Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

1 Comment(s)

I am tired of hearing that the opponents of Minister Lamrock's plans to eliminate Early French Immersion are just elitist, emotional parents who care only about their own children. I do not have children who will be affected by Lamrock's misguided and short-sighted plan. Yet I am just as outraged by his decision.

I am one of those people at the demonstrations, I am at the many meetings, I am working with CEC, I am writing letters, I am handing out information. Please do not assume I am doing this in the sole interest of my child. I am doing this in the interest of New Brunswick.

We have a unique asset: bilingualism. I am proud to live in a place that is home to a rich cultural heritage and diversity. Lamrock's plans will destroy this gem of New Brunswick.

Also, I am bilingual, and have been since I was a young child. I know from experience how important it is to start language early. Knowing two languages has helped me learn a third and fourth language more easily than my monolingual peers.

It is baffling to me, and everyone who knows anything about language acquisition, that Lamrock is purportedly trying to achieve increased bilingualism with delayed language classes.

I am outraged not because this decision affects me or my children, I am outraged because it is such a blatantly wrong decision. My ire has only increased as Lamrock has continued to refuse to listen to any and all reason contrary to his own.

Who is he listening to? Croll and Lee have been discredited. Even the expert who created Intensive French say he should not eliminate EFI. We can only assume he is listening to nobody but himself.

Will he really listen in the next six weeks of consultation? If the Liberal government wishes to maintain any last shred of credibility in the face of this fiasco, Lamrock must go. As long as he remains Minister of Education, any consultation process in the next six weeks will be mere window dressing.

Taeyon Kim

Fredericton, NB

(via e-mail)