Parents protest LAUSD plan to cut Mandarin classes in Venice

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Parents at an elementary school in Venice are upset that the Los Angeles Unified School District is planning to cut a Mandarin-language immersion class at their school.

Several dozen parents from Broadway Elementary went to district headquarters on Tuesday to protest and speak to the school board.

The program was launched in 2010 and quickly became popular, doubling in size to four classes with 96 students. Now, beginning this fall, the number of incoming kindergartners will be cut in half.

In a letter to parents, the school principal said one problem was the difficulty in finding teachers proficient in both languages. Also, LAUSD officials said there are space limitations at the school and noted that the district is adding two Mandarin classes to another campus, Braddock Drive Elementary, about three miles away from Broadway.

Still, parents and students say they don't want to see any cuts to the program.

"You have a program that really works," said parent Jennifer Pullen. "And not only does it work, but you have parents lining up around the block every year just to get into this program."