The Language Of Education

Estelle Chimbo waits patiently each day for her two sons to emerge from the pack of excited children running circles and screaming in delight as the school day ends at Maspeth Elementary School.
While eager for them to do well in school, Chimbo often feels powerless to help them get a good education.
Chimbo is an immigrant from Puebla, Mexico who doesnt speak English. She struggles to understand letters sent home from school and rarely attempts to communicate with teachers or administrators.
"Theres no way to explain things to them," she said in Spanish. When it comes to parent-teacher conferences, she added, "Sometimes I dont even bring my sons."
Councilmembers Hiram Monserrate, Jose Serrano and David Yassky recently introduced a bill to help parents like Chimbo. The bill would require the Department of Education (DOE) to translate for parents with limited English proficiency at all parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings and meetings between parents and DOE employees. All documents sent to parents would also have to be translated into the nine primary languages spoken in New York City.
"I dont think anyone can overstate the importance of parental involvement in a childs education," Monserrate said. "I thank our Mayor for recognizing and attempting to address the need for better translation services in the Department of Education. Unfortunately his proposals have so far been too vague and are not sufficiently funded."
But not everyone agrees with the proposed bill.
"The legislation is a step in the wrong direction," said Councilmember Dennis Gallagher, who argued that if parents are not encouraged to use English, their children will not feel pressure to learn the countrys official language. Beyond that, Gallagher also argued the bill would create a bureaucratic nightmare that would take up scarce resources for public schools.
"Every parent-teacher conference or meeting could turn into a mini-United Nations General Assembly meeting," said Gallagher.
According to the 2000 census, immigrants are 66 percent of New Yorks population, and 47 percent speak a language other than English at home. The sponsors of the bill argue that translations for thousands of immigrant parents are necessary to make the school system fair.
Anthony Lombardi, principal of the Dorothy Bonavit School in Middle Village, is ambivalent about the legislation. The Bonavit student body is 53 percent white, 24 percent Hispanic, and 20 percent Asian. His school is in Gallaghers district, where there has been a recent influx of new immigrants according to U.S. Census statistics. The number of Hispanics in the area more than doubled between 1990 and 2000.
While Lombardi agrees the public school system does not need any more burdens on its already-strained budget, Lombardi added that engaging parents must be a priority for schools.
"I think overall, the more information thats accessible to people, the better…the schools will function," said Lombardi.
Yolanda Soto, a Colombian immigrant who cares for her niece and nephew that both attend Maspeth Elementary, welcomes the legislation.
"Im always looking for an interpreter," said Soto. "This would be very important."
sarah@queenscourier.com