State to launch new grants on English classes
Published: October 31, 2009
WORCESTER, Mass.—State officials are slated to announce $1.3 million in grants aimed at helping the state’s immigrants learn English.
The state secretaries of labor and education are scheduled Wednesday to give details on the grants for new adult English classes. The new grants partly restore the state’s 10 percent cut in June in Adult Basic Education programs.
Immigrant advocates say around 17,000 Massachusetts immigrants are on the waiting lists for state-funded English classes.
The grants come after a coalition of business, labor and civic leaders in New Bedford launched a campaign in August to improve immigrants’ English proficiency by supporting reforms and investment in English programs.
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Reader Reactions
alkeryia: EXACTLY!
Smitty I so agree with you there. When the effort is being made, be accommodating. Why, with all the money spent on ESL and special programs, are public documents still costing the taxpayer to print them in non- English?
I think ppm1twic is being facetious. Referring to the (grammatically) poor English spoken by grads/non-grads today maybe?
There is also a sizeable Cambodian and Vietnamese population here in Fall River, and those people are bending over backwards trying to learn English.
I don’t mind one bit accomodating the people who are trying, its the ones who think THEIR language must be spoken by everyone that I’m up in arms about.
No matter how many grants there may be, some people come to this country and refuse to learn english. They expect the people here to instead learn how to speak their language, and in Fall River, mast of the time, that is Portuguese.
I really don’t care how much heat I take for saying this—and in this manner, but, THIS IS AMERICA—THE UNITED STATES. THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE OVER HERE IS ENGLISH. If you refuse to learn English and instead want others to learn your language, GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM!
ppm1twic: You have got to be kidding me. I expect that by the time a person grads. from high school that he or she can speek english. Frankly, I’m sick and tired of having to push one for english.
There are 3rd and 4th generation “legals” that could benefit from this. Namely, the most recent high school graduates/non graduates.
No one in my family spoke English when they arrived here from Poland, Denmark and Ukraine. There were no “special grants” to help them either, but they managed.
How many people in your family spoke English when they came into this great land of all nations.? Maybe you should use your time to help instead of looking to go against others. You might find out they have been here longer than your family but they have been busy taking care of family instead of just just thinking money.
they should have to speak English before they are let in….Why should tax dollars be spent on this
I have no problem with this as long as they can prove that they are legal immigrant’s.
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