Language classes reduced due to declining enrollment

BY JASMINE RIHAL

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Students and parents were not notified of the proposal until the week of March 27 or given the opportunity to express their opinions before the decision was finalized. After the 2026-27 school year, Japanese will only be offered at Homestead and Fremont High Schools. Students from other FUHSD schools, who want to pursue Japanese will have to either cross-enroll between their home school and Homestead or Fremont or seek outside sources to continue their World Language studies.

“I imagine more students would look for separate, outside learning opportunities to learn Japanese rather than cross-enroll,” Japanese student and sophomore Deniz Genc said. “It would provide a lot more inconvenience if students were to commute to attend their Japanese class in the middle of the day throughout the week.” will have to phase out the department by reducing their course offerings by one level each year throughout the next five years.

The primary role of level four Honors language classes is to prepare students for the following AP level five course. Many teachers argue that level four is extremely crucial in students’ path for progressing in World Languages. Eliminating the Honors classes will mean that teachers have to compensate by changing their level three and AP curriculums.

“These decisions will make it much harder on students who intend on taking the AP exam for their language,” Spanish teacher Kim Revilla said. “Without the preparation of level four classes, students may be discouraged from advancing in their studies.”

This large change in the World Language department has sparked criticism and disappointment from both students and teachers. On March 23, freshmen Vikrant Vadathavoor, Ishana Subrahmanyan, Ivy Hoo and Isaiah Sit created a petition urging programs in full. As of April 4, it has gained more than 1,800 signatures.

“The petition was meant to show the school that there is support for these language programs and that we are against their elimination without our input,” Vadathavoor said.

Declining enrollment

On March 31, the district held a board meeting at Lynbrook regarding this issue, which Superintendent Graham Clark attended to extend communication on the decision. It provided an opportunity for students to ask questions directly to the board regarding this proposal and learn more about what it means.

Elizabeth Louie, French teacher

“I understand it, my program is small, but it’s also withstood really well in a time of declining enrollment, so it seems kind of short-sighted,” Japanese teacher Jeremy Kitchen said. “We have continued to create great opportunities for students, and the smallness of the program has created a tight knit community which has benefited students, as well as given students who took Japanese in middle school an opportunity to continue learning.”

Read what the Epic thinks about these policies on page 5.