Barrington Schools To Offer Chinese

BARRINGTON, Ill. (CBS) -- Elementary school pupils in Barrington will have the opportunity to learn Chinese.

The District 220 board has voted to accept $1.5 million federal dollars to teach Mandarin Chinese to pupils from kindergarten through 6th grade.

The vote Tuesday was 6-1. But some board members expressed concerns that the program could be canceled or moved from one school to another if finances demanded it, the Daily Herald reported.

The teachers union is also objecting to the plan. Union officials are concerned that some members might be replaced by teachers who speak Chinese.

Those who join the program in kindergarten and first grade in 2012 and 2013 would take classes at Countryside School in Barrington, while those who started in 2014 and 2015 would likely start classes at North Barrington School, the Daily Herald reported.