...In the MCPS system, Kemp Mill Elementary in Silver Spring is the only school that offers a dual-language program it. It is not part of the county’s ESOL division. Half of its students speak English, while the other half speak Spanish. Instruction is in both languages.
“A lot of people look at bilingual programs in general as being wonderful because they’re helping the student maintain their heritage language,” said Floyd Starnes, the school’s principal. “But what the general public doesn’t know … is that their English is better.”...
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Floyd Starnes, the school’s principal: “But what the general public doesn’t know …
National Journal: Maryland County Is at the Intersection of Diversity, Culture, and Language
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kemp mill dumps all the special ed students in the english classes, all the "problem" kids, all the bullies - all go in the english classes. the spanish classes are given preferential treatment. starnes has also been systematically getting rid of staff who don't speak spanish - on various pretexts - and bringing in spanish speakers.
ReplyDeleteHow does Floyd Starnes keep his job despite recently admitting to taking young boys into closets alone with him, fondling male staff members, falsifying documents to get teachers fired, etc.?
ReplyDeletewould you please stop perpetuating unsubstantiated rumors and focus on the point of this article, which is that the opportunity for dual-language education (which is sought after by many parents interested in providing their children with linguistic and cultural diversity) is finally available in MCPS?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 12:44 pm, these are not unsubstantiated rumors, read the court documents and depositions. It is not a dual language program. Anonymous at Nov 8 2012 2pm is correct. The English classes are a dumping ground - but no one tells that to the parents. Some of us were too naive to figure it out in time.
ReplyDeleteThe article doesn't accurately describe the dual-language program at Kemp Mill. In kindergarten participants are, based on which is their native language, placed in a primary-English or a primary-Spanish classroom. 90(?)% of the instruction is in the native language. As they move up each grade level, the amount of instruction in the primary language is reduced and that in the other language increases, until by 3rd grade it is about 50-50. The program is not for the whole school, from 3rd-5th grade it is one class per grade level.
ReplyDeleteI did not choose to have my child in dual-language, but I never felt that the "regular" program was a dumping ground for problem students nor that it received any fewer resources than the dual-language program.