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Parents, students and alumni urge NEISD to keep Chinese 1 at Ronald Reagan High School
Summary
Dozens of students, alumni and parents used public comment at the Northeast ISD board meeting to urge the district to reverse a decision to remove Chinese 1 at Ronald Reagan High School, citing the class as a pathway into AP/dual-credit Chinese and a cultural safe space for heritage and non‑heritage learners.
At the June board meeting of the Northeast Independent School District, a sustained public comment period featured multiple students, alumni and parents urging trustees to retain Chinese 1 at Ronald Reagan High School.
“Taking away one of the few ways Reagan students can learn about Chinese culture can take away the ability of Chinese students to connect their culture,” said Brandy, who identified herself at the podium and said she relied on the class as a support while recovering from a brain tumor. “It would be much appreciated if you can reconsider the choice to take the class away from the course card.”
Rising Reagan sophomore Shiron Wong told trustees the Chinese 1 course is “the foundation of the entire program” and said removing the class would close the entry point that allows new students to progress to Chinese 2, AP and dual-enrollment options.
Several alumni described the program’s downstream benefits. Anna Guan, a 2024 Reagan graduate now at the University of Chicago, said she earned AP credit through the district’s Chinese pathway and that some students “will be discouraged from joining the program” without a true beginner class. Aiden Abney, who said he took Chinese four years at ISA, recounted how the program led to volunteering and cultural outreach opportunities.
Students and parents also raised practical numbers and requests: an alum said 42 students had already enrolled in Chinese 1 this year and urged the board to consider re-opening the course if community interest is demonstrated.
Beyond appeals focused on Chinese instruction, several speakers used the public-comment period to raise other district concerns. Javon Monik, who identified himself as newly elected AFT Northeast executive vice president, asked the board to prioritize salary increases and oppose certain proposed health‑insurance changes, saying a 2.5% pay raise should be considered rather than retention supplements.
Stephanie Waterhouse, speaking later in the public-comment block, alleged problems with special education compliance and requested staff training on ADA and IDEA; she said Northeast ISD failed to meet state minimum inclusion standards for recent years and urged the board to review policies and allocate more funding to special education. The district did not offer a live response during public comment; such policy and compliance matters are typically handled in subsequent staff reports or agenda items.
Why it matters: Trustees heard consistent testimony that a Chinese 1 course provides both an entry point into advanced language study and an important cultural and social space for students. Several speakers linked the program to college credit, study-abroad trips and grants that led to professional opportunities. The public urged the board to clarify the district’s enrollment threshold for keeping a course and to state whether the decision will be reconsidered.
What the board did next: The public-comment segment concluded and the board moved on to routine agenda business, including personnel approvals and policy items. No vote on the Chinese 1 program was recorded on the meeting agenda during the session.
The district did not provide an on-the-record response to each public speaker during the meeting; trustees typically direct staff to follow up or place topics on future agendas.
