Students voice opinions in response to recent cuts to French program

By Daniela Coe-McNamara
And Delaney Hawkes
Staff Writers

In response to the recent cut of 1.5 full-time equivalent staff members from the Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s French program, sophomores Aaron Chelliah, Jacob Hands, Jamie Kelleher and Sarah Kennedy spoke out on March 20 at the Board of Trustees meeting.

The cuts include a loss of four French classes at Costa, leaving the program with five total classes next year. French class sizes could potentially grow from 28 to 42 students per class if enrollment continues at its current pace.

“We can only hope that the district recognizes the validity of our argument and take our request seriously or else French students’ understanding and enjoyment of the language will dramatically decrease for years to come,” Kelleher said.

The district is also contemplating expanding Mandarin Chinese, which began at Manhattan Beach Middle School in 2011.

This addition may require further consolidation in the French program.

“Adding in another language and paying for the salaries of its teachers will add expenses even if the district lays off French teachers,” Mira Costa Vice Principal Ian Drummond said. “We will have to see what happens in the future.”

Chelliah and his peers hoped that their speeches would influence the Board’s decisions regarding French cuts.

“We didn’t feel heard at the meeting,” Cheliah said. “The Board paid more attention to the teachers who spoke. However, the students would be the ones greatly impacted by the loss of French teachers.”

Currently, 67 incoming freshmen from MBMS have enrolled in French for the 2013-14 school year.

“Depending on how many students enroll in French for next year, the student-teacher ratio may increase, leading to larger classes and fewer teachers,” Costa Vice Principal Jaime Mancilla said.

Costa French teacher Lauri Gonalons also expressed her opinions about the French program cuts earlier on March 6 at the Board meeting.

“Instead of focusing their energy on teaching, teachers are forced to apply for other jobs,” Gonalons said. “A school is as only as good as its teachers, and it’s the students who suffer.”