Box Elder District to remove Chinese immersion program in schools

BRIGHAM CITY — The Box Elder School District is going to remove the Chinese immersion program for new students, citing “declining interest.” Still, some parents are urging them to reconsider.

The Chinese dual immersion program at Golden Spike Elementary is ideally supposed to have sixty new kids each year to make up two classes. Instead, its enrollment is about half of that amount.  Despite the low enrollment, parents who have seen the program work say it’s too valuable to drop.

Luke Anderson has participated in nine years of Chinese dual immersion. He said he’s sorry to hear other kids in his area may not get that same chance.

“I’m disappointed, I think Chinese is going to do a lot for me in the future,” Anderson said.

He saw his language skills pay off on a recent trip to Taiwan.

“To watch it in action was incredible and it just really made us appreciate this skill that they’ve been able to acquire just through school,” his mother, Annette Anderson said.

Annette Anderson, who also has a daughter in the program, is among the parents who are urging Box Elder Schools to keep it.

“It’s about what kind of cultures of people you can connect with. It’s about helping you, even to the degree discover who you are inside,” Jared Turner said.

Read more the full story and more from Mike Anderson and Eliza Pace on ksltv.com.