CA Chinese-language class foes drop recall effort

HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. – Residents of a California city have abandoned efforts to recall four members of their five-person school board over their support for a language program funded by the Chinese government.

Recall petition organizer Rudolph Obad said Monday that he and the other opponents of the so-called Confucius Classroom language program decided to use their funding to support sympathetic candidates in an upcoming school board election instead.

Four Hacienda La Puente Unified School Board members voted last year to accept funding and books for the program as part of an agreement with a Chinese government education agency.

A notice circulated by the recall backers accused the members of believing that the United States will be subservient to China and manipulating students to serve China's government, among other allegations.

The city is in east Los Angeles County.