English-Only School Praised

GOP presidential candidate Pat Buchanan toured an English-only elementary school in this heavily Hispanic city Thursday, praising it as a way to force children into English proficiency.

Buchanan visited kindergarten and first- and second-grade classrooms at Greenville Fundamental School, asking students and teachers about the public school and shaking hands with the 5- to 8-year-olds.

“These are the littlest ones right here,” Buchanan said, beaming as he surveyed 25 kindergartners at his feet.

With the children chattering, ignoring him, Buchanan told reporters the school exemplifies the English-first view he espouses.

“Children here are into the English language at the very earliest moment,” Buchanan said. “Even if they come deficient in English, the school puts them in English classes at the earliest possible time. By the time they move along, by the third and fourth grade, they’re all proficient in English.”

Buchanan contrasted the school with bilingual schools, of which he disapproves.

“Some of those kids never really are introduced to the English language, fully into the culture and the opportunities they might have,” Buchanan said, “whereas these children are going to know English as well as native-born Americans.”

Then, catching himself, Buchanan turned to teacher Linda Seelhorst to ask whether the ethnically mixed students are native-born Americans. She replied that they all are.

Buchanan is making illegal immigration a centerpiece of his campaign for votes in California’s Tuesday primary.

The school bills itself as a back-to-basics education despite the community’s makeup. Seelhorst said the English-only approach was developed at parents’ request.

Last month, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton visited a bilingual elementary school in Los Angeles, praising its approach. President Clinton also has defended bilingual education.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: And for extra credit, kids … Even among the second-graders in Judy Burns’ class, Pat Buchanan was looking for votes. “How can I be president?” Buchanan said, repeating a student’s question. “I’d better start winning some delegates. What I have to do is I have to beat Sen. Dole here in California. OK? So tell your mom and pop. …”