Elementary foreign language supporters fail to prove its value

Editor:

The recent guest column by Donald Porter on the foreign language issue was only from his visionary perspective. He claimed that a majority of parents favor the program. This can't be proven short of a countywide vote.

The following two questions were also suggested for investigation by the trustees: "Is this endeavor realistic?" and, "Will it truly benefit our students?"

The board has already indicated the proposal is not realistic with no budget allocation available.

As for the benefit to students, the answer claiming to improve learning ability in other subjects has been generalized verbally without any

documentation. It certainly defies sound reasoning, and even if true would be an abstract and expensive method of improving learning ability.

Following consideration of the two questions by the trustees, Porter suggests they take the following action: "If the answer to both is 'yes,'

then our Board members should weed through the inevitable nay-sayers and aggressively seek out the best way to make it happen. Plain and simple.

You'd be amazed how quickly school administrators fall in line when a majority of the board wants something!"

It appears that not only the school board but most school administrators are not favorably convinced.

This is a classic example of an attempt at minority manipulation without majority confirmation.

Wheldon Hair

Harlem