Parents at four schools in Western Prince have voted down the school board's plan to introduce a new intensive French program.

That has stalled P.E.I.'s plan to make the program Island-wide. The program, which replaces core French for grade six students, has already been implemented in three schools in the Western School Board. Instead of a half-hour class, students spend 60 per cent of their day learning in French for half the year. Serious opposition sprang up when the board tried to expand where the program was taught to four more schools.

"We are aware of a number of concerns from our parents, with respect to the amount of time lost from the English program, as well as what's in place to assist and support students who may be struggling," said board superintendent Dale Sabean.

"We're going to have discussions with the Department [of Education] on the whole approach to intensive French."

Provincial implementation stalled

The board held public meetings earlier this year, presenting research on the effectiveness of the program, but in the end parents were unconvinced and voted the idea down.

The Department of Education wants intensive French to replace core French in all Island grade six classrooms in the next few years. That plan is now stalled in both English school boards.

Nicole Morrissey, president of the Tignish Home and School Association, said intensive French might get a better reception in her area if it was not quite so intensive.

"Even if they took maybe an hour. Right now they get a half an hour of core French. Even if it was an hour or an hour and a half I don't think people would be as upset as they are," said Morrissey.

Morrissey said parents are already preparing to oppose intensive French if the board tries to introduce it again next year.