Letters of Advocacy

It’s crucial to communicate with those who are making the decision to keep or reduce/eliminate a French program and to make the most effective arguments possible to justify retaining the program. The Advocacy Checklist will help you think about how to organize your communication campaign.

Who should write to the decision-makers?  (Hint:  Who are your French program’s allies? And whose opinions will carry the most weight with the decision-makers?)

      • French teacher
      • Parents
      • World Language colleagues
      • Other colleagues from your school or university
      • Students
      • Past students
      • Advocates from AATF chapter or national
      • Advocates from the community

What should the emails/letters say? What arguments can my allies and I use? Check out these resources:

This page–15 Advocacy Arguments–presents 15 important arguments that can be used by advocates and supporters of French programs.

These are pages in the Resource Bank that provide documents laying out in more detail Talking Points and Arguments in favor of French–take a look!

As well, the following sample letters provide some models you and your allies might use: As you read them, think about how you might adapt their structure or their arguments in your own letter(s) or recommend them to your allies.  And you can take sentences and wording straight out of these letters for your own communication (provided you make it fit your own situation, of course!).

Sample Advocacy Letter–Community College

Sample Advocacy Letter To Superintendent–French Program Cut

Sample Advocacy Letter to Provost-French MA Cut

Sample Advocacy Letter–Teacher To Parent–French V

Sample Advocacy Letter To Board–Elementary French Cut