I visited ACI College Prep today to get information about their program for my child, who is…read morecurrently in middle school. I went there genuinely interested in finding additional academic support for him. Unfortunately, I was left extremely disappointed by the way we were treated.
My child recently came to the United States from Asia. His English is still developing, and he is currently an ELD student. He is adjusting to a completely new country, language, culture, and educational system. As his parent, I expected an educational institution to understand this and, at the very least, treat him with patience, encouragement, professionalism, and respect.
Instead, I felt that my child was looked down upon because his English was not good enough. The attitude and communication we experienced made us feel unwelcome. Watching your child being made to feel that he does not belong simply because he cannot yet communicate fluently in English is extremely upsetting for any parent.
What makes this experience even more troubling is that, at the same time, another student who is also in ELD was accepted, while my child was made to feel that he was not welcome.
That raises a very simple question for me: If both children are ELD students, why was one student acceptable while my child was not?
If ACI has specific academic admission standards, that is completely understandable. But those standards should be transparent, clearly explained, and applied consistently. If English proficiency was the issue with my child, then I would like to understand why another ELD student was treated differently.
I cannot claim to know what was in anyone's mind or what motivated the difference in treatment. However, based on what I personally experienced, it felt discriminatory and left me seriously questioning why my child was treated differently.
I was also surprised by the attitude because many of the families I observed appeared to be Chinese-American or Chinese families. As a Chinese parent myself, I expected greater understanding toward a child who had recently arrived from Asia and was still learning English.
This experience also left me questioning how newly arrived Chinese families are viewed by businesses in the supplemental education industry. Parents coming from Asia may not yet fully understand the American school system, ELD programs, college admissions, or the role that private tutoring and college-preparation businesses actually play in a child's education.
Educational organizations should help families understand these things honestly. Parents should never be made to feel that spending large amounts of money on private education is what determines whether their child has potential or deserves an opportunity.
Being in ELD does NOT mean a child is unintelligent, academically weak, or incapable of succeeding. It means the child is learning English. My child should be evaluated based on his academic ability, willingness to learn, potential, and character--not simply on how fluent his English happens to be today.
Children who recently immigrated to the United States already face enormous challenges. They have left behind the language, friends, schools, and environment they knew. A good educator should help build their confidence and encourage them to improve, not make them feel embarrassed, inferior, or unwanted because they are still learning English.
I would have had no problem if someone professionally explained, "Our program may not be the right fit for your child at this time," and gave me clear academic reasons. I can respect honesty. What I cannot respect is inconsistent treatment without a clear explanation.
I came to ACI looking for an educational opportunity for my child. I left feeling that my child had been judged rather than encouraged.
That is not what I expect from educators.
Based on my personal experience today, I cannot recommend ACI College Prep. I sincerely hope management takes experiences like this seriously and improves the way staff communicate with and treat immigrant families and children who are still developing their English.
Every child deserves dignity, patience, fairness, and respect, regardless of where they were born or how fluent their English is today.
Very disappointing. Shame on the way this situation was handled.
