1980s: During the 1980s the tide turns against bilingual education. Predisdent Regan assigned Terrel Bell as the new Secretary of Educatuion. Terrel Bell condemns the mandate for native language instruction as an intrusion on state and local responsibility. A federal government overstep. He returns the decision making abilities to the States.
ESL and Structured English Immersion models begin to gain credibility as they are much less expensive and easier to enforce. Once again English only movements sweep the country. By 1998 39 states had tried to pass laws establishing English as the official State language. Of those 39, 22 succeeded. States went from asking What teaching approaches and mix of languages in the classroom will ensure an equal chance for all students to succeed in the classroom? to How can we teach English as quickly as possible? Regardless of what is best for the student. 1988: Proposition 227 did away with bilingual education in California. Exaduarted and bloted studies fooled the voters into thinking that bilingual education was a waist of money. This law not only did away with programs that were not working but programs that were and replaced them with one untested method for teaching English on every local school district in California. It forced schools to place limited English speaking children of all ages and languages into one classroom, took away parents' right to choose what's best for their children, opened up teachers to being sued personally for teaching in that children's native language to help them learn English. 2000: Proposition 203 Arizona followed California’s example and ended it’s bilingual education program as well. ITS NOT TOO LATE America is a nation of immigrants. We have always had language minority’s. We have always tried to educate our children. But as poverty rises, and as we fall further behind in the world in education and competition I argue that it is time to loose the "one language" belief and adopt a multi-linguistic belief. If we can teach out children in bi- and even trilingual classes I believe we will come together as a nation and advance in the world. |