a point of curiousity as a Atlantan who recently visited Vancouver:
: But aren't the recent immigrants taxpayers too?  Doesn't that entitle them
: to some flexibility in the school system to adapt to the changing needs of
: the population?  If 50% of the children can't speak English, then the
: school needs to address that problem. Expecting the parents to pay to have
: them learn English before they get to school is unrealistic.  And as new
: taxpayers they have a right to expect the schools to adapt to their needs,
: especially when their children make up 50% of the classes.  


  The schools are not set up to teach *basic* english.  Every grade one 
student is expected to start school with a working knowledge of the 
language, which is then built upon throughout the course of several years.

  Expecting the majority of the taxpayers to pay for this lack of 
knowledge is the real injustice here.  The teachers are frustrated...they 
admit that they *can't teach as effectively* when a high percentage of 
their students need more personal attention and specialized training 
(when they are trying to teach Canadian history, for example, they do NOT 
have time to teach the students English first).  They are forced to lower 
the standards and just 'push them through' the system to make room for 
the new students (of which there are many...or haven't you noticed the 
massive overcrowding in our schools?).  Do you wonder where the concept 
of the 'traditional school' came from?  Well wonder no more...

  We have a major problem here, and *denial* won't make it go away.

  Immigration to Canada is a privilege, not a right...and the immigrants 
owe it to their new country to adapt to it's language, customs and laws 
as quickly as possible.  Unlike other countries, we haven't *yet* 
implemented a demand for a certain proficiency in our native tongue 
before we will accept someone as an immigrant; don't make us change that, 
okay?