Failing Georgia school pushes Mandarin language

(CBS News) MACON, Georgia - A failing school district in Macon, Georgia, where half the 25,000 students fail to graduate, has taken drastic steps to turn the system around -- and it includes an unusual mandate.

At Sonny Carter Elementary School, third-graders are learning the most widely spoken language on earth: Mandarin Chinese.

Learning Mandarin is now mandatory in Macon, Georgia, public schools.

Mark Fuller has Mandarin class three days a week, taught by one of 25 Chinese teachers sent to Macon from China, their salaries partially subsidized by the Chinese government.

"I like learning new things. I like learning the words... It's just awesome," Fuller said.

Within three years all 25,000 kids at all Bibb County Schools will be taking Mandarin. This is one of Georgia's lowest achieving school systems, where half the kids drop out.

Romain Dallemand is the new superintendent for Bibb County Schools, and he wants big change for this troubled system.

"This is about opening their world. This is about preparing these students to compete in a 21st century, multi-ethnic economy," Dellemand said.

He's Haitian-born and spoke only Creole until he came to America in the ninth grade. He made Mandarin mandatory over the objections of many Macon parents.

"Nothing I've read convinces me this is the way, this is the language, this is the avenue that schools need to take," said Macon parent Sandie Parker.

Parker wants options for Chandler, her second-grader. Her choice for him would be Spanish, not Mandarin.

Dallemand said even though many students are struggling with English, Mandarin should still be a priority, adding "Manadarin is one piece of the Macon miracle."

The district is investing $2.76 million in Dallemand's Macon miracle - that's what he is calling his plan for sweeping changes in the classroom, with an emphasis on math and reading.

"How many students should we lose as a community before we do something fundamental to improve students performance?" Dallemand asked.

And while not everyone has an ear for the language of change, so far just two unhappy parents have pulled their kids out of Mark Fuller's Mandarin class.

[cfscreamer]

http://www.macon.com/2013/01/23/2327763/sources-dallemand-raises-buyout.html

Do you think CBS News will follow THIS up? No.

[mathewmark]

This guy is a big JOKE. Most parents do not want their child to take Chinese. Some parents are not allowing their child to take it. We have many problems here in Bibb County and the Supt. is one of them. He goes on overseas trips spending money like it is going out of style. He stays in 5 star hotels, eats high on the hog all the while our students do without books, desk, supplies needed. If anyone wants to have him., please take him. If he is go great, why aren't people beating his door down to hire him?????? Oh CBS do not be fooled by this joker.

[MuddyHead]

China has 100 million people who are regularly communicating in English. The families and schools are pushing their kids and students to learn English at a very early age. The Chinese prefer to communicate in English when doing business. If you don't speak English, you cannot work in major cities such as Shanghai or Beijing. That makes English the preferred and most widely used language in the world. No matter whether it's the new century or the old one, English will continue to be the language of choice to conduct business. To argue that learning Chinese is for the future, that's a stretch.

Well it does NOT hurt to learn Chinese. You can speak a bit Chinese, and that impress many people on the dinner tables, where most of the business are done in China. When the dinner is over, people get back to business, and they use English. Everybody understands.

If your students at schools are doing well even in English, what's the point of leaning a brand new foreign language? Learning Chinese to become a spoke person for a Chinese company in front of TV, that really impress a great many audience. If you have watched a CNN page on Chinese companies hiring foreigners, you know what I mean!

[cfscreamer]

You have absolutely no clue as to what is happening here. They have cancelled the jobs of other teachers just to promote their agenda. Does that sound like a good thing?

[mamabrande]

I would like to see CBS come back and do a story on the percentage of children in Bibb County that do not attend the Bibb County School system. With so many in private schools or home schooled, I doubt there will ever be a significant change in the quality of public education around here.
There is a lot more to this plan that they ignored that has caused a great deal of controversy, like possibly hiring the Pacific Educational Group.

[BetterCommunity]

I strongly oppose and abhor Mandarin teaching by the Confucius Institute as the Bibb County Georgia Board of Education has done.
"Confucius Institutes are described as non-profit public institutions aligned with the government of the People's Republic of China whose purpose is to promote Chinese language and culture, as well as facilitate cultural exchanges. This seemingly benign purpose leaves out a number of purposes both salient and sinister, namely, sanitizing China's image abroad, enhancing its "soft power" globally, and creating a new generation of China watchers who well-disposed towards the Communist dictatorship."
http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA17-WState-MosherS-20120328.pdf

"American high schools like Confucius classrooms because China partially subsidizes them and because the PRC pays for junkets wherein administrators come to China on tours, stay in five-star hotels and get generously wined and dined."
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=1904&catid=13&subcatid=82#220

These junkets are already planned for Bibb County: "Following a presentation about Mandarin Chinese in the district, Dallemand said the district is planning for principals to visit China in
the spring."
http://www.macon.com/2012/09/20/2184817/bibb-schools-redirecting-45-million.html

[BetterCommunity]

And how are human rights in People's Republic of China?
"Against a backdrop of rapid socio-economic change and modernization,
China continues to be an authoritarian one-party state that imposes
sharp curbs on freedom of expression, association, and religion; openly rejects judicial independence and press freedom; and arbitrarily restricts and suppresses human rights defenders and organizations, often through extra-judicial measures."
http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-china

[gorogers]

Well, speaking as one of the only two parents that supposedly are unhappy and pulled my child... I never pulled my child... I simply wrote a letter before classes ever began. There are so many problems with this Superintendent and his plans. People should deeply research him... You'll soon understand the issues that he created in other cities where he attempted to Super and all of the baggage he brought with him only to create more havoc here. As if we didn't have enough problems already. I want my child to be fluent in his OWN language, be able to write, add and subtract, to be able to problem solve... That is my priority. Once that is conquered, I am fine with him choosing to take an elective style course like this... But I do hope that he chooses one that will benefit him based on the languages that surround him everyday versus one that someone else wants to force down his throat!

[cfscreamer]

I wonder if CBS will do a follow-up when Dallemand ends up in jail? Probably not.

[cfscreamer]

I didn't spin it. Someone else made a flawed observation, and I merely corrected them. I reported fact, as you reported "emotion".

[perryanders]

Oh my. I can't believe CBS news was duped by this guy. They took you guys to the 2nd best school in the district and sang the praises of the all time silliest thing we've ever seen in Bibb County...and CBS news swallowed it hook, line and sinker!

If CBS news wants a real story about this Clown Superintendant (he was awarded "clownship" by the teachers union), let me know!

[Gurulu]

Well it is questionable that making Mandarin a mandatory subject will change the performance of the school. Many of the best schools in the US however have it as an option, a relatively popular one at that. But the causality is probably more that good schools offer Mandarin, not that offering Mandarin makes schools good. http://www.gurulu.com/en