The issue of replacing bilingual education with the reimplementation has aroused a great deal of controversy in recent weeks. On the one hand, proponents of bilingual education argue that English immersion not only caters to the nationalistic sentiments of some English-speaking Americans, but inadequately services the educational needs of non-native English speakers in other subjects as well; on the other hand, advocates for English immersion contend, as Richard Rothstein wrote, that “early 20th-century immigrants succeeded by that method” (NYT, “Voter Mandates and Bilingual Education”, Oct. 23). Both parties of advocacy raise some rather strong arguments on their own behalf, some more credible than others, however; still, neither seems to address the essentiality of bilingualism in the US for both English and non-English speakers. It is equally as important for Spanish-speaking immigrants to learn English as it is for English-speaking Americans to learn Spanish. Several advantages can be sighted for a Simultaneous Language Immersion Program as an alternative to both of the aforementioned inadequate educational practices. Decades of increase in the immigration of Spanish-speakers has meant the rise in utility of the Spanish language. It is often seen as a bonus in the job market. In fact, bilingualism is practically required for the acquisition or sustenance of any career in which one must interact with the public: governmental positions, teaching positions, marketing or public relations positions, and so on. For those who would argue that both should be conducted English, the rebuttal is this: in order for your children to compete with a new generation of bilingual and, therefore, more adept children, they will have to learn Spanish. The concept of simultaneous Spanish and English immersion is itself enough to thwart both of the currently disputed concepts. Learning Spanish would presumably be as difficult for a native English-speaker as it so often is for a native Spanish-speaker to learn English. The children are confronted with the same difficulties and challenges, thereby leveling the playing field while, simultaneously, providing a means by which to advance the language capabilities of both youth. The potential success of a program such as this is limitless, as demonstrated by the Mary C. Burke Community Elementary School Complex in Chelsea, MA. Because of its implementation of such revolutionary and innovative programs as the “Caminos” program, the Burke Complex is, perhaps, the most highly regarded in all the state. As per program requirements, children are taught all subjects in English one week and in Spanish the following week. There is no repetition of concepts or lessons—children progress in all subject matters as if they were learning one language. In the process, the school is also able to cultivate interpersonal development in all students: they both appreciate and learn from one another’s cultural and ideological differences. In terms of politics, SLIP offers the sort of bipartisan compromise rarely achieved by leftists and rightists on education. Furthermore, the implementation of such a program nationally would not only propel US schools into the twenty first century, but, to borrow one of President Bush’s [borrowed] phrases, would also be the true manifestation of his promise that no child be left behind.