A proposal to introduce a Mandarin immersion program in Richmond schools has been presented by parents in that city to the school board.
Dr. Bruce Beairsto, Richmond School District superintendent, said he received it last week.
“What they’re asking for is a Mandarin version of French immersion, or, and they were very clear about this, if there is something else that would work better in the educational system,” Beairisto said.
He added that this isn’t a case of Chinese parents wanting to establish a Mandarin-only school.
“This is an immersion program for bilingual children and everyone’s going to learn English and Mandarin, and we’ll also teach them French,” Beairsto said.
“There’s no suggestion whatsoever of creating a school system where people can learn Mandarin instead of English. That would be ridiculous.”
Beairsto said it’s too early to put a date on when the proposal might become reality.
