Letters to the editor | Real education crime is lack of resources

Telegraph-Journal, Published Saturday May 31st, 2008

Minister Lamrock and his handful of political hawks are leading his Liberal government on a war path. He thinks he's found the weapon of mass destruction in the education system and it's called EFI.

He struck quickly and with stealth. He received a biased report and then dropped the bomb two weeks later. He's been spinning political propaganda ever since, convincing the public and his own caucus that the EFI program is guilty of crimes in the education system. He demonizes his opponents, draws upon misleading and inaccurate statistics, and blacks out parts of reports that don't support his position. He does this all very eloquently. He still comes across as the smartest guy in the room, sincere, concerned and genuine.

But shrewd is not the same as smart. A smart politician would have looked a little deeper, would have actually consulted with the experts, teachers, and parents. He would have been flexible in his policy decisions, not single minded. He would have been truthful in his approach.

Instead, he has his own agenda, claiming that EFI is the smoking gun. The real crime against New Brunswick children is the lack of resources in the education system, as all past reports have stated. Lamrock could have done the right thing and lobbied his government to address inclusion, enhance Core French, infuse EFI with real resources and still fully implement his Intensive French program.

This would have produced a true increase in learning outcomes, as opposed to smoke screened test results.

MIKE WOLFE, Fredericton

Interesting comments from Canada's Official Languages Commissioner

Bloggers' note: The following is an excerpt from the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages Annual Report 2007-2008 (page 74)
...
The Commissioner invites the provinces and territories to step up their efforts to ensure greater continuity in second-language instruction, from kindergarten until the students enter the labour market. Programs must be strengthened so that they produce positive results and support student retention. Of course, the quality of second-language courses and programs and the strengthening of these programs through opportunities for social interaction, cultural activities and exchanges are key factors for attracting and retaining young students.

The Commissioner has therefore undertaken a study on second-language learning opportunities in Canadian universities. Interest in this issue is partially a result of the high number of graduates of immersion programs and other French-as-asecond-language learning programs who are currently studying or about to begin studying at the post-secondary level. The new socio-economic situation brought about by globalization and the skills required for the knowledge economy, including language skills and openness towards other cultures, must also be taken into account.

In addition, within the framework of public service renewal, the Government of Canada needs a pool of bilingual recruits. It is one of the reasons that the Commissioner is concerned about the recommendations made by the commission charged with reviewing French-as-a-second-language programs and activities in New Brunswick and the decision of the province’s Minister of Education to end early immersion programs. A very large majority of experts still agree that immersion, and early immersion in particular, is the best way to learn a second language.

For example, in its action plan Promoting language learning and linguistic diversity 2004–2006, the European Commission writes that early language learning may result in greater knowledge and skills in terms of speaking, reading, writing and understanding. Learning a language at an early age also makes it easier to learn languages later in life. ...

Click here to link to full report

What "silent majority"?

Letter to the editor Times & Transcript
Published Friday May 30th, 2008

To The Editor:

I have heard quite often of late from our current government that they have the silent majority with them to justify the implementation of some of their more controversial decisions.

To me this is very worrisome as my understanding of living in a democratic society is that we are given a voice to speak out, not to be silent.

The current Liberal government has effectively shut down any public debate on French second language education and other issues and then claims the "silent majority" is with them.

How can this be the case?

If there is no opportunity for either side of an issue to speak out and express their concerns, how does the Liberal government know that those being silent are supporting them?

I would think it more likely that the silence is a result of not hearing a balanced view from both sides of the debate in order to make an informed decision.

When elected, a government does not have carte blanche to implement any policy it desires. They have an obligation to their electorate to consult and take into account any concerns they may have.

To say the "silent majority" supports a particular issue is not only wrong, it goes against the very idea of democracy.

In 2010 after Premier Graham's government is defeated, will they try and claim victory as they have the "silent majority"?

In a democracy a silent majority does not exist and should never be used by a government to justify controversial or unpopular decisions.

Mark Danells, Rothesay

Thanks deAdder-- another gem

Mr. Graham, we think it is time you start listening. This is not a "normal" situation, like lets say a hog farm, when all you have to do is plug your nose and wait it out. Our children are not hogs. They are the future of NB. It is time you start thinking about that and start listening to your constituents. Public service is a noble vocation, but please remember that public service is service to the public, and that is clearly lacking at this time.

French immersion concerns are real, but response is flawed

Blogger's note: Finally a NB paper willing to publish a letter from an FSL expert!

By FRED GENESEE
For The Daily Gleaner, May 30th, 2008

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock recently released another written response to concerns raised by his decision to eliminate early French immersion from the elementary school program.

The document was entitled When Should Study Give Way to Decision? This is a response to some of his statements concerning my own and others' research on second language learning in school settings - to set the record straight.

Lamrock rightly raises the issue of early versus late second language teaching and learning. He points out that in my review I conclude that "the notion that there is an optimal starting grade for bilingual education is misguided."

I would stick by this conclusion. However, Lamrock fails to point out that, earlier in the same paragraph, I had stated that:

"The "best" starting grade for bilingual education can depend on the goals, needs and resources of the community. In communities such as Quebec, Belgium, or Northern Italy, where two or more languages are commonly used in everyday life, it may be best to begin bilingual education early so that children become accustomed to both (all) languages early on and, also, so that they can take advantage of language learning opportunities that are afforded outside school.

"In contrast, in communities such as Germany, Japan or many communities in the U.S. where monolingualism is the norm and other languages have no official status and/or are only used in restricted settings, introduction of bilingual education in higher grades may be sufficient."

In other words, the very communities I identified as being appropriate for early immersion resemble New Brunswick. According to the minister's own words: "Bilingualism is simply a fact of life for New Brunwickers ... a universal skill."

Lamrock expresses concerns for the streaming that has resulted from an optional early French immersion program. It is important to point out that there has been considerable research on the suitability of immersion for students with academic challenges of various types. This research indicates that students whose parents choose immersion and stay in the program do just as well as students who opt for the English program and, at the same time, they become bilingual to a level that students in core French do not.

This research suggests that French immersion could be made more accessible to a wider ranger of students than seems to currently be the case, without jeopardizing student achievement. Are parents aware of this research?

In my opinion, rather than eliminating early immersion, the minister could instead stem the attrition by challenging the bias of parents and some school counsellors who advise students and parents to choose English over immersion because of fears that immersion is too difficult.

The minister argues his decision is part of a trend to "use more universal models to teach second and third languages." There is no universal approach that I am aware of, at least in the professional and scientific literature.

However, without doubt, there is an international trend toward more content-based second language instruction beginning in the primary grades. This is important, because the intensive French program proposed by Lamrock is a significant move away from content-based second language instruction, insofar as it eliminates most academic content from the program.

The content, if any, that will be part of intensive French in Grade 5 will necessarily be "peripheral," since anglophone students will lack sufficient proficiency in French to be able to study academic subject matter at the Grade 5 level.

Intensive French that relies on art, music, etc., is a throw-back to the old days of foreign language teaching when peripheral curricular content was used to teach language.

Lamrock seeks to marshal arguments for the new "Intensive French Late immersion" option by stating that because a two-year late immersion program in Montreal produced results as good as early immersion, we should be open to alternative forms of immersion. Fair enough.

However, the implication that the "Intensive French Late Immersion" option might be equally effective as the Montreal late immersion program ignores the fact that the Quebec program was offered to students who had already had seven years (kindergarten to grade 6) of French-as-a-second language instruction consisting of 45-60 minutes per day.

As well, the Montreal program included 80 per cent of instructional time in both grades 7 and 8. If the new "Intensive French Late Immersion" is comparable, then it could be a winner.

The fly in the late-immersion ointment, even in Montreal, was that the level of attendance in late immersion was much more selective and much lower than in early immersion because many students thought it was too demanding, that it would jeopardize their high school grades, and, besides, they would not get additional credit that would facilitate their entry into college or university even if they take late immersion.

In ending, I wish to indicate that the concerns of Lamrock are clearly serious and should be taken seriously. He has done New Brunswickers a service by identifying major issues in the French second language programs in New Brunwick: streaming, high attrition from immersion, low levels of French proficiency among core French students, and the recruitment and professional development of teachers.

Arguments for the status quo in the face of these troubling educational facts would be foolish. At the same time, it is not at all clear how the minister's proposal to replace immersion in favor of a "universal" intensive program will resolve these problems.

There is a lot at stake - the language education of future New Brunswick students and their ability to compete in the job market, not to mention New Brunswick's rightly valued reputation as the only officially bilingual province in Canada. Scrapping a program that is internationally acknowledged to be the most successful form of second language education seems extreme.

***

Fred Genesee is an expert in second-language acquisitions at McGill University.

Commissioner of Official Languages says N.B. has key role in promoting linguistic duality

By MARC HUDON
Times & Transcript Staff, May 30th, 2008

OTTAWA - A very large majority of experts still believe that early immersion is the best way to learn a second language, says Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser in his annual report, which was tabled yesterday.

It's just one of the reasons Canada's top language bureaucrat is concerned about recommendations made by a commission charged with reviewing French as a second language in New Brunswick.

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock sounded the death knell for early immersion in March when he announced sweeping reforms of the French second-language system based on a controversial report by Jim Croll and Patricia Lee.

The report has been blasted as containing flawed data and faulty logic with some parents still pressuring the government to back down on the changes.

"It's always unfortunate when a mechanism that achieves excellence is eliminated," said Fraser, adding he remains encouraged by the government's goal of having at least 70 per cent of high school graduates who can function effectively in a second language.

Fraser, however, reserved his most scathing criticism for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Canadian Heritage Josee Verner, citing their lack of leadership on the file.

He laid out a series of seven recommendations aimed at improving the implementation of an official languages strategy in Canada.

"The situation almost feels like a Samuel Beckett play that could be called 'waiting for the action plan,'" he said.

"I'm not interested in spending another year watching a drama in suspended animation as the government marks time."

Minority language groups are concerned that the Conservatives have yet to earmark cash for programs promoting linguistic duality, said Acadie-Bathurst NDP MP Yvon Godin.

That's despite receiving a report from former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord in March suggesting a minimum of $1 billion in new money be spent on programs for official languages, he said.

"(The government) is doing this on the backs of minority language groups," he said.

When Godin grilled Verner in the House of Commons on Thursday about the status of the money, the minister skirted the questions by thanking Fraser for producing the report, saying she would study its findings carefully.

The report's central theme, said Fraser, is leadership, adding a bilingual province such as New Brunswick should strive to be a role model for other governments.

"Linguistic duality has to be considered a value, rather than a burden or another obstacle that bureaucracies have to overcome," he said. "I think that New Brunswick has the potential to lead the way in that regard and making it part of its provincial identity; making it something that people aspire to; and really show the way for the rest of the country."

Fraser also said replacing retiring Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache of New Brunswick with another bilingual judge would illustrate leadership on the part of the federal government.

The complement on the top court should be a reflection of our Canadian identity, he said.

"It is essential that judges who sit on Canada's highest court be bilingual in order to understand both versions of the law and to be able to understand lawyers and citizens in the official language of their choice without the need of an interpreter," said Fraser.

The report also noted that federal government agencies and departments in New Brunswick received 49 language complaints in the past year, accounting for about eight per cent of the national total.

You have got to be kidding Mr. Kershaw

Blogger's comment: It is curious that they are willing to spend $1.2 million on a 54 page PSE report, $4.7 million on a golf course, $800,000 on a plane, $180,000 for the Croll and Lee report, $100,000 on a communication report, but they are not willing to invest in helping promote real bilingualism (i.e., advanced levels through EFI) for the anglophone children of NB. This indeed is a strange way to run Canada’s only bilingual province. I wish they would wake up and start getting their priorities right.

Too late to stop immersion changes - affidavit
Published Thursday May 29th, 2008
Canadaeast News Service

SAINT JOHN - Changes to French immersion in the province are underway and it's too late to turn back, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Deputy minister of Education John Kershaw filed an affidavit in the Court of Queen's Bench in Saint John, indicating a reversal of the revamped French second-language program could cost more than $2 million.

The affidavit seeks a dismissal of the request by two parents for a judicial review of Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's decision to axe early immersion.

Kershaw argues in the court documents that slowing down the reform would benefit the minority of students who have not enrolled in French immersion at the expense of the majority.

"The inconvenience and disruption to the school system from any such delay would be enormous," Kershaw states in the affidavit.

Lamrock sounded the death knell for early immersion in March when he announced sweeping reforms of the French second-language system based on a controversial report by Jim Croll and Patricia Lee.

The report has been blasted as containing flawed data and faulty logic. Some parents have pressured the government to back down on the changes.

Ombudsman Bernard Richard is moving ahead with a review of the plan, which he called a "tremendous gamble."

School districts have organized classes and scheduling, and made staffing decisions based on the restructured program, the document states.

New physical education and music specialists have also been hired and they would have to be reassigned or laid off, the affidavit states.

"That argument is disingenuous," said Alison Menard, president of the New Brunswick branch of Canadian Parents for French.

"The department is not even in a position to provide information about the curriculum for all the French second language programming they're implementing. It's difficult for me to understand how they're arguing before the court that it's impossible to reverse the tide."

A primary bone of contention for many parents has been what they deem a total lack of consultation on such a major revamp of French second-language programming.

But the affidavit states Lamrock had no obligation to consult the public before making the decision. Though the Education Act outlines areas where public input is necessary, the early immersion program is not one of them.

In fact, the affidavit states that since October of 2003, there have been various changes with little to no public consultation, including a major overhaul of the math program that will cut 50 per cent of its required teaching objectives starting in September.

That argument doesn't fly either, Ménard said.

"We're talking about major fundamental policy changes in education that will have far-reaching implications for decades to come," she said. "Of course it's one of those situations where there should be consultation on what direction this province is going to take."

Lamrock's public statements about his intention to consult widely on the matter created an implicit obligation for him to do so, Ménard added.

In seeking the judicial review, parents had argued that Lamrock's decision violated a contract with them and infringed on language equality rights guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Nowhere in the affidavit does Kershaw directly address the Charter issues, but he denies there is any enforceable contract created when a child is pre-registered for admission, saying the programs are offered on a "where numbers warrant" basis.

Moncton CEC meeting May 27th, 2008

Over 70 people came and listened to 4 four great presentations and an update on the Legal case now before the courts.

1. Dr. Diana Hamilton -- Why we are worried about the decision to terminate EFI


2. Dr. Bruce Robertson -- Response to the Liberal FSL plan


3. Dr. Rodrigue Landry -- French second language education for all anglophone students in New Brunswick: challenges and issues


4. Dr. Paula Kristmanson -- An Alternative Plan for FSL in New Brunswick

Tim Jackson provided an update on the case that is currently before the courts.

The audience asked great questions, made great points, lined up, opened their cheque books and donated $1900 for the legal case.

The session was chaired by Alison Menard who also gave an eloquent summary of the talks and her personal experience with her children in EFI.

Thanks also go to Andrew Boughen for helping and U de M for providing the appropriate education and linguistic setting for this meeting.

The youtube videos will be coming in a few days.

Expectations increased, competencies reduced: Dubé -- Wednesday May 28th, 2008

The Victoria Star

The Opposition Education Critic Madeleine Dubé sharply denounced the Liberal plan to reduce the level of competence for teachers in the area of French second language instruction, and not to require trained teachers in the areas of music, art, vocational education or physical education.

During question period in the Legislature on Tuesday, May 20, the Opposition learned that the Liberal government anticipates reducing the competency requirements so that teachers can move from one subject area to another, without regard to their level of qualification.

"In fact, according to the Education Minister, it only matters that one is a teacher, and not their area of expertise. A few days of teacher training will suffice. It is not necessary to have competency in French, in art or others to teach. Further, Minister Lamrock is not providing additional resources to the schools or to the teachers, but he still demands that they be accountable for the results of the students," stated Dubé.

"In other words," added Dubé, "expectations are increased, but competencies are reduced. The Minister is offloading his responsibilities on to the backs of the teachers, without providing the tools necessary to do their work in an effective way. That is the Liberal plan."

When Dubé requested more details, the Minister was "content to play petty politics with the future of our youth. I do not understand why the Graham government seems to attack our children and teachers. Once again, parents, teachers, school districts and communities want what is best for our youth, but it seems that this is not a priority for the present government."

Finally, Dubé asks parents and teachers to be vigilant. "The first years are extremely important when one considers the education of our youth. Make sure that the Graham government does not hold them hostage, just because they can. Our children deserve better."

Click here to link to article

Letters: X-Factors, rhetoric, biases, mismanagement and elitism

Daily Gleaner Letters
'X Factors' aren't enough to save immersion plan

It seems that when you don't have science on your side, you turn to pseudo-science.

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's French language instruction plan has been given the thumbs down by a long line of language learning experts, including the two who devised the intensive French program on which he is banking so heavily.

And so the minister attempted to buoy his sinking plan by announcing that "people have missed the plan's 'hidden X factor.' "

He said they missed this in two parts of the plan.

First, by "integrating more conversational French opportunities into school life," something that will be hard to do in the only province in Canada whose elementary school setting will not offer a single hour of French language instruction.

The second element is "events that introduce students to the bilingual and French culture in New Brunswick." Indeed. Listening to Acadian stories told in English for half an hour a month will do much more for our province's understanding of French than actually learning the language.

Education is no different from health and finance: when it comes to making plans for our future, the province's citizens expect something better than "X factors."

We'll settle for nothing less than a plan devised by experts. Science, not pseudo-science.

Sarah Wilby, Fredericton

N.B. - No. 1 in rhetoric

The Liberals' war of words on the people of New Brunswick has got to stop.

It is simply unconscionable that a minister of state would refer to one optional educational program, early French immersion, as "segregated," while praising other proposed optional programs, such as enrichment and late French immersion, as suiting students' needs.

Segregation is a word that stinks of racial prejudice and sexism, and it has no place in this debate. When most people use it, they mean that people are forced into separate groups, like African-Americans on public transportation in the 1950s.

Early French immersion is an option, and if anyone was unable to take it, this was because the minister has never made good on the Liberal campaign promise to fulfill the recommendations of the McKay report and provided sufficient resource help for the existing French program.

Until he can use less loaded words, the Liberals should stop Lamrock from tinkering with the subjects that really matter to the fabric of our province and set his sights on improving our scores in the one topic on which he is an obvious expert: rhetoric.

If the Liberals don't stop, at least we'll be the number one province in that field by 2010.

David James, Fredericton

French immersion coverage is biased

I, like so many other New Brunswickers, have been actively following the ongoing public concern regarding the minister of education's abrupt decision to eliminate early French immersion.

I am fascinated, however, at how the Miramichi Leader continues to cover "both" sides of the story (please refer to page A7 of the May 23 Miramichi Leader).

Joseph Dicks is a leading expert in French second language research and has presented the government with an alternate plan for French instruction.

This alternate plan has attracted a lot of attention, yet nothing has been mentioned in neither The Daily Gleaner nor the Telegraph-Journal.

I once subscribed to the Gleaner, however when I read its biased reporting of news lately, I am reminded why I no longer do so. Please remember the importance of providing facts to your public.

Susan Jennings, Fredericton

Telegraph-Journal Letters
Management is the real problem

While the Minister of Education has spent the last two months demonizing the early French immersion program, he has blatantly ignored the real problem in our system - the poor management offered by the Department of Education itself.

For example, the minister claims he had to eliminate EFI because it caused streaming and almost all students who require extra support were found in the core program.

Another reason was the high attrition rates from the EFI program since students were simply not staying in the program. Yet nobody at the Department seemed to be able to put these two facts together and realize that if they provided the required support in the EFI program, many students would not have had to transfer into core to get the help they needed and hence, there would be no streaming.

Over the past few years, by the time a cohort reaches Grade 5, 30 per cent of those originally enrolled in EFI were transferred into core, the same percentage students that enrol in EFI in Grade 1. That tells us in Grade 1, there is an equal proportion of students who are going to require support in EFI and by definition, streaming doesn't exist if all programs have the same proportion of students who require extra support. The fact the minister blames the EFI program for this shows his lack of understanding of the system he is supposed to be in charge of and the incompetence of those working for him.

JIM TAYBERRY, Saint John

Mirimichi Leader Letters
Letter to the editor EFI destined to be “elitist”

A central tenet of Minister Lamrock's embattled plan for French language instruction in our province is that children currently in the early French immersion program will be "grandfathered."

Recent events suggest it will be more like "orphaned." Children in Grade 1 should expect to have 11 more years of their program, yet District 2's website has complete expunged any mention of the program. As a hint of worse to come, District 18 has removed all remedial help for EFI students, and similar programs are being cut in District 8. Studies over the past decade have argued that the proper way of reducing streaming out of EFI is to provide it with better support, as is done today in Nova Scotia.

However, when Lamrock apportioned funds from the joint commission on classroom composition last year, over a million dollars were provided for special help in the Core program, and only $4,000 for EFI students. No wonder parents of struggling students are encouraged to migrate to the Core program. It seems if Lamrock is allowed to continue down this uncharted path, he will do even more to ensure EFI becomes the "elitist" program he has criticized.

Stephanie McCarty

More commentaries in NB papers

Soprano supports early immersion
Provincial Journal
Published Tuesday May 27th, 2008

FREDERICTON - Parents should fight to save early French immersion in New Brunswick schools, says Juno winner and opera diva Measha Brueggergosman. The Fredericton native returned home for a live show Tuesday at Wilmot United church. Visited Park Street Elementary School on Friday. She went through French immersion at this school. "If you can add arts programs and know that's an effective way to teach children, it's a no-brainer that early immersion shouldn't be cut."

CBC reported her as saying. "It doesn't need to be cut, and the people who have the power are the voters, and they need to take that power back."

Fredericton

If New Brunswick had a Siberia, Lamrock would be sent there
Published Tuesday May 27th, 2008, Kings County Record, Outside the Bax, By Michael Baxter

Refreshing it was, reading about Bob Bernier's resignation a while back.
Leaving the presidency of the Kings East Liberals, and going against the party line over the cancellation of Early French Immersion, took both morals and guts. I don't know Bob, but would somebody please buy him a Schooner until I get back.

To be honest, I'm completely disgusted with how arrogant the current Liberal regime has become since grabbing the provincial reins.

It just burns me that $180,000 was dropped on the completely fictitious Croll/Lee report, when another EFI study the $30,000 Rehorick Report was commissioned two years earlier and its data never released. It wasn't disclosed because it didn't suit the agenda of our dodgy Education Minister, Kelly "The Fish" Lamrock.

Call me crazy, but shouldn't all commissioned reports that are funded by taxpayer money be released regardless of their conclusions? That's just common sense and voter respect. Come on, Fredericton! Taxpayers are flipping the bill for this silliness, at least give us a peak at the goods.
Lamrock, and all members of government, for that matter, should be held personally responsible if it is proven they have frittered away taxpayer money over and above the usual squandering that goes on.

If I was on the end of the gavel, and New Brunswick had a Siberia, Lamrock would be sipping a thin borsch soup on a frosty train right now. As for Croll and Lee, it appears they couldn't crunch the data on a two-car parade.

If the Liberals have so much spare money to throw around, commission me for $100,000 I'll prove Yoda was the ruination of the Universe and Darth Vader really wasn't such a bad guy after all. I think irony died the day Lamrock became the Minister of Education. As a teacher of English as a second language here in Tokyo, I've seen first hand the importance of exposing kids to a different tongue early on. Young kids are extremely impressionable, yet The Fish surely is under the old assumption that kids are stupid.

New Brunswick used to be a progressive society. French immersion started in Grade 7, and several years later, they wisely decided to start it in Grade 1. I actually thought the next step was offering French to pre-schoolers. Under the Lamrock watch, I guess I was wrong.
I can't believe Liberal MLAs towed the line on this one. It just goes to show that politicians claim to represent voters, but when the stuff starts to hit the fan, 99 per cent of them back the party first. That's not democracy. That's personal and party agenda.

I figured the current Liberals were a pretty arrogant lot after the local courthouse fiasco, and their handling of the EFI situation has offered little to suggest otherwise. And while Bob Bernier can take pride every time he looks in the mirror, I have my doubts the greater majority of our representatives, the current education minister included, could even find their reflection at all.

Stay tuned…
Collina native Michael Baxter teaches English in Tokyo, Japan and invites both criticism and support to outsidethebax@gmail.com

Guest editorial Communication report a waste of money
Published Tuesday May 27th, 2008
CanadaEast News Service
Miramichi Leader

More than 50 per cent of marriages in this country end in divorce. In most of those cases a lack of effective communication is cited as a key issue in the break-up.
Perhaps then the fear of a nasty divorce is why the Liberal government in Fredericton decided to spend $100,000 for an 83-page consultant's report on how it can more effectively communicate with the public.

The Liberals could certainly use some help in that department. Just look at the mess it has made of the decision to scrap early French immersion (EFI) based on the recommendations of a consultants' report and without consultation with parents.

Months after deciding to end EFI this fall, the public furor over the decision has not declined and, in fact, seems to be growing while Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's reaction to the criticism fans the flames.

Initially the minister attacked EFI by referring to it as the "Cadillac program." Everyone seemed to understand that was code for elite and suggestive of a class system whereby a privileged few students are given a better education than the majority of students in New Brunswick schools.
But recently it has become apparent the minister must have a lesser opinion of Cadillacs, because he has also criticized the program as ineffective, saying it was "... a few kids learning in the classroom, and then going out and forgetting about it."

The minister is also letting his district superintendents face the public and defend the program. School District 16 superintendent Laurie Keoughan was thrown to the wolves May 13, facing an angry congregation of parents during a meeting at Croft Elementary. The superintendent didn't exactly endorse the program when he told parents not to shoot the messenger, that he was setting aside any personal feeling he may have and simply doing his job at the direction of the provincial government.

The FSL fiasco is just one very obvious example of why the Graham government needs to do a better job communicating with the public. Yet we don't think taxpayers needed to spend $100,000 for a report that calls on the premier to be an international leader in public engagement, that suggests government departments design their own public engagement processes and, finally, that advises the government to consult with the public before making major decision.

It seems to us the decision to hire consultants rather than use its own communications officers to produce a report on communication (after all, is that not their job?) was in and of itself an exercise in public relations nothing more than an extravagant (not to mention patronizing) attempt by the government to convince us that it really does care about what we think.

Letters on NB Government's lack of understanding, ability to listen, and warring with their constituents.

Telegraph-Journal
Lamrock shows lack of understanding

Hearing of Kelly Lamrock's latest plan to revamp the education system (standardized testing for teachers), and reading of Measha Brueggergosman's comments re: the cutting of the early French immersion program, I am struck (again) by the minister's apparent lack of understanding of language, and indeed of culture (specifically music, art, and education).

In cutting the early French immersion program, which is a program "that works," Lamrock claims to be broadening the accessibility of language acquisition. Rather he is adopting a lowest-common-denominator approach that degrades a system already in trouble, rather than playing to its strengths. He has claimed in the past few weeks that students are currently being taught "too many concepts" in math, and so he has made changes to that curriculum.

Learning a language is not akin to learning a subject like math. Language is a way of contextualizing everything we do; it is a framework for teaching subjects like math and science. Immersing children in language at a young age is a proven way to teach it effectively. Like music and art, language is a mode of expression. Like music and art, it is a way of thinking and perceiving and expressing experience.

His arrogance in not consulting those with expertise in education (including teachers), and in his rejection and disrespect of opposition to his broad-strokes, profoundly disruptive plans, is breathtaking.

Why do Lamrock and the Liberal government underestimate the abilities of students and teachers so, and why must we all pay the price of his underestimation?

BETHANY GIBSON

Is premier really ready to listen?

I am wondering if Mr. Graham is truly ready to implement the ideas of this newest report mentioned in Wednesday's paper entitled, "Can we Talk?" To me the concept seems like common sense. Could it have been the coming together of the people during the UNBSJ fiasco in which Mr. Graham was quite willing to jeopardize the reputation of our University to change it to a polytechnic school that has caused this change of direction for our governing officials? Or could it be the impending judicial review over the reckless changes to our French second language program that have left parents with no other option than to sue our government?

It is a shame that it took $100,000 to tell our leaders that labelling parents who didn't agree with their decision to eliminate choice in their child's education, as emotional members of an elitist self-interest group, probably wasn't a smart or proper thing to do.

Mr. Graham and his ministers have got to show respect and consideration to people who have dissenting opinions. Then and only then, will this government regain some of the respect and confidence it has lost during what seems to be a dictatorship-like style in which decisions have been made.

LISA HERRINGTON, Willow Grove

Letter to the Editor--Bugle Observer Provincial Liberals must stop war of wordsPublished Tuesday May 27th, 2008

Dear Editor,

The Liberals' war of words on the people of New Brunswick has got to stop.

It is simply unconscionable that a minister of state would refer to one optional educational program, early French immersion, as "segregated," while praising other proposed optional programs, such as enrichment and late French immersion, as suiting students' needs.

Segregation is a word that stinks of racial prejudice and sexism, and it has no place in this debate. When most people use it, they mean that people are forced into separate groups, like African-Americans on public transportation in the 1950s.

Early French immersion is an option, and if anyone was unable to take it, this was because the minister has never made good on the Liberal campaign promise to fulfill the recommendations of the McKay report and provide sufficient resource help for the existing French program.

Until he can use less loaded words, the Liberals should stop Lamrock from tinkering with the subjects that really matter to the fabric of our province and set his sights on improving our scores in the one topic on which he is an obvious expert: rhetoric.

If the Liberals don't stop, at least we'll be the number one province in that field by 2010.

David James, Fredericton

A Response to Minister Lamrock's Justifications for His FSL Plan

In recent days, Minister Lamrock has been circulating the following text to justify his plans for French education in NB. A team of us from the Citizens for Educational Choice have taken on the task of annotating the Minister's argument, pointing out errors in fact and argumentation. Although the details are to be found in the following pages, some general points arise repeatedly.

1. The Minister misuses French language learning scholarship. For example, his many misrepresentations of the ideas of Dr. Fred Genesee of McGill has resulted in a letter from Dr. Genesee explaining the problems. If the Minister wants the benefit of experts in FSL, he should assign them with the task of devising an FSL plan for the province or, at very least, heed their warnings regarding the Croll and Lee recommendations.

2. The Minister seems to persist in misunderstanding the nature of French immersion. In this text he presents it as a challenge that suits higher-achieving students; whereas we understand from the works of Dr. Dicks, Dr. Genesee and others, and from the experience of other provinces such as Nova Scotia, that EFI can be accessible to nearly all children.

3. The Minister erroneously argues that the many studies before Croll and Lee support his innovations: they simply do not, and we encourage all to read these reports and determine the truth for themselves. In fact, since the Scraba report of 2002, NB has been encouraged to improve participation and retention in EFI by increasing the resources required to support students within the EFI program.

4. The Minister argues weakly against this less disruptive and more standard solution: he claims that it cannot be done because it has not been done or because a fully detailed plan for this approach does not exist.

5. The Minister frequently suggests that any report or expert opinion which supports an entry point for French immersion later than the current grade one entry point also lends support to his plan for immersion to begin only in grade 6 because such opinions support a 'later' date. We believe that if he were to consult with the authors of these reports, he would find that they consider the grade 6 entry point which he proposes to be quite worse than the grade 2 or grade 3 entry points that some experts advise.

6. Finally, in the title of the piece and throughout, the Minister wishes to suggest that the past two months have been a time of 'study', which should now conclude in a decision. We hope our comments will show that the Minister and Croll and Lee are very far from having studied the topic well, and that the decisions made in haste and ignorance thus far should be delayed so that a true and careful course can be plotted for this important aspect of our province's public education system.

Click this link to find the Minister's original text in italics and CEC's critique in plain text following each point he makes.

Not so fast, New Brunswick

GENE OUELLETTE's commentaty is now published in the Globe and Mail.
Globe and Mail Update
May 25, 2008 at 7:18 PM EDT

Ever since New Brunswick Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced plans to scrap early French immersion in New Brunswick schools, there has been a firestorm of controversy. Academics and politicians alike have waded into the issue, as have parent and community groups. In the spirit of partisan politics, the province's Liberal government has stood by their beleaguered minister, as he continues to roll out one reform after another. We are told that it's all for the future of the children.
...

Click here to see the rest of the article in the Globe and Mail.

CEC Meeting in Moncton

Click here to open map of Université de Moncton

Measha Brueggergosman speaks out against termination of Early French Immersion in NB

Immersion cuts hit a sour note with diva
CBCNews.ca

An international opera star is lending her voice to the fight over early French immersion in New Brunswick.

About 300 students and parents welcomed soprano Measha Brueggergosman into a Grade 5 classroom at the Park Street Elementary School in Fredericton on Friday.

An alumna of the school, Brueggergosman, 30, helped launched a new music program, but her message wasn't just about the arts in education.

"It's quite amazing to be able to come back and sing with these kids and know, at least for the time being, there's still French immersion here," Brueggergosman said.

Brueggergosman went through the French immersion program, which is slated to be eliminated in September, at Park Street Elementary School.

French immersion and music are the two elements of her early education that shaped who she is today, said the singer.

Brueggergosman was at the school promoting a new "music in math" program that is meant to help engage students engage with learning through the arts.

The cross-subject instruction keeps students engaged, said Education Minister Kelly Lamrock.

"What you're seeing today is that you can use music and art to create a more engaging classroom that's also teaching math skill, literary skills, so the kids are far more engaged than sitting still in a chair," Lamrock said.

Pushed back to Grade 5
The new program comes as part of the province's efforts to inject more resources into music, art and physical education. The lengthened class times that will be provided to the subjects come partly because of the province's elimination of its early French immersion program.

Beginning in September, parents will no longer be able to register their children into the early French immersion program in English schools. The core French program, which required all students to take French as a mandatory single class subject, has also been pushed back until Grade 5.

Brueggergosman applauded the program but said it shouldn't come at the expense of teaching children a second language.

"If you can add arts programs and know that's an effective way to teach children, it's a no-brainer that early immersion shouldn't be cut," Brueggergosman said.

Parents shouldn't give up on their fight to keep the French immersion program in New Brunswick's English schools, Brueggergosman said.

"It doesn't need to be cut, and the people who have the power are the voters, and they need to take that power back," Brueggergosman said.

Click here to link to article

More great letters, they keep on coming

Voting Liberal may not be an option
Published Friday May 23rd, 2008
Daily Gleaner

The decision to eliminate the early French immersion program is wrong.

Both of my children (Grade 7 and Grade 3) are in the program now and I could care less if they score advanced, intermediate, or basic in the French proficiency test at the end of high school.
Both of my boys speak French today.

It is too late to start a French immersion program in Grade 5 (especially with boys). You will get fewer boys in the program and they will not learn as quickly as they do when they are young.
I grew up an anglophone in Quebec. I did a one-year French immersion program in Grade 7.
My younger sister had the opportunity to do early French immersion. My sister is fluent in French. I failed my high school French and ended up having to go to summer school to graduate.

It is easier to learn a second language when you are young. This provincial government is giving parents less choice in the education of their children. This decision will make learning French harder for English children. Instead of helping to bring the French and English communities closer, it will polarize the two communities. I am thankful my children are already in the early French immersion program.

This province has an opportunity to be a leader in French immersion education.
This government's decision would move the province in the wrong direction. I believe it would be better to have all New Brunswick children take early French immersion until Grade 5.
Imagine the outcry from anglo parents if a N.B. Government tried to implement this.

Why does Minister Lamrock feel a decision like this must be made with such haste? Why is it being pushed through? Why not introduce a late immersion program and see how it works before eliminating the early French immersion program that we know already works?
Most parents who have children in early French immersion believe it is a good program. This decision does not directly affect me as I have no more children entering the education system but I am deeply concerned about how this decision will affect New Brunswick.

I will not be voting Liberal in the next provincial election, if I do not see a positive change on this issue.

Chris Lynn, Fredericton

An education in rhetoric

On the front page of a recent newspaper, Kelly Lamrock informed New Brunswickers that he had reversed a decision to force-feed students a "one-size-fits-all" education program that one of his fellow ministers characterized as the "biggest mistake in education."
Oddly, less than two weeks ago, this same government was touting its one-size-fits-all French program as "universal."

Which is it?

Does Lamrock believe by removing all French instruction from the first five years of schooling against all advice of language learning experts inside the province and abroad he is doing something noble. The lack of French instruction is, at very least, "universal."

Or does he believe that such "one-size-fits-all" education systems do not let students reach their full potential? One thing is for sure, the minister could give the whole province an education in rhetoric.

Dawn Ashford, Fredericton

Only one minister did homework

In March and April, two ministers of government each made a major announcement.
One formed his plan with international experts in the appropriate industry, HLT Advisory Inc. and KPMG. The other hired two New Brunswickers with only a passing knowledge of the field.
The first signaled months ago that he was taking New Brunswick into a new venture. The second allowed only two weeks for citizens to discuss the most radical changes in his field in 20 years.

The first has treated the small amount of opposition to his plan with respect and dignity. The second came out swinging when research centres, scholars and citizens called his plan the bad result of a bad process.

I am referring, of course, to Minister Boudreau's recent announcement of a casino in Moncton, and Minister Lamrock's still-embattled plan for French instruction in the province - most recently derided by Dr. Genesee of McGill university as like taking a sledgehammer to fix a boat.

Liberals, who persist in supporting Lamrock's plan, probably imagine that the growing opposition is some sort of anti-Liberal campaign.

But they should take note of these differences.

Minister Boudreau did his homework and is advancing his file.

Minister Lamrock continues to govern through intuition and is miring the whole party down with him.

Michel Roy, Fredericton

Telegraph-Journal letters May 23, 2008
High standards go both ways

In Monday's Telegraph-Journal, Minister Lamrock says he will test schools to make sure they uphold a high standard.

Yet when he introduced his radical plans for changes in French education in the province, he included the provision that, for the time being, he would lower the standards of French education in N.B. and consider it a success when students achieved a standard two levels below the current goal of the early French immersion program and one level below the goal of late French immersion program.

I have a suggestion for the teachers and schools that Minister Lamrock wants to put under the microscope. Why don't they state that "for the time being" all tests and papers that previously rated a "C" would now receive "A" grades. Like the minister, they could then claim a rousing success in two years.

They probably won't though: they have too much pride in trying to achieve real results.

JENNIFER GUIDRY, Fredericton

The dangers of 'fantasy' government

In Monday's front-page article, Kelly Lamrock compares his work as Education Minister with his hobby: "fantasy football," what the article describes as an online game he participates in where users can draft players and earn points when those players score.

For the past months we've watched Minister Lamrock reject the opinions of experts, make radical last-minute changes to programs based on erroneous statistics and argue for his choices with all the grace of a 10 year-old Xbox warrior.¨ (Click here to link to Minister Lamrock's comments in the Telegraph Journal, May 19th, 2008)

Now we know why: he's playing "fantasy government."

But while in his hobby no real people are hurt by his arm-chair quarterbacking, this province's French education is in danger of falling into the bush leagues.

RACHEL WEBB, Fredericton

Experts take exception to Minister’s use of their research

Published online in the Miramichi Leader, May 23, 2008

Please find attached two letters written by leading language experts that take exception with Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's misrepresentation of their research and advice. These letters raise questions regarding the Minister's ability to defend his FSL plan.

Freda Burdett, Citizens for Educational Choice

Scrapping most successful form of second language education seems extreme

by Dr. Fred Genesee

The Honorable Minister of Education of New Brunswick, Mr. Kelly Lamrock, recently released another written response to concerns raised by his decision to eliminate early French immersion from the NB elementary school program — the document was entitled, When Should Study Give Way to Decision? This is a response to some of his statements concerning my own and others' research on second language learning in school settings.

...

There is a lot at stake: the language education of future New Brunswick students and their ability to compete in the job market, not to mention New Brunswick's rightly valued reputation as the only officially bilingual province in Canada. Scrapping a program that is internationally acknowledged to be the most successful form of second language education seems extreme.

Dr. Fred Genesee is a professor at McGill University
______________________________

Response to radio interview with Minister of Education Kelly Lamrock

by Dr. Joseph Dicks

I feel compelled to respond to the interview with Minister Lamrock that was aired on Friday, May 16.

There are a number of statements that the minister made that need to be corrected. I find it incredible that the Minister of Education, the person responsible for public education in this province, could make such unqualified statements that ultimately mislead the public on matters related to public education.

Here are some examples of Minister Lamrock's misleading statements ...

There is a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding in the general public about second language education. It is a complex and multifaceted field in which professionals spend entire careers educating themselves, future teachers and the public about the various issues and the relative merits of different pathways to bilingualism. It is extremely discouraging and frustrating, therefore, to have a minister of education who, in this area at least, is contributing to public confusion rather than public education.

Dr. Joseph Dicks is the director of the Second Language Research Institute of Canada.

To see full contents of these letters click here

Another expert weighs in

Dr. Gene Ouellette (Ph.D)
Language and Literacy Learning Lab
Mount Allison University

French Immersion, Education, and Politics. Does Anyone Actually Care about the Evidence?

Ever since New Brunswick Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced plans to scrap early French Immersion in New Brunswick schools there has been a virtual firestorm of controversy. Academics and politicians alike have waded into the issue, as have parent and community groups. In the spirit of partisan politics, the Provincial Liberal Government has stood by their beleaguered minister, as he continues to roll out one reform after another. We are told that it's all for the future of the children. Yet while debate has stirred pro and anti- French sentiment, pro- and anti- Liberal stances, does anyone really care about the scientific evidence behind education and child development? As a language and literacy researcher I would put forth that if reform is for the benefit of the children, and the very future of the Province, it is imperative that we step back and actually consider the empirical evidence.
...

Click here to link to full commentary

Tories grill Lamrock on teacher qualifications

Published Wednesday May 21st, 2008
MEGAN O'TOOLE TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

FREDERICTON - Intensive French teachers will not be held to the same qualification standards as immersion teachers when the province's new plan kicks into effect this fall, and students will suffer for it, the Opposition Tories charged Tuesday.

Critic Madeleine Dubé repeatedly pressed Education Minister Kelly Lamrock on the issue of teacher qualifications during Question Period. Starting in September, a universal intensive program beginning in Grade 5 will replace both core French and early immersion.

"If you want to have the best results for our students, we need to have the right teachers with the right qualifications in the classroom," Dubé said.

Her concerns were tied to Policy 309, an education department document that establishes guidelines for the provision of French second language programming in New Brunswick's anglophone school districts.

Section 5 of the policy dictates the minimum levels of teacher proficiency for core French and immersion programs, as defined by the province's Second Language Proficiency Scale. For core French, that level is set at Advanced. For immersion programs, teachers must function at the Superior level.

The document does not account for the new intensive French program, leading Dubé to press the issue. Later in the day, Lamrock pegged that level at Advanced Plus, a step down from Superior.
....

Link here to see the rest of the article.

Great Letter May 21

Daily Gleaner
Lamrock misleading public on immersion

I am so frustrated at the continued misinformation spread by Education Minister Kelly Lamrock.

It is clear that while he is very articulate in arguing his case, he is clearly misleading the public and resorting to divisive arguments to support his misguided changes to the anglophone system.

Why do I say this? There are three reasons.

He is arguing his changes to French second-language programming will provide universal access and help 70 per cent of children become bilingual. The problem: His stated goal for those 70 per cent is Intermediate, which will not get students any bilingual-designated job in this province. He's done away with the one program where over 70 per cent of graduates attain an Intermediate Plus or Advanced level of proficiency.

So much for self-sufficiency. All our brightest students will go elsewhere, as they won't be able to get a job in New Brunswick.

He blames early French immersion for streaming, and streaming for lower-than-the-national-average literacy scores.

Guess what? The Education Department's own data and the Croll-Lee report both show that comparing scores between EFI and non-EFI students in elementary school reveals no differences. Their numbers show the streaming effect is a lot worse with late French immersion - the program that Lamrock is keeping.

And the worst thing? No child will learn French before the age of 10, if they are in the anglophone school system. So much for rapprochement between anglophone and francophone New Brunswickers.

My three children will be incapable of comprehending their francophone friends in the language of their choice. Lamrock is systematically dismantling bilingualism in our province, but he is too polished for most people to realize it.

And our Liberal government supports him, without really understanding what they are supporting.

Peta Fussell, Fredericton

School Crackdown

Education Schools, teachers that don't measure up will be held accountable for their inaction,
MEGAN O'TOOLETELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

FREDERICTON - Education Minister Kelly Lamrock is cracking down on teacher accountability, and he thinks more standardized testing is the key.
...

A whack of new standardized testing unveiled this month, including a pre-kindergarten assessment, will go a long way toward determining the difference each school and teacher makes in a child's development, Lamrock said.
Those that don't measure up will be held accountable for their poor results.
...

"At some point, we're going to have to come up with a clear plan for what happens when schools consistently don't perform," Lamrock added, though he discouraged "overly punitive" measures, such as shutting down schools or transferring students elsewhere, which could end up having undesired side effects. More incentives should be created to motivate teachers to strive for excellence, and then encourage others to learn from the "stars," Lamrock said.
...

He pointed to the example of fantasy football, an online game he participates in where users can draft players and earn points when those players score. The program publishes data annually on "keys to victory," he explained.
"You can actually see the guy who bet on Brett Favre in the fifth round did a lot better than the guy who drafted Carson Palmer in the first," Lamrock said.
"Amazingly, a society that has the ability to drill data down for fantasy football leagues, we aren't yet able to say, 'Wow, over a five-year period over 80 per cent of the students who had this teacher showed marked improvement in literacy.' "
...

Brent Shaw, president of the New Brunswick Teachers' Association, was dubious that beefing up standardized assessments will lead to any real change.
"If you look at any of the countries that are doing the best in the world, one of the things that makes them the best is certainly not external evaluations," Shaw said, noting a better way to measure student success is through teacher-driven, "authentic" evaluations that reflect each classroom's unique learning environment.
Evaluating problems doesn't solve them, he added, and departmental resources could be better directed.
"You can't fatten a pig by weighing it," Shaw said.
...

Click here to link to article
__________________________

A sampling from 53 comments-to-date on the Telegraph-Journal webpage in response to Minister Lamrock's comments in this article.
__________________________

My, the Min of Ed certainly knows his sports analogies! Wow, isn't he impressive! Give me a break, now it is the teachers! First it was the EFI program and not it is the teachers. Of course there are a few bad apples, trust me I have seen them, every profession has them. But there seems to be more than the Liberals fair share of bad apples. Min of Ed at least 2-3 times a week has a new announcement, he is just putting up smoke screens to make the people not see what he is trying to cover up, his idiotic decision to eliminate EFI in the Canada's ONLY bilingual province. People, please wake up and smell the coffee, see what "Lamerock" is really doing. We will not forget, 2010!
72Thumbs Up 8ThumbsDown
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 7:45:56 AM ADT
___________________________
Minister Lamrock should start to listen to "experts" and to do his own little research. This look like "No Child Left Behind" from the US and it has not been successful. It is so easy to blame the teachers! It is also easy to see "the couple high school teachers who have no business in the classroom". Most teachers are doing an excellent job. The Scaba report says exactly the same thing. The NB teachers are well trained and efficient, but the system is mismanaged. She said that for the immersion program too. It is mismanaged. The problem is not with the program, it is with the way it is managed. Scaba also said to refrain from adopting a one-size-fit-all approach to solve the problems. Poor, poor students and teachers! This is a real mess. Lamrock has to go faster than 2010!
76Thumbs Up 3Thumbs Down
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 7:56:25 AM ADT
___________________________
A headine from the citizens of NB:
Government Crackdown
Education Minister, Premier and Liberal MLAs that don't measure up will be held accountable in 2010
70Thumbs Up 3Thumbs Down
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 8:31:28 AM ADT
___________________________
I'm one teacher who can no longer tolerate Lamrock's obsession with “testing” and his opposition to educational choice. This teacher, with an advanced degree and work experience in the field that I teach in, has been given the "incentive" and "motivation" to leave the province by Kelly Lamrock.
I can no longer participate in an education system that runs contrary to expert advice and opinion, taking us to follow the most unsuccessful models of education and assessment. I agree with Mr. Shaw, testing does not solve problems. Broad based, authentic evaluations performed by teachers, over the course of a student’s schooling should not be considered irrelevant next to a test of memorization skills. It is wrong.
I do not need Kelly Lamrock to write a test on assessment and education to see how little he knows about assessment and education. The result is painfully obvious to this trained educator.
75Thumbs Up 3Thumbs
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 9:27:17 AM ADT
___________________________
Could Kelly Lamrock possibly get more time with the Telegraph Journal Editorial Board???
Ridiculous.
A little journalism here, folks - No Child Left Behind has left a generation of students in the US unable to read, write or think.
Even George W. Bush's closest supporters agree.
LAMROCK MUST GO.
57Thumbs Up3Thumbs Down
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 11:03:27 AM ADT
___________________________
Doug Willms, besides being the public policy professor that published the sole brief in support of Lamrock when the C&L report got into trouble, is also the director of a for-profit company that has, until now, done much of the educational testing for the province: http://www.ksiresearch.com/

It would, of course, call future testing into question if the same person were to do future testing as the person who has put his public reputation at stake and who has been commissioned to make a report that supports the C&L process.

I trust the Ombudsman will recommend that any future spate of testing be performed by the many capable firms outside of our province. This will benefit NB, too, because Willms' company would be presumably be drawing further business into NB and expanding its market, not simply circulating cash within the province.
38Thumbs Up 2Thumbs Down
B. Robertson, Sackville on 19/05/08, 12:18:54 PM ADT
___________________________
I work with teachers everyday, and they never cease to amaze me. They run from the minute the students come in in the morning until the final bell, frequently without a break. They rush to prepare for the next day, frequently attending professional development after school. They make the most out of impossible situations, oversized classes, no resources, unreasonable parents, special needs children etc etc. They take money out of their own pockets to pay for books, classroom resources, lunch, milk, parties, decorations and on and on. They make the BEST out of an IMPOSSIBLE situation. MR Lamrock, you should be ashamed for putting MORE PRESSURE on teachers, and WASTING even more money on testing that should be going to resources. You owe the teachers of NB an apology!
45Thumbs Up 2Thumbs Down
Anonymous Reader on 19/05/08, 12:21:43 PM ADT
___________________________

Parents protest FSL changes --

Miramichi Leader OnLine Edition, by Daniel Martins
Published Monday May 19th, 2008

School District 16 superintendent Laurie Keoughan faced an angry crowd of parents at a meeting on May 13 at Croft Elementary School.

Keoughan was there to talk about upcoming changes to the French education curriculum, but many parents were more interested in restoring the early immersion program cut by the provincial government earlier this year.

"For 30 years we were on the right track," said Mindy Schenkels. "And today I am stunned that I will leave this gymnasium. I have a child, and I have no option for that child."

Schenkels' brother in law, John Schenkels, was more critical, saying the changes had been forced through by the provincial government and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock.

"There are a lot of parents here that feel they're not being heard by the minister, because he's refused to really acknowledge that this is an issue, even though people have spoken out," he said.
Under the new program, early french immersion will be eliminated, as will core french instruction prior to Grade 5.

That's when students will undergo intensive French which, for half of the year, will require them to receive 70 per cent of their instruction completely in French.

For the second half of the year, the French component will be rolled back to around 150 minutes per week, scheduled for one afternoon. This would be followed by compulsory post-intensive French in grades 6-12.

Keoughan said the district plans to implement the changes as early as September 2008 to avoid the upheaval of a longer-term adjustment period. According to Keoughan, several teachers will be trained in the program over the summer. He said the curriculum for Grade 5 intensive french, as well as post-intensive programs for grades 6-8 are already written, with curricula for the remaining grades on the way.

"We are, as a district, concerned that we get this right," he said. "They're your kids, and I know that's your concern as well."

But he stressed that whatever his personal feelings, he was just the messenger.

"The minute I walk into that office, I leave my personal opinions behind because I am directed to implement school curriculums in the school district. That's my job."

John Schenkels said the details coming from Keoughan were too vague for the parents' liking.

"It's May, and we're looking at starting this thing in September. The details should be there," he said. "We should know what should be coming in Grade 6. We should know what should be coming in Grade 12. That plan should be there. We need the details."

District 16 Second Language Coordinator Jacqueline Roy-Patterson told the parents research and experience with intensive French in other provinces, based on research from Memorial University in Newfoundland and sources in New Brunswick, had shown positive results, even with children considered to have difficulty in Grade 4 English.

"The intensive French program is good," she said. "It does produce results. The teacher training is good, the methodology is sound."

John Schenkels suggested the research was uncertain and incomplete.

"You have no way to tell me today that, at Grade 12, my child is going to be in the intermediate grade, because you haven't proven it anywhere," he said. "You haven't proven it in Newfoundland; you haven't proven it in New Brunswick; you haven't proven it in Quebec. It isn't proven."

Jennifer Amos was also skeptical of the program, saying mandatory intensive French in Grade 5 would be hard on some students.

"The fact remains that not every child has the capacity for a second language," she said.

Cynthia Wiley agreed, noting it would be even harder without core French in earlier grades.

"To me, it's kind of scary to throw your kids into a different language with no background at all," she said.

Keoughan acknowledged some children could struggle, but said the answer was not to exempt them from the program.

"I think we need to think outside the box to find new ways of including them," he said.

Lila Barry attacked the mandatory nature of the intensive program on the grounds that children with mental disorders could struggle with it, leading to frustration, anger-management issues and problems at home.

"Why is the department of education setting these high-risk children up for such a state?" she asked. "As a parent, none of those outcomes are acceptable."

Keoughan replied that the department would look at each child's individual needs.

"As the months roll on toward September, I'm sure those issues will be dealt with," he said.

At the end of the evening, many parents were still demanding that the changes be reversed. Bill Schenkels demanded to know what could be done on the parents' part to accomplish that, and said many teachers had been forced to stay silent on the issue.

"If we need to support the teachers and give them a voice, we will do that," he said.

"I'm very passionate that this is the wrong decision. It has been forced through and we're putting our children at risk."

Click here to link to article

Bloggers' comment: Reminder -- The description of intermediate proficiency from NB DOE includes:

"Able to satisfy routine social demands and limited work requirements. Can handle routine work-related interactions that are limited in scope. In more complex and sophisticated work-related tasks, language usage generally disturbs the native speaker." ... "The individual's utterances are minimally cohesive. Linguistic structure is usually not very elaborate and not thoroughly controlled; errors are frequent. ..."

It appears that having 70% of our graduating class capable of minimally cohesive utterances is acceptable to the Minister. We wonder whether it is acceptable to New Brunswickers, especially when it comes at such a high personal cost to the hundreds of students who will no longer graduate as truly bilingual citizens.

Letters May 19th, 2008

Reasons not to stay in New Brunswick

In order not to be included in the "silent majority," we would like to add our voices to the overwhelming outcry from parents, parent groups and associations, various language learning experts, concerned citizens and teachers (before their freedom of speech was revoked) over the cancellation of the French immersion program in English language schools.

Our move to New Brunswick and our decision to stay was considered unusual.

We moved to Moncton nine years ago from California, via Vancouver, and brought with us over 20 years of post-secondary education from the U.S., U.K. and British Columbia.

One of the main reasons for our decision to stay in Moncton was the excellent school system and possibility to live in a very inclusive multicultural city. The prerequisite to get to know the other cultures and people is to know their language and we, as adults, have tried and are still trying to improve our French language skills.

However, for adults with various other duties, this is not an easy undertaking and we realize that we will never be completely fluent and will never be able to speak without a very strong accent.

Without any hesitation, we enrolled our son in the excellent French immersion program and, thanks to excellent teachers and the present school system, he is now fluently and without any accent tri-lingual, while still extremely well-educated in every other respect.

Language proficiency has allowed him to have friends from both anglophone and francophone communities, allowed him to be enrolled in speed-skating and karate programs that are given in French, and in the future will open many doors for him in Canada and elsewhere.

We were looking forward to sending our younger son to the same school and the same system. Unfortunately, he will not be given the same opportunity (at least not in New Brunswick).

As parents and as New Brunswickers by choice, we were very proud of the school system and were boasting about the excellent opportunities that children here have.

I wonder what we will boast about in the future and what will be the force that will draw us and many other highly educated people to New Brunswick.

Surely not the school system changes proposed by the current provincial government.

And neither will the other changes and propositions that are currently underway.

When the whole world is open to educated people, they will not chose to live in a place that has uranium mines, decaying infrastructures, increasing pollution and, probably most importantly, the growing division between people based on their mother tongue.

I hope it is still not too late to get back to senses, reverse these highly unfortunate decisions and bring out the good in this wonderful province and allow us all to be once again proud to live here.

Miroslava and Adrian Culf, Moncton

Is immersion support gone?

To The Editor:

When Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced his decision to terminate Early French Immersion programs in New Brunswick schools, he stated that all children currently in the program would be able to remain there and that he did not want to disrupt children's education.

Since that time, some disturbing information has surfaced. We have heard that literacy support for Early French Immersion students in District 8 has been changed (read terminated); children needing the help will no longer be taken out of the classroom to work with support teachers. Further, we have heard that a summer program in District 18 for Early French Immersion children needing extra help has been cancelled. The District 2 website now has absolutely no mention of Early French Immersion even existing.

Where are parents of students in Early French Immersion, roughly half of all students in District 2, to turn now for information on their children's education? Parents of young children already in Early French Immersion should be extremely worried about what will happen in the coming years.

Will my grandfathered children become second class citizens within their own schools? Will districts invest in materials for my children with the knowledge that their usefulness will be short-lived? There are strong indications that the education they receive in the early years will suffer as a result of the government's changes. We seem to be going from a poorly supported program to one in which there is absolutely no support provided.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the minister and the Department of Education are turning their backs on the children already in this program. It makes us wonder about the minister's commitment to looking out for all children. A cynical person might speculate that cutting all support for this program will bring standardized test scores down among immersion students, leaving the new revamped English program to look like the comparative success. Would politicians really stoop so low? For the sake of my children and their classmates, I sincerely hope not.

Joanne Masson, Saint John

Choice is vital in school system

Although there have been some positive changes made by this government lately to the school system, such as the increase focus on physical education, music and art, I fail to see how that is addressing the problem with the literacy math and science performance of our children. Why couldn't these changes be done without the abolishment of the only proven program to produce an advanced level of French proficiency, early French immersion?

I try very hard to understand how four special needs children in a class instead of five is going to make such an impact that suddenly the teachers are going to be able to teach more effectively. It just doesn't make sense to me. Why doesn't it seem to be an issue with other provinces?

I recently received a statement from a MLA and it said "If we want to have 70 per cent of our children to have capacity in French, we need to start teaching French to 100 per cent of kids not 30 per cent." What about parents who want more for their children than just capacity in French?

What about the parents who feel that their children are having a difficult enough time just grasping the English language and truly don't think learning a second language is going to be beneficial for their child?

If there is one thing we cannot take a universal approach to it is how we educate children. Choice is important and it should be made by parents.

LISA HERRINGTON, Willow Grove

Parents losing rights in education

The school system in New Brunswick is becoming a dictatorship. Parents are losing their rights and freedoms over their children's education process.

This can be seen in points stated in my previous letter: banning the selling of chocolate for fundraising, the drastic actions taken with regards to food allergies and the forced changes in the French curriculum.

I thought Canada was a democracy, I guess I was wrong.

MONIKA LANE, Kingston

LEADING LANGUAGE EXPERT DISAGREES WITH NEW BRUNSWICK FSL PLAN

Bloggers' preamble: Education Minister Kelly Lamrock has been quoting Dr. Fred Genesee's work in attempts to justify his decision to elimate Early French Immersion and replace it with an untested late French Immersion program. Following are some of Dr. Genesee's comments about French Second Language education in New Brunswick. It is clear that Dr. Genesee does not share Minister Lamrock's views.

Friday, May 16, 2008 at 3:53pm
From Citizens for Educational Choice -- Fredericton

Wednesday night in Fredericton, Dr. Fred Genesee, a leading expert in French Second Language education, expressed grave concerns over the New Brunswick government’s recent changes to the delivery of French instruction in Anglophone schools. “I don’t get it”, Genesee stated, “it is clear that in bilingual settings such as New Brunswick, the way to produce the largest number of bilingual students is to utilize FSL programming that starts at an early age so children are not only learning the language in the classroom, but they can also take advantage of exposure to the language outside the classroom.”

Genesee is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University, Montreal, where he has worked since 1978. He has carried out research on some of the first immersion programs implemented in Canada and has helped educators around the world develop their own immersion programs. His work has sought to debunk persistent myths surrounding bilingualism and second language acquisition in early childhood. His visit to Fredericton came on the same day a provincial group of parents filed papers requesting a judicial review of the government’s decision to eliminate Early French Immersion from New Brunswick schools.

“Early French Immersion is the most equitable program to teach children to become bilingual. The notion it is a program only for elites or children of higher abilities is not supported by research. Children from all across the ability spectrum can and do thrive in Immersion settings; this has been well-documented in research carried out in early immersion programs.”

“It appears the issues New Brunswick has with the program may be due to the lack of educational supports the government has provided the program over the years and the lack of information provided to parents who are concerned about their children’s performance if they are in Immersion. Frankly, I find it amazing they have been able to get away with it for so long without parents demanding the government provide equal access to the support systems available to students in the English programs; New Brunswick is not alone in not providing Immersion students with the full range of supports that students in the English programs enjoy” stated Genesee in response to questions pertaining to the situation in New Brunswick.

In his lecture that was simultaneously broadcast from UNB’s Wu Centre to Mount Allison University, Genesee discussed myths that continue to be held by many concerning bilingualism. “Research has shown that many beliefs held regarding the impact learning a second language has on the first are simply false. What makes it difficult for people to accept certain ideas is that we find that many outcomes are the opposite of what one would expect when it comes to language acquisition. For example, there is no basis for the belief that a good grounding in one’s native language is a requirement to learn a second language. You only learn how to read once and those skills can transfer from the second language to the first language if students are in immersion. Removing the option for a child to start learning the second language in the early grades is only going to lower proficiency in the end and will not have any significant impact on first language literacy.”

-30-

Fred Genesee
Tel: (514) 398-6022
Fax: (514-398-4896
Email: genesee@ego.psych.mcgill.ca

Letters to the editor

Telegraph-Journal
Education decision takes lustre off N.B. -- Published Saturday May 17th, 2008

We would like to add our voices to the overwhelming outcry from parents, parent groups and associations, various language learning experts, concerned citizens and teachers (before their freedom of speech was revoked) over the cancellation of the French immersion program in English language schools.

We moved to Moncton nine years ago from California, via Vancouver and brought with us over 20 years of postsecondary education from U.S.A., U.K. and British Columbia. One of the main reasons for our decision to stay in Moncton was the excellent school system and possibility to live in a very inclusive multicultural city.

Without hesitation we enrolled our son in the excellent French immersion program and thanks to excellent teachers and the present school system he is now fluently and without any accent trilingual while extremely well educated in every other respect.

We were looking forward to sending our younger son to the same school and the same system.

Unfortunately, he will not be given the same opportunity (at least not in New Brunswick).

We were proud of the school system and were boasting about the excellent opportunities that children here have. I wonder what we will boast about in the future and what will be the force that will draw us and many other highly educated people to New Brunswick.

I hope it's still not too late to reverse these highly unfortunate decisions and bring out the good in this wonderful province and allow us all the be once again proud to live here.

MIROSLAVA and ADRIAN CULF, Moncton

Will EFI students be orphaned?

A central tenet of Minister Lamrock's embattled plan for French language instruction in our province is that children currently in the early French immersion program will be "grandfathered." Recent events suggest that it will be more like "orphaned."

Children in Grade 1 should expect to have 11 more years of their program; yet District 2's website has expunged any mention of the program.

As a hint of worse to come, District 18 has removed all remedial help for EFI students, and similar programs are being cut in District 8.

Studies over the past decade have argued that the proper way of reducing streaming out of EFI is to provide it with better support, as is done today in Nova Scotia.

However, when Lamrock apportioned funds from the joint commission on classroom composition last year, more than $1 million were provided for special help in the core program, and only $4,000 for EFI students. No wonder parents of struggling students are encouraged to migrate to the core program.

It seems that if Lamrock is allowed to continue down this uncharted path, he will do even more to ensure that EFI becomes the "elitist" program he has criticized.

STEPHANIE McCARTY, Fredericton

___________________

Letters to the editor Published Saturday May 17th, 2008, The Daily Gleaner

Immersion children may not get proper resources

When Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced his decision to terminate early French immersion programs in New Brunswick schools, he stated that all children currently in the program would be able to remain there and that he did not want to disrupt children's education.

Since that time, some disturbing information has surfaced. We have heard that literacy support for EFI students in District 8 has been changed (read terminated); children needing the help will no longer be taken out of the classroom to work with support teachers.

Further, we have heard that a summer program in District 18 for EFI children needing extra help has been cancelled. The District 2 website now has absolutely no mention of EFI even existing.

Where are parents of students in EFI, roughly half of all students in District 2, to turn now for information on their children's education?

Parents of young children already in EFI should be extremely worried about what will happen in the coming years.

Will my grandfathered children become second-class citizens within their own schools?

Will districts invest in materials for my children with the knowledge that their usefulness will be short-lived?

There are strong indications that the education they receive in the early years will suffer as a result of the government's changes.

We seem to be going from a poorly supported program to one in which there is absolutely no support provided.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the minister and the Department of Education are turning their backs on the children already in this program. It makes us wonder about the minister's commitment to looking out for all children.

A cynical person might speculate that cutting all support for this program will bring standardized test scores down among EFI students, leaving the new revamped English program to look like the comparative success that the minister is hoping for.

Would politicians really stoop this low? For the sake of my children and their classmates, I sincerely hope not.

Joanne Masson, Saint John, N.B.