LETTER: Cheshire Schools Need Italian Language Option

To the Editor:

If you have been attending the Curriculum meetings
of the Cheshire Board of Education, I am sure you have heard some local parents
and myself ask Dr. Florio and the members of the BOE to introduce
the study of the Italian Language in Cheshire's school system.

For the past two years, parents and grandparents of children in Cheshire's
school system have been asking that two classes of Italian language be
implemented at Dodd'd Middle School.

During Spring 2013, students entering Cheshire High School were given the choice to study the Italian language at CHS. Well over 100 students had signed up to study Italian, but they were later denied the offering.

Most of the surrounding towns offer the study of Italian, why not Cheshire?

As I explained to an uninformed member of the Curriculum of Cheshire's BOE,
UConn has a PhD in Italian and Southern and Central CSU have the MA in Italian.
Very important Italian BA, BS, and MA programs include: Trinity, Wesleyan,
Quinnipiac, Yale, Brown, Harvard, Smith, Fairfield, Fordham etc...

At present, all universities in CT with a "language requirement" recognize courses
of Italian language taken in high school.  Students are placed in intermediate or advanced Italian courses and do receive credit for AP courses.  Furthermore, UConn, in collaboration with Connecticut high schools, offers an "early college experience" program that includes the Italian Language.

Maria C. Passaro, Ph D
Professor, Modern Languages Department
Central Connecticut State University