Foreign Language Immersion Programs in Public Schools

[Boris]

Here in Palo Alto they just approved a Mandarin immersion program for K-4th grade (I could be wrong on the upper grade level). The proponents stated goal is to extend the program for K-12th grade. The school district already offers a Spanish language immersion program.

I am vehemently opposed to both these programs. The reason is that I'll bet over 95% of the students in these immersion programs have one or more relatives in their household who are a native speaker of the immersion language. This can only lead to more and stronger social bonds within ethnic groups and thus less assimilation with US culture.

Opinions?