The Cantonese Bilingual Program at Visitacion Valley Elementary School is a vital resource for our community, promoting bilingualism and cultural diversity. This program not only helps students achieve higher academic performance but also strengthens their connection to their heritage. In a city like San Francisco, where over 20% of the population speaks Chinese at home (U.S. Census Bureau), it is crucial to maintain such programs that support our diverse community.

Furthermore, the SFUSD explicitly listed the option of Visitacion Valley Elementary School's Cantonese bilingual class in the first round of enrollment applications for 2024-2025 academic year. However, the district notified parents of the decision to cancel the Cantonese bilingual class for the 2024-2025 academic year after the first round of enrollment ended, causing confusion and misunderstanding among many parents. This approach not only deprives parents of the opportunity to enroll their children in other schools with Cantonese bilingual classes but also may leave some parents unaware of this decision until the next school year begins, which is highly unreasonable. If the district indeed intends to close the Cantonese bilingual class, we believe they should inform the entire community before the start of the first round of applications to provide parents with more choices and preparation time.

This is not the first time SFUSD has acted with disrespect toward parents and students. Two years ago, the district only informed parents of the merger of kindergarten and first-grade bilingual classes on the first day of school. 

On a community level, canceling the bilingual class program will lead to fewer students enrolling at Visitacion Valley Elementary School, potentially leading to its closure. This will affect the learning of students in our entire community, and we strongly oppose such actions. Public schools should provide opportunities for low-income families' children to learn special skills for free. Our Visitacion Valley community is located in an economically disadvantaged area, and compared to other schools, we lack sufficient resources. Now the district is depriving children of this cultural education that they take pride in. The district says it provides every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century, but currently, it is going against it. If the district closes our school's Chinese bilingual class this year, will other schools face the same problem next year? Then the number of Cantonese bilingual classes will decrease, it ends up closing all the Bilingual Classes, which shows the district's lack of regard for our Chinese community. This will lead to the children's Chinese identity not being recognized and respected. The continuous decrease in enrollment is due to the district's inaction and failure to invest funds where they are most needed. If San Francisco public schools can offer more specialized programs, we believe they can attract more parents to choose San Francisco public schools.

Sign this petition to ensure the continuation of this essential educational program!

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