IT is easy for Mr. Ike Santos to attack me in the media by accusing me of misunderstanding the LOTE Program in our public schools. I’ve taught in the program since its beginnings in the early 1990s, where I helped to organize a school-wide outreach program with Bob Kohn and others.
I am an experienced and certified ESL/LOTE teacher of many years, and I have been the LOTE coordinator at many of the schools I have taught.
As a matter of fact, I was very much involved in the creation of the present LOTE manual and its procedural content. I am presently a certified ESL/LOTE teacher at a northern elementary school. Hence, I do not require “refreshment” in LOTE procedures.
My competence goes beyond political ramblings by GPSS puppeteers. I consider myself an expert and a specialist in the area of ESL teaching. I do not blame Mr. Santos for speaking on a subject of which he is not an authority. But, we all know why this occurs and why our school system continues to decay in every area.
Throughout this school year, shuffling of my class population has occurred three times. This was without consideration of Home Language Surveys, IEP meetings, or teacher recommendations. DI disregarded most of these procedural requirements as a federal grantee, of which Mr. Santos ironically accuses me of misunderstanding.
At the time that DI was first implemented several years ago, the LOTE program became inactive and fell completely under the purview of DI. The LOTE Program coordinator did not conduct workshops, seminars, school visits, or inspections. It was not Eloise Sanchez who was directly responsible for this. This can be verified by those teaching LOTE.
To say that DI has been successful in the LOTE Program is another misconception by Mr. Santos. You cannot gauge the success of students who are constantly moved around and have little background knowledge to read and maintain a meaningful vocabulary base. There is very little time to modify or clarify foreign words or phrases while using DI.
I believe that it is time for the LOTE Program to remove itself entirely from DI and return to meaningful teaching and learning. It is also time for Mr. Ike Santos to consider another position which allows him to question my experience, education, and understanding.

ELWIN CHAMPACO QUITANO
Dededo, Guam