Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 2, 1 February 2000 — Immersion [ARTICLE]

Immersion

This letter is in response to the Dec. 21 action taken by the Board of Education's Committee on Speeial Programs not to approve the "Long-Range and Financial Plan for the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program." As an Anuenue parent, it ffustrates me to hear this committee say they support this program, yet, at the same time, they find every opportunity to develop irrelevant reasons why they cannot approve the long-range plan. This "plan" through collaborative input by educators, parents and DOE clearly identifies the goals, mission and a plan of action to address the development and needs of the program. The decision not to approve the "plan" means that students will remain indefinitely in an unstable program. How many successful graduating classes will it take to convince the BOE? These students are entitled to quality, equitable education. The long-range plan is unequivocally needed to sustain a healthy, stable program. The program cannot wait for the committee to readdress this plan in May. The BOE must reconsider the decision so that Hawai'i's " legislators and Congress ean immediately and adequately fund the Hawaiian immersion program. Ka'imo Muhlestein Honolulu