Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Looking to future: David Hembry

Some students pushing for Asian languages at LGHS

By John Pancharian

Some Los Gatos High School students are pushing to add Asian language classes to the curriculum. Junior David Hembry and sophomore Rebecca Fong have worked since the end of March to persuade administrators of the need for and interest in an Asian language program--so far without success.

"I think if we look at the world from an economic and political standpoint," Hembry said, "by the time current graduates of Los Gatos High School have jobs, China and Japan will be incredibly vital forces. China will be the next superpower, and Japan is nearly a second superpower now. There's no reason to ignore these countries."

Hembry said he and Fong conducted a survey of about 350 LGHS students, asking about their interest in taking Asian languages. Of that number, 218 signed a petition in support of adding Asian languages, 137 said they would have taken an Asian language had it been available to them during the 1997-1998 school year and 38 said they would definitely enroll in such a course if it were available next year. Japanese was by far the most popular choice, followed by Mandarin, while small numbers of other students expressed interest in Korean, Vietnamese and other languages.

"It's important to have cultural diversity," Fong said. "Our school has been in the paper as being culturally insensitive. It's also important for future dealings with Asia. That will be a large market, especially here in California."

Patricia Hughes, vice principal at LGHS in charge of curriculum, guidance and counseling, says that she would like to offer Asian languages at LGHS, but funding and staffing such classes is not currently possible. LGHS stands to receive $438,000 from state Digital High School technology grants, and the passage of Measure B June 2 would provide the district with $79 million for facilities repairs. However, Hughes said those funds cannot be used for staffing or curriculum, and the high school does not have money in any sort of general fund that those sources would free up.

"There is not as big a demand for languages as there is for drama, orchestra and computers," Hughes said, citing a school site council survey which asked students what new classes they would like to see at LGHS. She also said that new language offerings need to mesh with curriculum taught in the lower grades if class size is to be maintained. If a middle school were to offer beginning Japanese in conjunction with the high school, then LGHS would be more likely to have enough students interested in upper-level Japanese to offer it. Since completing college foreign-language requirements is important to many students, maintaining upper-level class sizes is critical to making the program worthwhile.

Currently, LGHS students who wish to take Japanese may do so by commuting to Saratoga High School. Few do so, however. Hembry said this is because LGHS students must have two consecutive periods free in a day to make the scheduling work. He said that for most busy college-prep students, this is just not practical.

Hughes disagrees, saying that it is all a matter of priorities.

Hembry said he has written letters to teachers and Japanese cultural groups looking for a qualified teacher but has not yet been able to find one.

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