More classes would help

I agree, we have to fund more classes for English language learners. We can't complain that they don't speak English and at the same time, not want more classes for them. DP

Opinion
recordonline.com: One of the complaints about the new wave of immigrants is that they do not want to learn English. One of the counterarguments is that there is such a demand for English classes that those who want to learn wait for months, even years.

A recent story in The Wall Street Journal focused on a community organization in Queens that turns away three out of four applicants. A story from the Boston Globe reported that 16,000-18,000 people are on waiting lists.

Now there is a boom in private, fee-based instruction, which can be unaffordable for people who work one or more entry-level jobs. Employers often have to pay the bill to teach their new employees the English they need to do the job.

While there is little common ground on the immigration issue, both sides should be able to agree that the federal government needs to drastically increase the budget for these language classes and not just complain about the lack of English skills.