K-12 ESEA Draft Reaction

I wrote the following in response to a PDF file that was sent to me.  I don't know how to add an attachment and I couldn't find it online. I'm not sure how you can get a copy. But it was basically outlining grant money that is set up to develop K-12 foreign language classes in our country with the aim of graduating students who have some sort of advanced profisciency, with special consideration to languages important for our nation's security (Chinese, Arabic, etc).  Here's what I wrote:

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When I read a document like this I have two reactions:

1) We need more intensive foreign language education in this country, K-12, and, as they say, with consistency of instruction.  My son Jonathan received Spanish in kindergarten, provided by "tuition" that we paid to cover the cost of the Spanish teacher.  Over the next few years, the Spanish teachers came and left, and finally they got rid of the program. 

There is no consistency in elementary foreign language education.  For that matter, there is no money for it either.    Ok, so this document is about grant money available--but let's face it, it's hard to find someone to teach at the elementary level UNLESS they are already the classroom teacher.

2) Any school system that invests in a K-12 program is unlikely to choose Latin.  This document is clearly designed to promote modern languages, especially languages like Chinese, Arabic, etc (see last few pages) that can benefit the nation's security.  Let's face it, no Romans are threatening to use terrorist tactics against our nation. 

There is so much currently wrong with No Child Left Behind it's hard to know when it's even worth speaking out.  I'm watching NCLB cause the closing of local schools that need HELP in improving (more money that impoverished PTA's will never be able to provide) but are instead being slapped, closed, and their teachers have a difficult time getting a new job, seemingly tainted by their students low scores--as if all the baggage those students bring to school can be combatted by even the best teachers.  I'm watching the local district hire principals who are more interested in "making the numbers" than keeping schools safe.  This isn't just a local issue either; my sister called me from California to tell me about a teacher out there who went through what I went through last year.

I'm watching incentive pay raises being passed in my own state legislature and feeling rather sick knowing that in great measure the teachers who will get those pay raises already have the students who would be passing the testing anyway.  The teachers working with the most challenging students will be passed over as usual.

BUT I digress.

Reactions to this draft?  Well, I'm wondering whether we should get some advice from our neighbors to the north.  I know that Latin teaching is no longer wide-spread in Canada--is this because of their English/French bilingual education?  Because while I am NOT against this document because I wish I had grown up in a bilingual education program, I do think it will be one more thing school districts will feel pressured into providing with limited funds and Latin will be squeezed out.

Right now I'm teaching at a fast growing high school in a town south of Austin that is turning into suburbs, if you know what I mean.  Last fall I had spent time emailing with the principal of the middle school, trying to convince her to have Latin at the middle school next year so I could be split between the two schools which are only 1 mile apart. Currently the midddle school only offers Spanish.  The high school has a strong Spanish department (3-4 teachers?) and a French teacher, plus me with the incipient Latin program (currently very small Latin 1, 2, and 3 classes, though next year Latin 1 has 48 students signed up!). 

As it happens, I just found out that only French was added at the middle school after all.  I was devastated.  I am currently getting the parents of my Latin students (and my English students) to write the m.s. principal and superintendent, and with luck I will get this turned around.

But here's the thing:  if I were in that principal's shoes, and if I had read this draft document as well as new state requirements for students to hit a certain level of profisciency or fluency, I'm not sure I would think Latin fits the bill.  Thus there is a tiny part of me that has to admit that I can understand why she only added French, ESPECIALLY if the money wasn't available. Why LOOK for the money if you don't think the language fits the bill of the educational directives that are coming down from the federal government, and the state government too?

And let's face it, do we HAVE a document that demonstrates that Latin could fit the bill?  If, for security reasons, we need students to be fluent in modern languages, how does Latin help--except as a key to helping to understand other languages and how they connect? 

Good teachers with good JCL programs may never be under threat, but young programs or programs with teachers retiring or who have weak teachers may well be under threat if not now then in the future, and perhaps not so distant future.  And the problem won't be whether administrators, counselors and parents understand the benefits of studying Latin, it will be that there won't be MONEY to support Latin because it doesn't fit the description of the type of foreign language education that is currently in demand.  Hands will be tied and we have offered nothing to untie those hands.

It could be that K-12 foreign language education will never be realized and Latin won't be threatened and I'm overreacting because of my own situation.  But let's pretend other modern languages start doing NLTRW like we do, recruiting teachers, finding ways to set up K-12, and the money starts going in that direction.

WHAT do we say to the administrators then?

As I've typed this, I realize that this may well be the problem I've got with this new m.s. principal--she doesn't know me from Adam, doesn't know the kind of teacher I am, only that I'm teaching a language that the federal goverment really shows no interest in and probably doesn't fit many people's definition of a language in which you can reach some level of fluency. 

I do know this: I canNOT teach English again next year; it's sucking the life out of me this year. After the year of dealing with gangs and safety last year, I was hoping this year would be easier, that I could get back on track with my Latin projects and professional work.  Poor Katie is still waiting for me to get my act together (hopefully later tonight???) on some stuff she's asked me to deal with.  My principal knows that I really, really don't want to teach English next year (practically refused)--but won't his hands be tied?  And there aren't any other openings around Austin.

So, what's our angle?  I don't think quoting SAT stats, improved writing skills, etc, counter the goals of this document.

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Have I wasted too much time and energy on these issues, which right now are heavy on my mind because of employment issues for next year?  I have quizzes to write, to grade, to record.  I have projects to work on, t-shirts to design for club, bids to get, things to post, stuff to do!  But maybe I'm supposed to be going through all this so I can be on the cutting edge of developing the REPLY to such documents, the person leads the way in answering all the attacks we will face on Latin in the coming years.  

Or am I taking on some sort of God complex, as if I've got all the answers?  Sheesh. I need to get a life!  Oh, wait, I have one and it involves lots of grading and quiz writing and preps.