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that, but it helps to have their every-day experience confirmed by research. Middleand high-school teachers have five and six classes a day consisting of 30-plus students. This means a total number of between 150 students and 190 students a day.

Does anyone seriously believe that real education is taking place in such overcrowded conditions? When is there time to allow individual participation in classroom discussions? When is there time to correct papers?

Let's take a closer look at our student population. What do they need to achieve an adequate education? Statistics are staggering.

In California, close to half-a-million students are limited in English speaking. The national figures indicate over 15 percent of the total student population does not speak English.

Bilingual programs under attack What these students are facing is a double battle—the lack of smaller classes to help them become proficient in English and the lack of special programs in their native languages.

The English Only initiative, which is going on the ballot in New York and Texas and has already passed in California, is legitimizing anti-immigrant sentiments fueled by the ruling class of this country.

Long-standing bilingual programs, which are recognized as valuable by the teaching profession, are on the cutting block. The dropout rate for Hispanic students is close to 40 percent. Loss of bilingual programs will boost this rate still further.

Teachers still underpaid

While students fail to get an adequate education, teachers fail to get an adequate wage. The average salary of the starting teacher in the continental United States is $15,548—far less than starting salaries in other professions.

It is this low starting wage for a college graduate that is driving away potential teachers. College graduates are going elsewhere, where the economic rewards are greater.