Veritas Prep Charter: Multilingualism is a lifeline, not a liability
When I was five, I walked into my kindergarten classroom in Western Massachusetts without knowing a word of English. My family had moved from Puerto Rico to New York and eventually settled in Massachusetts, carrying with us our traditions, our resilience and the only language we knew: Spanish.
In class, there were no programs, no supports. Only confusion. I distinctly remember being punished on President’s Day for not understanding the instructions for a coloring assignment.
That experience stayed with me, and it’s why, as a multilingual learner coordinator today, I’m determined to make sure no student feels that their home language is a liability. What felt like a barrier at the time has become one of the most defining parts of my story. I’m now fluent in three different languages and oversee programs for language-learning students, fostering their academic and linguistic growth to help them achieve their full potential.
Read the full op-ed via MassLive >> https://www.masslive.com/westernmass/2025/10/multilingualism-is-a-lifeline-not-a-liability-viewpoint.html