Thread: Lee County Florida schools deal with immigration

Lee County Florida schools deal with immigration
800 new students don’t speak English

By Jason Wermers
jwermers@news-press.com
Originally posted on August 19, 2007
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 18035/1075
Andrew West/news-press.com

When the Lee County School District begins classes Monday, it expects about 800 new students who speak Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Portuguese or some other language — not English.

That represents one in five of the 4,000 additional students Lee schools expect to welcome, bringing the projected enrollment to 82,100.

It also means 8 percent of the district’s students have a lot of work to do to catch up to their English-speaking peers.

The district almost tripled its staff of teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages from 18 to 53 between 2005-06 and 2006-07.

The number of ESOL teachers for the 2007-08 school year was not immediately available because it is based on how many students actually enroll when classes begin, Lee County Schools Superintendent James Browder said.

The growing number of ESOL teachers has increased the amount of money earmarked to pay them — $702,247 in 2005-06 to more than $2.2 million in 2006-07.

“It is a huge program,â€

Think of all that money that is being spent to do this - and realize it is money that could be spent educating our children. Our children, who are falling way behind in the world in education. Could this be by design?

Years ago, about 20, I was a volunteer aid in school - third grade. The families were just beginning to come then and most knew a little English.
A little girl, 9, was enrolled. She didn't speak a word of English - understood very little and had never been to school - period. They placed her in the 3rd grade because of her age.

She was lost, the teacher didn't speak Spanish, almost no one but illegals did in that town. The teacher tried to convince them she needed to learn English first before anything else. Finally, they said they would just put her in Special Education. That made no sense.

Finally, after months of the teacher's complaining and purchasing computer programs from her own pocket, the school decided to do something.

The hired a tutor for her - 1 on 1. For 4 hours a day, she had a tutor -
At the time, I thought what could little American kids achieve if they had 1 on 1 tutoring for 4 hours a day?

The child was a great student, did graduate. She was a precious child and I love her very much and always get a hug when I see her - but it isn't fair.

We have a Big problem here in SW
Florida and our officials are slow to respond because like towns across the US they feel helpless.

Every day there is a news report of crimes commited by these immigrants.Yesterday it was the so called "Hard Working Construction immigrants" who work construction by day and at night steal air conditioners,appliances and anything else they can get their hands on from the construction sites.

It was reported this is a HUGH problem and several were arrested yesterday.Not only are they stealing from construction sites but from homeowners too.Many times people have come home to find their air conditioners missing........

No wonder us citizens are ready to revolt !!!!!!!!!

Supreme Court ruling, from asking a family’s status when children are enrolled.
In all, Lee County students hail from 163 countries and speak 101 languages. The single most-spoken foreign language is Spanish, but the list also includes significant numbers of pupils who speak Vietnamese, German, French and Arabic.

"163 countries and speak 101 languages" My GOD what are they doing to our country, its know wonder are children are lacking in education and then the jobs that don't require that much education are being outsourced or they are insourceing more people for those job. If we don't stop this we will get what we deserve!!And we better hurry it is almost to late already!