The Colorado Independent - Latest Comments in Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

Re: Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

skipper — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:07:53 -0000

I am pleased that Senator Obama supports the idea of everyone being at least bilingual, if not tri or quadralingual. I also support of education for all. Just as Greg Mortenson is trying to do in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as chronicled in the book Three Cups of Tea, education is the very best weapon that we have to fight terrorism. Our job as a country is to serve as a shining example to the world, not as the police of the world. Rather than sending bombs to other countries or rather than prohibiting illegals from getting an education we should be building and funding schools in other countries and educating all in hopes of recruiting some of those to go back to become teachers in their countries of origin.

Keep up the great reporting work, Erin.

Re: Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

erinrosa — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:16:07 -0000

Oh, no need to apologize at all. Please feel free to critique. You're the reader, the most important part of this site.

According to the information I got from MESA, the school was opened after a number of other lower achieving schools were shut down in the district. Many of the students from those schools went to MESA, so I don't think it's just a case of the good students being there. The kids at the school do seem to be treated with respect. Class sizes are kept to a minimum and the school also holds community meetings where the students can vent and talk about what's going on with them. I don't know about a union for teachers though. I'll try to find out.

Re: Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

wildflower — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:40:32 -0000

Sorry, I did not mean to critique, I guess I missed that..

I would be curious to know if the students in this school were culled from a larger student population specifically because they were good students?

And I would be interested in the student-teacher relationship, i.e. were the kids treated with respect and encouragement, as opposed to aloofness or military style tight-ship-discipline, (or punitive as DPS was several years ago)... are the teachers available for extra help, and were they union or non-union teachers?

Re: Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

erinrosa — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:00:28 -0000

You're right. As it states in the story the school is located in the Denver area but not part of the Denver Public School system.

Re: Obama backs bilingual literacy, college for undocumented

wildflower — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:37:00 -0000

I think this school is based in Thornton. Denver P.S. couldn't have 100 percent of a senior class admitted to a 4-year-college unless hell was freezing over. But they should take a look at this school so they can find out what it takes to create success and emulate it.