[Northampton-GP] people need to write and thank their senator and reps now. - stop Romney

[NeilESL at aol.com]

1) Mass. Legislature stands up to Romney, your help needed. 
2) Fact sheet on overrides
3) How to write your representative and senator and how they voted
4) Sample letter to your representative and senator

The legislature stood up to Romney and overrode his veto of 5 amendments that 
would make minor changes to the English immersion law. 

Unfortunately, Romney is using the media to threaten those that overrode his 
veto :
"Governor Mitt Romney yesterday chastised the Legislature for loosening the 
state's new voter-approved English immersion law, branding it an act of 
''unfathomable arrogance'' and vowing to oust legislators who backed the move." 
Boston Globe 7/16/03 

Unfortunately, people are also writing their legislators angry about the 
override. Everyone needs to write their senators and representatives that voted 
for the override and thank them. And write those that voted against the override 
and let them know you disagree. 


1) Here is a FACT SHEET from the House Education Committee on Bilingual 
Education and Gubernatorial Overrides, Sections 209, 210, 211, 212, 213:

"The House of Representatives voted today to make modest changes in the 
state¹s new bilingual education law approved by the voters last November. 
The amendments clarify that bilingual education students must be held to 
the same academic standards as all other students, allows kindergarten 
students to be educated in mainstreamed English classes as well as 
structured immersion classes, and allows already existing and highly 
successful two way/immersion bilingual programs to continue in the state.

More specifically: - The Legislature did not make major changes to the Unz 
petition, Question 2. The voters have clearly expressed their views on this 
issue.
- The Legislature did, however, adopt clarifying amendments that would not 
change the intent of the legislation.

- SECTION 209 allows kindergarten English language learners to be educated 
in either sheltered English immersion or English language mainstreamed 
classes with support in English language acquisition. Question 2 as adopted 
would force students into segregated classrooms for one year with other 
students speaking a variety of languages other than English. Only the 
teacher would know how to speak English. This section would, instead, allow 
these kindergarten youngsters the option of being educated in regular 
education classes with their English speaking peers. In this way, they 
could learn the language by speaking it with native English speakers. At 
this young age, learning a second language is much easier than it would be 
for older students.

- SECTION 210. Currently the Unz petition allows children 10 years of age 
or older to waive into 2-way/immersion bilingual programs. This section 
allows students of any age to take part in two way/immersion bilingual 
programs.
This will enable these programs to continue to operate in the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts without having to go through a waiver process. Two-way 
programs typically are made up 50% of native Spanish speakers and 50% 
native English speakers; classroom time is spent 50% in English, 50% in 
Spanish; at the end of the year students are fluent in both languages. We 
should be
encouraging this unique program not only because students become bilingual 
but because the data shows that students in 2-way/immersion bilingual 
programs score better than students in bilingual education programs. In 
Framingham in 2001, 100% of students in 2-way bilingual programs passed the 
Grade 3 MCAS reading test. In grade 4, 90% passed the MCAS Language Arts 
test as compared to 53% of students in Spanish bilingual education 
programs. The Hernandez School in Boston, a 2-way/immersion bilingual 
education school, ranked 14th out of 79 schools in grade 4 English and Math 
MCAS results in 2001. The Amigos School in Cambridge, a 2-way/immersion 
bilingual program has been recognized by the United States Department of 
Education as one of 8 exemplary programs in the country for English 
language learners.

- SECTION 212 includes language from the Bilingual Education Reform Law 
approved by the Legislature last summer which requires districts to teach 
English learners to the same academic standards and curriculum frameworks 
as all other students. This accountability language was stricken by 
Question 2. It is crucial to student success that this accountability 
language be reinstated. It would also require school districts to issue 
report cards and progress reports which grade English acquisition for 
English language learners.

- SECTION 213. Under the provisions of this section, educational outcomes 
for English learners is one of the elements that must be considered by the 
Office of Educational Quality and Accountability as part of the already 
existing education accountability system. As a result of this section, a 
district or school could be labeled under-performing if it failed to 
adequately improve educational outcomes for English learners.

- SECTION 211 is a technical amendment relative to 2-way programs.



3) In the House all Republicans supported the Governor.  The following 
Democrats also voted with the Governor and against the override: Asselin, Ayers, 
Bradley, Broadhurst, Connolly, Dempsey, Fresolo, Galvin, Garry, Golden, Grant, 
Greene, HNall, Hynes, Knuuttila, LeDuc, Miceli, Nangle, Ruane, Stanley, H., 
Stanley, T., Timility, Travis.  All other Democrats voted for the override.
 
In the Senate all Republicans supported the Governor.  All Democrats voted 
for the override with the exception of Glodis and one other.

How to write your representative or senator :

State Rep or State Senator
State House District Office 
Boston, MA 02133

web addresses for senators and house members 
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenus.htm
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenuh.htm
if you don't know who your reps are, call (617) 727-2828

4) A sample letter is below.

subject line of e-mail : Thank you for voting for the override of Governor 
Romney' s veto.

Dear Rep or Sen with name

Thank you for voting for the override of Governor Romney' s veto of the 
two-way bilingual education exemption. This amendment will allow parents and 
children the right to choose the type of education they desire by allowing for the 
highly successful two-way bilingual programs. Just as charter schools provides 
a valid choice for parents, two-way bilingual programs in cities such as 
Boston, Cambridge, and Framingham have proven to be a valid option for both English 
and Spanish speaking parents. The MCAS scores from these programs also prove 
that students are achieving at high levels. 

Thank you for your time.

Your Constituent,
name and address
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