Framingham Parents Petition For Bilingual Education at Fuller Middle

Parent group “La Voz de la Comunidad- Framingham” (Community Voice of Framingham) submitted a petition to Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott and Bilingual Education Director Gen Grieci, with more than 90 signatures, to bring bilingual education back to Fuller Middle School.

The petition, written in English and Spanish, is signed by parents, who have children attending both Brophy Elementary and Fuller Middle.

Presently, children in the Transitional Bilingual Education program at Brophy Elementary are able to learn educational content in their native language, and slowly acculturate to their new home, and learn English as quickly as possible in a supportive environment, stated the organization in its petition.

Once students graduate from Brophy and go to Fuller Middle, they “confront a drastic and difficult change to a Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) program,” states the petition.

Parents worry that the SEI environment isolates their children, causes stress and depression, produces low levels of self-esteem and confidence, and poorly affects their academic performance and behavior, states the petition.

Fuller Middle School is the public school district’s only level 3, or low performing middle school.

“With a bilingual program at Fuller, students will feel welcomed and supported, and will be able to understand and learn the material to build their academic skills and confidence in their native language while learning English and adapting to middle school,” states the petition dated July 2.

“We eagerly look forward to your support and the district’s action on helping our students to achieve in Framingham,” wrote the petitioners to Scott and Grieci.

The organization invited Scott and Grieci to join them at their next meeting on July 28.

Fuller Middle had about 440 students in grades 6-7-8 in the 2014-15 school year.

At Fuller Middle, 38.5 percent of the students were Hispanic in the 2014-15 school year, compared to the Framingham public school district which had about one-fourth Hispanic.

According to data from the state, 47.6 percent of the Fuller students, English was not their first language.

And, 23 percent of Fuller students were categorized as English Language Learners (ELL).

In comparison, only 2.5 percent were ELL at Walsh Middle and 0.8 percent were ELL at Cameron.

Students from Brophy Elementary, McCarthy Elementary, and soon King Elementary transition to Fuller Middle.

La Voz de la Comunidad is a volunteer membership-based group of immigrant parents, family, and community members dedicated to supporting their children and education and building their voice in the schools and in Framingham.

The organization’s priorities include outreach, organizing, and advocacy around immigrant rights and education.

Back in May, La Voz de la Comunidad organized an information session on immigration and education with support from the Framingham Teachers Association, Mass. Jobs with Justice, and the Student Immigrant Movement.

The forum was in conducted in Spanish and English and dinner was provided by the Framingham Teachers Association.

Representatives from the Danforth Art Museum, Mass. Bay Community College, Framingham State University, Pine Manor College, Metrowest WIC program, and Mass. Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) met families and gave information on resources. Guests School Committee Member Jim Kelley and Bilingual Education Director Grieci joined the event.