The Miami Herald
July 15, 2004
Bilingual education program wins approval
A proposal to develop a public-awareness campaign pushing the benefits
of a bilingual education was unanimously approved by the Miami-Dade
County School Board on Wednesday.
''This may be a divided board about some things, but not about
bilingual education,'' board member Marta Pérez said during a
debate on the proposal. ``Bilingual education is one of the jewels on
the crown.''
The board gave permission for the district to seek corporate partners
to fund the campaign, which will include advertisements in print, on
the radio and on television. It also approved appropriating $3,000 in
seed money.
Speaking in support of the proposal, Dabney ''Bud'' Park, former
director of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's education task
force, said ``any effort to build a global Miami is going to require
students achieving a second language.''