The SAUSD confirms the hiring of Meléndez de Santa Ana as their Superintendent

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• I am so Ignorant...Next time you go to Holland, Sweden, Iran, Germany, MEXICO...You try to use any other language other than the native language and let me know what happens. Of course they might know the English language because that is the universal language.

  My children are learning Spanish, french because it is good to learn other languages. But the problem with Santa Ana and with Mrs Santa Ana she is one of those Hispanic nuts that does not get the importance of an integrated community to have one spoken language and then learn other language as an academic enrichment. And this community is an American community with the native language being English.

  Santa Ana is the opposite, it is children trying to learn the native language with a culture that does not want to learn the native language. It is children who have parents that do not value education. It is children that are used as an ATM because the people within the public school system have learned that the educational system in the US rewards failure with more cash and that is good for the corrupt within this system to flourish like the Teachers union. The non-english speaking kids are a cash cow for people like Mrs Santa Ana and she is not going to rock any boat that might change that. That is why they allow Criminal youths in the class room because they could not care less what bodies are in there, just as long as the little brats can say in English "here".

  Mrs Santa Ana is just like you Doc, all education and no sense, either because of an ethnocentric blindness or a cash one!

• Twisted Tongues: The Failure of Bilingual Education

  Prepared By

  Rosalie Pedalino Porter, Ed.D.
  READ Institute
  1998

• I have traveled a lot and I have never been to a foreign country that doesn't teach kids a second language from the time they enter school. My own child are a part of a dual immersion 90/10 Spanish/English program and it is fabulous. I wish that more Santa Ana schools had dual immersion (not bilingual) programs because they are great for Spanish and English native speakers. I don't think Michelle or Art would argue with that. The issue of discipline is entirely different and yes, Michelle, in the past two years the district has been more concerned with ADA dollars than with the safety and learning for both students and teachers. The discipline issues have become out of control due to lack of district support. These two issues are completely different. Personally I believe that Santa Ana has the resources to bring in students from all over the county for dual immersion programs like the one at Jefferson Elementary or El Sol Academy. Instead they choose to allow students who have been convicted of crimes and have probation officers to remain in the regular schools. During this time when ADA money is so important, why not attract the students of middle to upper middle income with dual immersion programs and let the county deal with the criminals. This one strategy would do wonders for this district. Talk to some of the parents who come from South County, Huntington Beach, Yorba Linda and other cities about why they choose to attend Jefferson and El Sol and you will find that they are doing it because it isn't offered in their cities. Why not capitalize on strengths and eliminate the weaknesses?

• I knew you were smart....YOU are what is needed as a superintendent in Santa Ana. Kick the cow out...move over Mrs. Santa Ana....Meet reason!

• Art,
  The issue is literacy. There are many parents from our city who are not literate in their own language. The only way Santa Ana can deal with the lack of literacy in English or Spanish is to provide dual immersion programs for ALL students. Spanish is naturally the second language that would work best for our district, the key is to make sure that kids are literate in English as well. This is being achieved with remarkable success at El Sol Academy and at Jefferson for the kids that are part of that small program within the school. Santa Ana could be a leader in dual immersion. The research is very clear, kids gain in all areas when they speak, read and write and more than one language. It doesn't matter which language is learned, they just need to start from Kindergarten. All of the poor scores that American children receive on international tests could be addressed by teaching them a second language. Our country has been stuck in a system that attempts to teach language for one period a day beginning in high school. It doesn't work. At the same time, kids from all over the world are reaping the academic benefits of second languages. Those benefits extend to mathematics, music, logical reasoning and overall brain development. It is so sad that Santa Ana misses the boat especially when they have so many teachers already in their employ who are fully capable of providing this type of education.

• Tmare,

  I went to Fairhaven Elementary because i was curious to see why this school was getting thousands more in QEIA funds. What I found was that teachers because they get fed up with teaching the level 1 -2 english learners switch every 6 months and that the kids could speak English well, but the district refuses to classify these kids because they would lose the federal/state grants, so they keep them in ELS....OCHOA the director at Orange Unified is just like Santa Ana...I met with her and came away thinking who the hell would let a woman stay in charge of a program that has failed consistently for years....Ochoa and Santa Ana are one in the same....Hispanics with a obvious left wing leaning and no clue what is needed to get these kids ahead for the reasons I stated before, it is either their ethnocentric ideology or money!

• MQ,

  You are possibly not ignorant but rather on a covert anti Hispanic agenda. I say this because you have relevant points on negatives within the community that we all agree with. We all also agree that they need a solution. The solution we agree is to understand the nature of the problems ........hold administrators, teachers, government, parents and students responsible and a high standard. Then implement a plan for a solution.

  Dr. de Santa Ana says this is her objective. You continue on rants unnecessarily as we all agree on the problem and the solution.

  We all also agree with Dr. de Ana Ana that the correct way to address the English learner issue in SAUSD is with duel immersion.

  LET HER DO HER JOB.

• tmare,

  You are a voice of reason and objectivity. Thank you for your well thought out commentary. I and I believe Dr. de Santa Ana hare your concerns a solution points.

• tmare,

  tmare,

  "You are a voice of reason and objectivity. Thank you for your well thought out commentary. I and I believe Dr. de Santa Ana hare your concerns a solution points."

  Should read:

  tmare,

  You are a voice of reason and objectivity. Thank you for your well thought out commentary. I and I believe Dr. de Santa Ana share your concerns and solution points.

• Michelle,
  I hear your concerns regarding reclassification of ELL students, I have the same concerns. However, the state has set up a system that makes it nearly impossible to reclassify students until they are scoring near or at proficiency on the state tests. There are many English Only students who could not be classified as Fluent English Proficient due to low test scores if they were tested according to the requirements. The worst part about this is that every year over half of my kids who are placed in a low level academic classes due to scores are pulled out of the classroom for several days during the critical first few weeks of school to be tested for Language Proficiency. The testing is mandated by the state even though they already know that they will not qualify due to low test scores. These students are fluent English speakers but cannot be reclassified due to the state's rules. For these students, language is NOT the issue, academics are the issue.