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"Well, no. To be eligible for pre-kinder, you must not be able to speak English," is my typical response.
Some find that requirement discriminatory, while others simply blow it off. A close friend suggested we just "lie" about our grandson's ability to speak English, but it would only take a millisecond to see through that baloney.
Other conditions allow for pre-kinder attendance: having been in the foster care system, being the child of someone in the military and certain income requirements. One Anglo told me he threatened to have the "money" cut off on the program if his children weren't included.
But, how important is 8:15 AM till 3:15 PM child care to someone soaking up life outside the classroom? Of course, there's always socialization, the routine of school, learning the ABC's and possibly a free breakfast and lunch. Someone suggested Jack could go and learn Spanish.
Actually, a language school in Guanajuato teaching both English and Spanish, combines the two classes for cultural outings in the evening, suggesting both groups learn from the other.
Meanwhile, Jack says he wants to get his toys "organized." As he turns parts from a racing track into a building, he explains: "Grandma said I didn't have to go by the picture on the box, that I could use my imagination."
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| At right: Nena, as a third grader at Los Ebanos Elementary(Now Sharp) At left, her grandfather, Geronimo Pena, a janitor at Resaca Elementary |
Eligibility for Prekindergarten
A child must be at least three years of age and fit at least one of the following criteria:
Be unable to speak and comprehend the English language
Be educationally disadvantaged, which means a student eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program
Be homeless, as defined by 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1143a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or other person having lawful control of the child
Be the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority; or is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
Be in, or have been in, the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code
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The eligibility requirements have nothing to do with race. The assumption here if that your English-speaking grandson being raised in a household that is above poverty level is bring nurtured and educated to an adequate level to be prepared kindergarten, while families that have language economic or other disadvantages need a head start.
ReplyDeleteThen put them in a "headstart" program- that is what headstart programs are for- NOT PRE-K programs
Delete"The eligibility requirements have nothing to do with race."
ReplyDeleteI could have said "English-speaking" instead of Anglo in the headline, but then, as folks have told me, many Hispanic kids who actually speak English are in pre-kinder.
Dear Mr. Barton,
ReplyDeleteYou grandson is a lucky boy to have a grandfather who cares about his grandson's education. Yes, you have the right to be upset that Texas has a pre-kinder program that according to you discriminates against English speaking (Anglo) children who are not economically disadvantaged. It is not right; however, funny things happens in life. Perhaps fifty years ago you would have not been concerned about such situation. Your grandson would have attended a white school where Mexican American children were not allow to attend. Yes, our parents were also upset like you are today that their children were attending segregated schools and that there was discrimination against their children. It was not right but they had no choice but to "chill out." My grandchildren who are Mexican Americans are English speaking, non-economic disadvantaged children who do not qualify for the pre-kinder program and I too have to "chill out." The Texas pre-kinder program has a purpose but it's goal is not to discriminate against those children that do not qualify. Therefore, let's "chill out" together.
Finally, someone who makes his point in a polite manner without "F bombs" being thrown about.
DeleteThank you Mr March 7 at 11:07 pm.
I wouldn't want my kids in a program with a bunch of illegals who barely speak English and have barely been in the country, to teach my impressionable kids the 'Mexican mentality' by exposure that they themselves are trying to run away from.
DeleteKids in that environment learn things that are not supposed to be taught. Such as, respecting corruption, doing the minimum possible expected, demanding US taxpayers foot the bill for their every need, including medical needs, food needs, housing needs, cell phone needs (this is a thing, taxpayer funded cell phones for poor people/ illegals), free education, free education benefits in college (how UTB gets its funds BTW). That failing is expected and hard work is punished by removal of benefits.
In fact, what you have described is the key problem. That is, once you reach a certain income level, you lose all of these described benefits. It acutally encourages people to remain poor, and encourages poverty mentality.
This is a culturally engrained thing. Would I want my kid learning economic and cultural dependency from the leeches and illegals in these types of programs, learning this dependency mentality? The answer is no. You have the friends and resources to teach your own kids. Just from reading your blog I will say that any kid would be in the top 98% of fortunate to have someone of your critical thinking skills to personally tutor them. The kids in those type of public programs are playing intellectual catch-up yet half maintaining the mentality of Mexico. I would home tutor my kids instead, let them be real kids playing on the beach and in trees and outdoors, don't make them into cattle being driven to indoctrination school, don't expose them to that.
At the same time, knowing Spanish is a benefit. They won't learn it in these state programs, geared to English. It would be worth finding a Spanish speaking babysitter to teach your kids this new language, and practice it at home.
" Kids in that environment learn things that are not supposed to be taught. Such as, respecting corruption, doing the minimum possible expected, demanding US taxpayers foot the bill for their every need . . . . . . "
DeleteReally! The pre-kinder program is program for four year old children. At that age I doubt if such things in life are of importance to them. Children are not to blame for their economic, linguistic, or social status. All children are children of God regardless of where they come from. Remember this next time that you are in church and you are asking for the grace of God.
It isn't important but isn't Los Ebanos Elem now Martin Elem.?
ReplyDeleteYou may be correct. The BISD website gave two different addresses for Sharp on Palm Blvd. One may have been intended for Martin.
DeleteEbony Heights is the old name for Martin, before BISD ran around naming every stick and stone after someone.
Delete"Ebony Heights is the old name for Martin, before BISD ran around naming every stick and stone after someone."
DeleteThat's interesting. She remembers it as Los Ebanos. Her third grade picture above seems to verify that.
I think I figured this out. The school was Ebony Heights and the neighborhood was Los Ebanos.
DeleteBela knows very few words in Spanish. In fact her English is quite advanced. She is in pre-k because of economic disadvantage - it has nothing to do with language. You are talking to the wrong people. If your income is fixed SS, then if you have at least interim custody, they will put him in the program. You need to go to the main office and ask to speak to the right people.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bela's success is because we prepared her. I bought Bob Books when she was three. They have a pre-K set. When she entered pre-k she was already educated in everything they learn in pre-K which is why the teachers are giving her more advanced work. Pre-k needs to me available to everyone. BISD is actually working real hard to make this happen. But the key remains the parents preparing the children well before they enter pre-K.
Bela is ready for basic math. I am research the programs for her Pad - my goal is to have her at second grade math level by the middle of kinder.
And you are right the social part is key. Bela loves the social part of school.
Bela knows very few words in Spanish. In fact her English is quite advanced. She is in pre-k because of economic disadvantage - it has nothing to do with language. You are talking to the wrong people. If your income is fixed SS, then if you have at least interim custody, they will put him in the program. You need to go to the main office and ask to speak to the right people.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bela's success is because we prepared her. I bought Bob Books when she was three. They have a pre-K set. When she entered pre-k she was already educated in everything they learn in pre-K which is why the teachers are giving her more advanced work. Pre-k needs to me available to everyone. BISD is actually working real hard to make this happen. But the key remains the parents preparing the children well before they enter pre-K.
Bela is ready for basic math. I am research the programs for her Pad - my goal is to have her at second grade math level by the middle of kinder.
And you are right the social part is key. Bela loves the social part of school.
Why don't they have head start programs to teach non-Spanish speaking kids to speak Spanish. This is a bilingual community in which jobs are often dependent on employees speaking and writing Spanish. Why is there no head start for these kids or a "Spanish as a Second Language" program. While many above the poverty line may be nurtured at home, most of those families can't teach Spanish.
ReplyDeleteSounds discriminatory to me, and just to inform the conversation, I'm not Anglo. As a policy concern, it appears the incentive is to NOT prepare your child for school.
ReplyDeleteNo mames. All bloggers can send their kids to kinder. Just ask your buddies.
ReplyDeleteYes, they did not let my son go to pre-K because I made too much money and he didn't speak Spanish. Then they put him in a bilingual kindergarten which really scewed him over. There is a hell of a lot more to the experience at Hudson, ending with a counselor telling me "Mr. ______, you don't understand. Here at Hudson we have kids from some of the most prominent famiiles in Brownsville, and any way GT is just a label, ;ike Special Ed is just a label" Glad he is out of BISD.
ReplyDeletethe way bisd is losing kids to tye charters they pretty much accept anyone in prekinder. i make over $100,000 and both my kids attended. its easy just fill out the language form. and accidently put that spanish is primary language at home. all the bisd employees kids attend pre kinder. i know a couple who bith teach 80k/yr combined and their daughter attends. bisd is a fraud. you just have to find a school that has low enrollment. my principal told me to invite all my friends to register their kids in pre k. obviously the schoolhas low enrollment. shoot for my son born in seprember I accidenrly put his birthday as August. once he made first grade I corrected my "mistake" he started a year early. because he was from september 28 he was gonna lose a whole year. Where theres a Will there's a Buey.
ReplyDelete