Wapato community rallies for dual language classes

WAPATO, Wash. -- Men, women and children who packed the Wapato school board meeting Wednesday night held paper plates scribed with dollar signs over their faces in protest over the loss of dual language classes.

For years, the school district serving mostly Latino students offered dual language classes that taught elementary students in both English and Spanish.

But in September, the dual language program was scrapped because students weren't learning English fast enough, school administrators said.

Now, all instruction is given in English, with only some help in Spanish.

Upset over the changes, parents have routinely flooded school board meetings in hopes of getting the program returned to the district of roughly 3,000 students.

And Wednesday night was no different, as more than 60 parents and students crowded the board room and foyer, saying the change was made without their consideration.

"I think we are here because we are trying to work with you, but you're not working with us," said parent Irma Perez.

A Spanish interpreter translated her words to the crowd as school board members sat quiet.

Parents said they felt like school officials viewed students as merely data rather than people, and the paper plates were to symbolize that.

"Are children just money and data?" former teacher Sister Mary Ellen Robinson asked outside the meeting. "They feel anonymous."

Earlier in the year, school board President Ron Wilcox said the board was standing firm on its decision to do away with the dual language program.

Five years ago, school officials began dismantling the program when it reduced those classes to one school, Adams Elementary.

At that time, state officials with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction blocked the school from entirely doing away with the program and planned to visit the district.

But administrators at the state office have changed since that time, and current officials said they didn't know if the visit occurred.

While there are state laws governing bilingual education, none of them mandate dual language classes, state officials said.

When students began school at Adams this year, they learned that dual language classes had been scrapped.

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 509-577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.