Despite being forced by my parents to take lunch hour lessons before it was offered in school, and despite taking courses right up until Grade 12, I don't speak French.

I know a lot of words, can conjugate a few verbs but I can't carry on a conversation.

It's with that caveat, and that my wife is French-Canadian and we want our two-year-old daughter to have as much exposure to Canada's "other" language as possible, that I consider early French immersion.

I applaud the Chilliwack school board's decision to commission a study into the feasiblity of early French immersion.

But this motion was passed six votes to one. Trustee Barry Neufeld voted against it, calling French immersion "elitist," of no benefit to students, and something that segregates students.

The first matter is worth ignoring, but the second is just wrong. The third also makes no sense since parents who want French immersion now have to really segregate their kids in another district.

Not wanting to do a feasability study about something that is broadly accepted in education circles as beneficial is a little like creationists who don't want to look at fossils lest they learn the world wasn't created 4,000 years ago.

Maybe Neufeld is part of the Newt Gingrich fan club? Gingrich is, of course, the candidate for the Republican presidential nomination who attacked his running mate for, gasp, speaking French.

Neufeld said Tuesday he "long opposed French immersion."

But before the Nov. 19 election, I sent an email to all 24 school board candidates asking on behalf of my wife, as a voter, a simple question: "Do you support French immersion starting at Kindergarten and what will you do to make this happen in the Chilliwack school district?"

Neufeld said "I am cautiously supportive of French immersion on ideological grounds. First of all, it is a valid choice in Education, and I believe parents need choice if they are to continue to support Public Education."

He went from "cautiously supportive" to "long opposed" in two short months.

In November, he did also say he had some reservations based on cost and this sense that French immersion students will be social pariahs.

He ended his missive to me this way: "If I am elected, I will work to: 1. Monitor the progress of French immersion students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

"2. Lobby the Federal Government through our local Member of Parliament to cut back on their obsession with hunting down and destroying terrorists and criminals and start investing in our own children."

O-o-o-K there Barry. There are many studies that have shown the cognitive benefits of French immersion, that Neufeld has wilfully, or otherwise, ignored.

Even Provincial FSA results show that children in French immersion in Grades 4 and 7 fare better than the average of all students in reading comprehension, writing and numeracy.

Luckily Neufeld is the only trustee who voted the way he did and, whatever the result, parents of children who want French immersion will get a fair shake.

Nine years ago, Neufeld was caught sleeping at a school board meeting.

His colleagues and some parents who attended meetings said it wasn't the first time and even he conceded "it has happened."

With decisions and comments such as the ones he made on Tuesday night, maybe next time something important comes up that he knows nothing about, Neufeld should have a "bon gros dodo" instead.