Parents who have been lobbying for early French immersion in Chilliwack are "thrilled" with a decision by the school board Tuesday to go ahead with a feasibility study for a program here.

"It's what we've been pushing for," said parent Travis Forstbauer after the board meeting. "It was all really encouraging just to know that they see the value in it, just like us as parents. I mean, they're parents, they're grandparents and they see the value."

But not all trustees supported the motion.

In what he acknowledged was

probably an act of "political suicide," trustee Barry Neufeld voted against the plan.

"I'm just not convinced that French immersion is where we should be spending our money," he said in an interview after the meeting. "I think it costs too much for the benefits that it produces. It's elitist, it's really expensive and to get enough children together, they can't offer all the electives that kids enjoy when they're going through high school."

Neufeld argued he had yet to see hard data on the benefits of French immersion and said the Ministry of Education should do more to track the graduation rates, post-secondary education and career success of French immersion students.

"I've heard lots of rumours that it stimulates kids or gives them greater employment," he said. "There's a lot of popular belief in that, but the hard scientific research, I haven't seen it."

Neufeld added that the school district's late Grade-6-to-12 immersion program has been "patchwork" and that it would take more than the results of the feasibility study to convince him that the benefits of an new early immersion program would outweigh the costs.

Forstbauer shrugged his shoulders when asked about Neufeld comments.

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks, I guess," he said. "Everbody's entitled to their opinion. That's why it's not one trustee. That's why there's seven of them."

Several trustees spoke out in favour of the motion.

For trustees Heather Maahs and Martha Wiens, the most important issue was the district's responsibility to parents.

"I think the strongest argument is that the parents have asked for this," said Wiens. "It's of utmost importance that our parents have a say in the education system. They aren't heard nearly enough."

Trustee Silvia Dyck, meanwhile, argued that learning a second language early in life leads to enhanced brain development and that languages are important in a global society.

"The interest in one language will feed the interest in another," she said.

Trustee Walt Krahn also spoke in favour of the study and exhorted district staff to get an accurate assessment of parents' interest.

Some parents have raised concerns that the district's earlier attempts to gauge interest were flawed.

"Let's make this very public," said Krahn, "and let's determine a very authentic count."

Meanwhile, trustee Doug McKay, who attended the meeting from Arizona via video link, wanted to know who at the district office would have time to undertake the study when administrators are already busy with extra duties because of the teacher job action.

Superintendent Michael Audet said the district would reorganize some senior level staff to free up personnel for the work.

"I can't give a date to it, but hopefully very shortly," said Audet.

As per the motion, staff will complete the study no later than November 2012- a less than ideal timeframe for some parents.

"I'm disappointed about that," said Lisa Patterson after Tuesday's meeting. "I have a five-year-old in kindergarten right now, and I want it to start in September, but I understand the situation because of the job action."

cnaylor@chilliwacktimes.com