Written by Allison Goguen|
Photos by Allison Goguen|
Morgan offers a wide variety of classes for students to take, but some classes won’t last. Chinese, a class taught by Chinese Teacher Emma Liu, is a favorite class of many students, but due to budget cuts, it will be taken away next year. Chinese students are trying to save this important class, but whether or not the budget will allow it is the deciding factor.
Mrs. Liu has about 70 students in her three classes, all of which are relying on Chinese as their language. Some ‘solutions’ have been presented, but none of them are solid options.
The board is considering replacing it with an online program called Virtual High School, but it will be much more difficult to learn because there is no actual teacher. Mrs. Liu agreed that an online school was the wrong choice, posing the question, “Why do we have a physical school?” We need teachers to help students to learn. It would be almost impossible
to learn without a teacher.
Another option is to cut the class immediately and have the Chinese students go directly to Spanish. French isn’t even an option for the students because Morgan doesn’t offer a first-year French class for any of the students. Students need three years of a language to apply to competitive colleges. Students now face difficulties in earning the necessary credits and switching to a different language after learning Chinese.
Teaching the most spoken language in the world and an important class to many students, Chinese class needs to stay. Several students are writing letters to the school board to ask to keep their class. They wish the board could have done more to help.
Principal Keri Hagness said, “it’s always tough to see any program end.” Still, this is more than just a program to Chinese students. It’s an important part of their school life.
If you want to help save Chinese class, talk to Mrs. Hagness, call the superintendent, and sign the petition to help! Chinese is important. Please help the students of Chinese keep this class. They can’t do it alone.