SRK: I am not racist nor am I ignorant; I am being realistic. Perhaps in Janesville that is not the experience you have with ESL students and their parents and extended families. However, when a five year old child calls a doctor's office to schedule and appointment for his parent because they "solamente hablo un poco ingles" that is IGNORANT. This is not an isolated event I speak of, either. Try venturing to a bigger, more diversified city than Janesville. You will see the "wonders" of ESL at work, I guarantee you. I doubt ESL was ever intended to be used as a "pseudo-introductory to becoming an English translator" course for kids.
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Of course there are good and bad in EVERY situation. But, just like everything--it starts at home.
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If the school system in this country is thoughtful enough to teach "THEIR" children English, then "they" should be thoughtful enough to learn it as well--on their own--and speak it daily, at minimum, OUTSIDE of their homes.
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MOC0428: Point taken, and I agree (to an extent).

ELL classes do more than simply "teach English." Depending on the level of proficiency each student brings to the table, the classes are structured to help fill in any gaps they may have from their peers. Certainly, some need outright language instruction. Others may need help with reading. Still others are facilitated with grammar classes. The point is that eliminating these classes isn't realistic because without them, there is no one to fill in the language barrier gaps.

As far as the racist (or at a minimum ignorant) comments insinuating that the parents of the ELL population don't wish to know English, they couldn't be further from the reality. It isn't just a matter of attending a few classes and becoming fluent. Fluency takes time. Fluency is a process. Simply because one can't conversate about politics doesn't mean one can't communicate necessities.

Finally, the "problem" doesn't continue for generations. 91% of second generation immigrants (who are as American as you or I) and 97% of third generation (also equally American) speak English fluently or near fluently.
(http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.ph...)

momof5: I understand your point but unfortunately us not liking illegal immigrants is not going to make the problem go away. I too have issues with illegal immigration but I don't see the problem going away anytime soon. Until there is a firm plan in place to stop illegal immigration we have to help them or they become an even bigger burden on society. I guess what I'm saying is that, yes it sucks that we have to support them but ignoring them would make the problem worse.

So, we should keep ESL because it helps create intelligence and intelligence helps foster a good job and a good job equates less dependency on government funded programs? Ok. Then, you know what, keep ESL. Heck, throw an EXTRA MILLION towards it. BUT...REQUIRE the parents of these children to attend the classes with them. Because as long as it's "ESL" at home...it will continue for GENERATIONS to be "ESL" in their lives.
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PS--MOC0--I'm not against immigrants and I understand that the US is known as the "Great Melting Pot" for a reason. Wonderful. Bennevolent. I'm against ALL illegal immigrants and funding ANYTHING that makes life in this country easier for them.
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If one thinks highly enough of this country to become a CITIZEN here and leave their homeland, then they should think highly enough of the rest of "us" and embrace the language, customs, and life here. If your homeland was "thaaat bad, why have your rear window decked out in red, white and green? I'm ALL for diversity but I will not sacrifice integrity to do so. If "you" LOVE the U.S. so much...learn the language and fly Ole Glory.
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Again....Learn "it" or leave "it."

"Tim Cullen likes Superintendent Tom Evert’s list of $1 million in budget cuts. Peggy Sheridan doesn’t." "Sheridan said, ... this is not a good time to give the community a black eye."
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Cutting $1 million from the budget is not giving us a black eye; it's putting an ice pack on the black eye that we already have.

"It is very shortsighted to think you can just throw away a program because of your dislike for immigrants!"
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MOC0428,
Why do you assume that we're against ALL immigrants? We're only against ILLEGAL immigrants.

should say "which would not include" ... sorry for the booboo

Since you plan to pay the subs more, why not give them appropriate training which would not include not sitting behind the desk reading books with their feet up, talking on their cell phones, learning procedures for the building they are in, actually covering the teacher's plans, or not sitting on a computer during class. I am speaking in reference to high school subs that my children have had.

Like it or not ESL is most definately needed. Just because you think these families should be deported does not mean it will happen. It is very shortsighted to think you can just throw away a program because of your dislike for immigrants! You people who bash immigrants all the time need to remember where you came from and what this country was founded from. IMMIGRANTS! I'm all for a little reform in the area but to come out and say we are not going to teach you is not the answer. As posted by SarahB, there are quite a few if not most of the children that are citizens. If we were to just cancel the program it would end up costing us more because these people could not get the children educated. Not everything is black and white and has an easy solution.

Instead of making these cuts why not use the money that the city wants to spend on a childrens museum to pay for these thing that the school district needs.

ktaustin: A good share of the children in ESL classes are American citizens. Plus, I am sure you are smart enough to know that one of the best ways to succeed in school or obtain a quality job in this country is to be able to speak English. And guess what? That benefits all of us. Good job = fewer needing tax-supported benefits.

From the "you've got to be kidding" dept: on the subject of ESL, I hear from my mom who used to teach ESL that it's no longer supposed to be called "English as a Second Language", because (drum roll)... it might be a students 3rd or 4th language. Am I the only one who thinks that is idiotic? I can't remember what the new PC term is, but everyone still seems to call it ESL which is fine with me.

Oh, and the learn it or leave it program CAN work. It's called deportation (for those families that are illegal), or have the parents pay for their own ESL classes for their children (for those families that are legal). If I had to move my family to Mexico, I wouldn't expect the state schools to teach my kids "SSL" for free, I would expect to have to pay a tutor or get a language cd-rom myself. I say cut ESL from the taxpayer funded school budget. Having said that, I doubt that amount of money is really significant.

Cutting the English as a Second Language program would be idiotic. Besides, Janesville is trying to get away from it's Klan image.

Whatever you do...DO NOT make the mistake again of letting maintenance slide.

momof5, cutting ESL would seem like a great way to cut the budget. Unfortunately, the "learn it or leave it" attitude does not work!

cut ESL back....it's called learn it or leave it.

"Absent were Gregory Ardrey, Debra Kolste, Kevin Murray and Bill Sodemann."

What's the point of having a meeting if 4 out of 9 members aren't even there?

Delaying maintenance to save tax payers $15 to $30 per year makes no sense.

"Most of the “English language learners” are Spanish speakers."

Wow, I'm shocked!

At least this article made it slightly clearer that these "cuts" are just less of an increase, not a true cut.