LA high schools might have Filipino classes by fall of 2017
Middle school and high school students (Grades 8-12 in the Philippines) in Los Angeles, CA might be learning more than just the standard Spanish, French, and English classes once their school board gets proper funding.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the United State’s second largest school district, is considering adding Filipino and Tagalog language programs thanks to an ethnic studies mandate and a state law that expands language classes in California.
In a report from Balitang America, ABS-CBN International’s nightly news program, Steve Zimmer, President of LAUSD said that they are looking to include the full scope of history “for all of our immigrant communities in Los Angeles. So, the study of Filipino and Tagalog language, but also the history and culture and art; that’s what we’re looking to bring in to schools.”
According to Zimmer, a pilot program can be started as early as fall of 2017, with dual-lingual immersion programs possibly being offered by 2018.
“We do have teachers who have A-level fluency in Filipino or Tagalog, and starting a class at the middle or high school level is not a difficult thing to do as a language enrichment program,” Zimmer said.
Community leader Grace Barrios, who has lived in Los Angeles for 60 years, approves of the measure, saying “I really felt there was such a need, and with such a big [Filipino American] population in the city of LA and LA county-wide, that needs to be implemented.”
Source: Balitang America, Coconuts Manila
