HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With tension high over what what positions and programs would be eliminated, the Houston ISD board of trustees meeting had a bit of levity in the form of a girl named Sophia.
During public comment for Thursday's meeting, Sophia addressed the board in Spanish, reading off of a sheet of prepared remarks.
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But, at the end of her comments, Sophia told the board, "I can do it in English if you would like."
The quip prompted light-hearted laughs in the meeting.
At the heart of Sophia's comments was the benefits of the district's foreign language immersion programs. She cited Houston's melting pot of foreign languages as a reason to keep programs afloat amid proposals for cuts.
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Sophia told the board she has learned Spanish as a second language for two years in HISD.
Her comments came before Houston ISD approved a "reduction in force" to help bridge its estimated $115 million budget gap. The board exempted bilingual education teachers from the cuts.
READ MORE: HISD board OKs 'reduction in force' as part of budget cuts