Learning Matters: The Language War in New Britain

Most 3rd graders in New Britain, CT can't read by the end of the school year. For many of them this means they'll remain behind for the rest of their lives. Kelt Cooper, the district's new superintendent, says he can fix that. He's eliminated bilingual education classes in the majority Latino community, replacing them with an 'English Immersion' program that devotes much of the school day to learning English grammar. The move is controversial and, while initial results seem promising, opponents say students are being shortchanged.