ROUND ROCK, Texas – Round Rock resident, Lorena Zarate, believes the dual language program has been essential to her daughter, Marina’s, educational growth in Central Texas.
“Well, because it’s the language we speak as Hispanics, as Latinos that we are,” Zarate said. “It’s the language that she’s been taught at home since she was young. She learned all her English at school.”
For many families in the district, which is more than 50% Hispanic and 60% economically disadvantaged, any small change can create a number of concerns when trying to master a new language.
“It was a problem because she would have to start all over, get to know teachers, friends, and more than anything the transportation,” Zarate said.
Local education activists Kristan and Rebecca Saucedo, a long-time dual language teacher, know the impact this decision would have first-hand. With support from the community, the pair formed an electronic petition to keep the Callison Elementary’s dual language program from moving to nearby Gattis Elementary.
“To break apart a community solely based on their language is detrimental and would hurt these kids,” Kristan said. “Many of these families walk to school and work. They don’t have time to make other arrangements.”
In a statement to Spectrum News 1, the Round Rock school district stated transportation would have been provided and the initial decision was made to improve overall instruction and maximize resources. But after the outcry from more than 1,200 local residents, a reversal in decision was made.
“While we had originally planned to transition the program in 2023-2024, after hearing the passion and feedback from our Callison community and further consideration of the educational program in our district, the decision was made to keep the dual language program at Callison for the foreseeable future.”
Callison Elementary PTA president Tiffany Chapman said the original decision had come without warning and in the future, should be discussed with those most deeply affected.
“If there’s something this big, let’s figure it out as a community, it’ll create less anxiety, less shock factor,” Chapman said.
For the moment, it’s one less major concern for the Zarate family and many others, trying to acclimate to American culture and build a better life for the future.
“She cried when she heard (Marina) and was just so happy because she said she was not going to leave Callison,” Zarate said. “She was so happy.”
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