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Show A-15 The Park Record Wed/Thurs/Frl, April 11-13, 2007 4 Immigrants wait for English classes By ELIZABETH AQUILERA MediaNews Group Wire Service If you are an immigrant and want to learn to speak English, be prepared to wait. It takes months and sometimes years to get a seat in English language classes. Federal studies show that millions nationwide say they would like to study English if there were classes available. Groups in Colorado that offer classes put people on waiting lists. Speaking English is "necessary for everything you do," said Enereida Castaneda, who is taking a Mi Casa Resource Center for Women English class twice a week in Denver. She wants to advance in her job at a chicken packing plant. "The new job requires you to speak and write in English," she explained. Since 1980, the number of adult English language learners - people not proficient in English - has doubled from 6 percent of the population to 12 percent, according to the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. In Colorado, English language learners who want to take a free class are waiting up to two months for a spot. The state serves 15,151 adult students each year primarily through federal grants. At Mi Casa Resource Center, which has provided English as a Second Language classes for 10 years, every class fills up and there are always 10 to 15 people waiting, said executive director Carmen Carrillo. Mi Casa teaches nearly 100 students each year. "Parents want to be more involved in their children^ education or they want to have better opportunities or a better job," Carrillo said. Critics of immigration question the reported lack of English classes. "There have been plenty of opportunities to take English classes - if they want to, they could learn," said Stan Weekes, director of the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, which supports a moratorium on all immigration and tougher immigration enforcement. "There is very little interest in using English other than when necessary." In 12 states surveyed by the National Association of Latino Elected Officials last year, 60 percent of free English programs had a waiting list. Nationally, 1.17 million people were enrolled in publicly funded English-acquisition classes in 2005. The federal government spends about $500 million a year for the adult classes, which do not address legal status of students. The National Association of Latino Elected Officials study, "The ESL Logjam," found three of five English as a Second Language providers have a waiting list, and growing demands and funding losses for classes have reduced the availability and quality of classes. In Colorado, the wait time can be up to two months. In Phoenix, the wait time can be as long as 18 months and in Boston it can be as long as three years. "Having greater proficiency in English is the gateway to full participation in all aspects of American life," said Rosalind Gold, senior director of policy research and advocacy for the Latino officials association. At the same time, many cities and counties nationwide have implemented English-only measures, some say to force immigrants to learn English! And last year Congress debated making English the nation's official language. Last year, Colorado legislators tried to pass legislation to require the state to conduct all business in English. "I don't think it's necessary to pass a law to force people to speak English," said Julio Moreno, associ- ate professor of history.and chairman of Latin American Studies at the University of San Francisco. "The new flows of immigrants come with a mindset that they will stay in the U.S., and parents come with the mindset that they do want their kids to assimilate ... and that includes learning English." Learning English and assimilation should not be confused as one, said Dick Lamm, former Colorado governor and a proponent of tougher immigration laws. "There is a demand to learn English, and I do think that is wonderful," said Lamm. "I do not think that is assimilation. Assimilation isni language, it's becoming one people, it's exploring commonalities and recognizing that we have a common fate and a common destiny and that we are not two people but all one people." For Juvenal Sanchez, who wants to be able to talk to his English-speaking children, becoming a better English speaker means he can become a citizen and enroll in electrician courses. "It's really important because you can communicate with everyone and people respect you more and there is more community," said Sanchez, 35. PASSPORT ... NOT REQUIRED! ENCHANTING EUROPEAN INN ROMANTIC FINE DINING \ BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER - DAILY ELEGANT SUNDAY BRUNCH REMEMBER OUR CHEF'S WEDNESDAY DINNER IS $29.95 F 0 R THREE COURSES Internationally minded mayor has high marks SALT LAKE CITY (AP) He has spent much of his last term speaking out on global environmental issues and lately has been calling for the impeachment of President Bush. Both are a little out of Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Andersons jurisdiction, but that seems to be just fine with his constituents. Anderson has a 59 percent approval rating among the city's residents, according to a new Dan Jones & Associates poll commissioned by the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV. Thirty-eight percent of residents disapprove of the job Anderson is doing, according to the poll reported Saturday by the Deseret Morning News in a copyright story. The numbers are a slight improvement for Anderson. In May 2006, his approval rating was at 52 percent, in September 2005, it was 54 percent But its far from the overwhelming support he had during his first days in office. In June 2000, less than six months after Anderson took office, his approval rating was 75 percent. Increasingly Anderson has - become a vocal proponent .of environmental causes, especially the fight against climate change, and a impeach Bush and Vice President vocal opponent of the war in Iraq Dick Cheney, 54 percent of city resiand the Bush administration. Overall, the poll's respondents are sympathetic to Anderson taking on issues beyond the scope of city management. Fifty-six percent said it is appropriate for a sitting mayor of Utah's capital city to be politically active in national and international issues, while 36 percent said it was inappropriate. Most popular is his fight against global climate change, of which 67 percent approve - 47 percent of those strongly approve - and 26 percent disapprove. Anderson has instituted a number of city policies aimed at reducing the use of energy and fossil fuels during his tenure. On a larger scale, he has been speaking at environmental conferences worldwide and hosted his second-annual gathering of U.S. mayors at Sundance in November to share ideas on combating climate change. Salt Lakers also support Andersons vocal opposition to the war in Iraq, by a 54-percent to 43percent margin. ,,, . However, when. it comes, to the. mayor's calls for Congress to dents disapprove. Forty-four percent approve. «• & RESTAURANT 1235 WARM SPRINGS ROAD MIDWAY, UTAH 435 6 5 4 HO www.theblueboarinn.com 2005 i'i v. T.ovroaywi' txstn ZAQATSURVR2004 S20OFF $20.00 off Dinner" $5.00 off Lunch or Breakfast* T 435.940.5070 Open 7 days a week. Complimentary valet parking. Breakfast 7a - 11:30a, Lunch u p - 2:30pm, Dinner 5p - lop Must purchase two entrcii and present ao to server when ordering. Cannot be used with any other offtr. Expires 4/16/07. 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