Principal Defuses Prop. 227 Anxieties

In response to a threat of a student walkout, Hueneme High School Principal Roger Rice on Thursday told students that there would be no immediate changes in the school’s bilingual education programs.

Rice visited the classrooms after educators heard talk about lunchtime walkouts or protests over the passage this week of Proposition 227, designed to end bilingual education in the state’s public schools.

“Everything is proceeding as usual,� Rice said. “I think what will happen in the districts is that there will be a wait-and-see attitude of what will happen in the courts.

“I’m waiting for direction from legal counsel to see if and what changes, if any, I am to implement.�

Referring to about 800 students with limited English proficiency, the campus has a “sizable population that might be affected� by the passage of the initiative, Rice said.

Proposition 227 requires virtually all classes to be held in English.

Rice overheard students talking about a possible demonstration and said he got the word out that the demonstration had to happen in a “peaceful and appropriate fashion.�

He also let students know that “we supported their right to speak their mind and if student leaders want to rally, I would be willing to talk,� he said.

Administrators monitored the grounds during lunch, but the students did not hold any demonstrations or walkouts, Rice said.