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GUEST EDITORIAL — The following is the final part of a multi-part guest editorial by New Brunswick Education Minister Kelly Lamrock in response to the ongoing controversy over the government's announced plans for teaching french as a second language in New Brunswick.

Education minister Kelly Lamrock

We understand that a universal approach to teaching French in elementary grades will be criticized by some as a denial of choice. I understand that this has value — after all, I am also a parent. However, two points seem important to make.

First, public education is about democratically establishing subjects we deem it essential for children to learn. We do not offer the choice to opt out of reading, math, science, or civics. Perhaps, in a different era, French was so controversial that those who wanted their children to learn it could only get that right by making it an optional subject unlike the others. I do not believe that reflects today's New Brunswick.

Second, we know that insisting on choice in one subject (though not the others) has led to streaming problems that hold all our kids back in reading, writing and math. If our highest value is parental choice, that means students' learning comes second. We submit that the child's need for a high quality education should have the highest priority.

In the end, I am swayed by these simple points of logic.

• If we want to have 70 per cent of our children have capacity in French, we need to start teaching French to 100 per cent of kids, not 30 per cent.

• Subjects such as math, history and science are not taught in a variety of optional ways, but in a universal way. If French is necessary enough to have a 70 per cent success goal (the same as the QLA target for literacy and math), then it should be taught like those other courses.

• The best way to combat streaming is to have a structure without streams.

The government's response to all the evidence we have gained over time from numerous reports, departmental statistics and counsel, and the most recent French Second Language Report will include:

• Creating a universal Intensive French program in Grade Five as a common introduction to French as a second language for all New Brunswick students.

• Making Grade 6, following Grade 5 Intensive French, as the sole entry point to French Immersion.

• Grandfathering students currently enrolled in Early Immersion.

• Beginning all FSL programming for the Anglophone sector at Grade 5 with Intensive French that will eventually be mandatory for all students in the Anglophone sector.

• Establishing a plan to use the gained instructional time from the elimination of Core French at the elementary grades for art, music, physical education and enrichment opportunities.

• Requiring all students, Post Intensive French and late immersion, to continue FSL instruction through to Grade 12.

• Developing a new policy on bilingual learning environments which will require:

1. principals of schools with Grade 6-12 students to take full advantage of having a student body with 100 per cent exposure to French through integrating conversational French opportunities into school life; and

2. principals of elementary schools to provide co-curricular programming introducing students to the bilingual and French culture in New Brunswick.

• Setting the proficiency target for the Post Intensive Core students at the Intermediate Level and for Late Immersion at the Intermediate Plus Level.

• Amending Policy 309 as required to reflect the changes to the FSL programs and to include the Intensive French/Post Intensive French models.

We are confident that with these changes we will all witness a significant improvement in the number of kids learning and speaking French as a second language, while also improving their scores in literacy, math and science. And all of these improvements are essential to new Brunswick's future self sufficiency.

We realize for those parents, like me, who have had positive experiences with Early French Immersion, this is a difficult decision. It does involve letting go of something that works for us in order to see if we can't include those who have been left behind by the same policy that benefited us. The fact that it is right does not make it easy. We can only say that this government is fully committed to the goal of a bilingual education.

Some may wonder if the risk is too great. However, the only sure thing is that doing things the same way will yield the same result. We know we have a long way to go to give our kids the school system they deserve. Change is a challenge — but our kids are worth the challenge.