Bilingual Education and English Only Laws have been in the news recently, yet the debate is very old. Bilingual Education is meant to help Limited English Speaking (LES) children enter into regular English-speaking classes. Yet, there are many who believe that it is doing just the opposite, hindering their ability to learn English. Likewise, English Only Laws that will prohibit the government from doing any government function in any language except English, is just as fiercely debated.
This paper will give view points from different perspectives/organization on the issue of Bilingual Education and English Only Laws. Further, statistics seem to say that Americans are in favor of Bilingual Education, as long as the main objective is, to teach the children to English, sometimes called English As a Second Language. But are not in favor Bilingual Education that focuses to enhance the Limited English-speaking children knowledge of their native language, and culture. On the issue of English Only Laws the pubic seems to some what confused. When asked if they are favor of English Only Laws they say yes, but when asked if a specific form should be in other languages(which English Only would prohibit) they also say yes.
During the 1870's a backlash against Bilingualisms started appearing. California past a English Only Law. In the 1920's Midwestern states passed legislation barring schools from teaching German. The Nebraska Act of 1921 made English the Official language. The Supreme Court reversed many of these restrictive laws in the case Meyer V Nebraska
In the same paper it states, at least 1,000 school districts teach in eight different languages. And 40% of schools serve at least four different languages. According to the Board of Children and Families more than 100 languages are spoken in the New York City public schools.
Demographics can change fast, putting further strain on the schools. One district in California after trying to meet high standard for their Spanish speaking children had after just one a decade an influx of students from Southeastern Asia swelled their population by 14,000. They did not have the necessary teacher to teach Bilingual courses. Further throughout the U..S. there is a shortage of certified Bilingual or ESL teachers. According to a study from the National Center for Education Statistics 38% teachers cannot be filled.
All these combined make implementation of Bilingual Education that would serve all Limited English Speaking Children a problem.
Many people complain about the cost of Bilingual Education and the cost of immigrants in general. The public might feel that immigrant are costing too much money. As a matter of fact, California voters recently past a bill, Proposition 187, to bar undocumented children from school and medical benefits. This seems to go against a U.S. Supreme court ruling Plyler V. Doe. in response to a similar law in Texas. But people anger might be misplaced.
One cannot just look at the cost of immigrants. One must look at how much immigrants bring into the economy. Most immigrant work and pay taxes. There are some studies that suggest that immigrant actually generate a surplus, reports Board of Children and Families for example," a 1992 study (Clark, R.L., Passel, J.S., Zimmerman, W.N., and Fix, M.E. Fiscal impacts of undocumented aliens: Selected estimates for seven states. Washington, DC: Urban Institute, September 1994) that post-1969 immigrants (legal and illegal) produced a net national deficit of $29.1 billion in public assistance and services. However, a more recent national cost-benefit assessment found that immigrants may actually generate a surplus. According to that study, immigrants who arrived in the United States between 1970 and 1992 paid $70 billion in taxes; subtracting from those taxes the estimated costs incurred by immigrants and their children for health, education, and other services, the study concluded that immigrants during that period generated a surplus of at least $25 billion to $30 billion."
Even if the studies that say immigrants create a surplus the distribution is a problem. Sixty-six to seventy-five percent of taxes goes to the federal government and the state and local government bears sixty-six to seventy-five percent of the expenditures ( Board of Children and Families, Frank D. Bean, Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin. Workshop discussion. ). This could be the reason I think, the federal government has many Federally funded programs for Education and Bilingual Education like Improving America's School Act, and Goals 2000: Education Act.
All the costs above do not include the cost of Bilingual Goverment forms. Just to give an idea there are over the 50 languages that at least 31,500 people speak in the U.S. to provide for all the diffrent languages would cost billions of dollars.
The American public seems to support English as a Second Language and not Bilingual Education.
In the GSS survey in 1994 there were two questions concerning bilingual education.
Question: How do you feel about bilingual education?
| 1994/GSS
| All | Male | Female | White | Black | Other |
| Are you strongly in favor of it | 27.7 | 23.8 | 30.9 | 25.1 | 39.4 | 44.3 |
| Somewhat in favor of it | 40 | 38.8 | 41 | 39.4 | 45.1 | 36.1 |
| Somewhat opposed to it | 17.1 | 17.4 | 16.9 | 18.8 | 8 | 11.5 |
| Strongly opposed to it | 15.1 | 20 | 11.2 | 16.7 | 7.4 | 8.2 |
As we can clearly see, the majority of Americans are for bilingual education. But on closer observation organizations who advocate Bilingual education should take some caution and organizations that are against Bilingual education can take some delight.
Question: There are several different ideas about how to teach children who don't speak English when they enter public schools. Please look at the card and tell me which statement best describes how you feel.
1. All classes should be conducted only in English so that children have to learn English right from the start.
2. Children who don't know English should have classes in their native languages just for a year two until they learn English.
3. Students who want to keep up with their native languages and cultures should be able to take as many of their classes in Spanish or other languages all the way throughout high school.
| 1994/GSS | All | White | Black | Other |
| Classes only in English | 36 | 37.3 | 29 | 31.7 |
| 1 or 2 years | 46.3 | 48.6 | 48.4 | 43.3 |
| Native throughout | 15.7 | 14.1 | 22.6 | 25 |
The same would hold for all income groups.
It seems from this they are willing to teach them in their own language for a year or two and not throughout this is more in with the program ESL.
In a pole conducted by Harris the same holds true:
There has been some controversy about educational methods for students whose native language is not English. Do you think government policy should promote bilingual education programs that teach English and teach other substantive subjects in a child's native language, or should policy mandate that substantive subjects?
be taught in English?
Responses: Government should promote teaching substantive subjects in native language/Substantive subjects should be taught in English/Not sure
| 1993/Harris | Percent |
| Native | 33.6 |
| English | 64.3 |
| Not Sure | 2.1 |
When the Issue is English Only there is some evidence that the American public favors it, but it a little iffy.
Question: Do you favor a law making English the official language of the United States, meaning government business would be conducted in English only, or do you oppose such a law?
| 1994/GSS | |
| Favor | 62.8 |
| Neither Favor or oppose | 9.7 |
| oppose | 27.6 |
But when asked in the same survey if the Government should provide ballots in other Languages 63% yes. I am a little confused since English Only Laws would outlaw such a ballot in different languages that is what English Only means. Maybe the public does not truly understand the ramification of English Only Laws
Question: Do you believe that election ballots should be printed only in English, or in areas where lots of people don't speak English, should they also be printed in some other languages?
| 1994/GSS | Percent |
| Printed only in English | 36.8 |
| Printed in Some other language | 63.2 |
Nevertheless, from other surveys it seems the American public feel that newcomers to this country have an obligation to learn English. Heres my proof:
| 1984/GSS | ALL |
| Very important obligation | 83 |
| somewhat important obligation | 13.8 |
| not an obligation | 2.7 |
Now let me ask you if you feel that all people have the following rights under our system of government here in the United States?
Item: The right for a person whose family speaks another language to learn English
Responses: Have this right/Don't have this right/not sure
| 1990/Harris | Percent |
| Have this right | 87.20 |
| Don't have this right | 6.00 |
| not sure | 6.80 |
From this statistics I can say that people do not have a problem in helping people learn English the American population does want to help people learn English. Help immigrants learn English But learn English they must. This we can say is the big debate in Bilingual education. How should the courses be structured? Should it be geared toward getting the children as fast into English only classes or should they stay longer in Bilingual Education and should school be there to preserve their native tongues.
All these organizations can bring a number of studies that support their views. Whether Bilingual Education is effective or not. Whether English as a Second language is a better way to go. Whether English Only will help, bring the races together or divide the country. One must remember all this groups will mention studies that they like and criticize the studied that don't support their views. All have some biases even The Department of Education and Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs. The Federal Government has its biases remember Bilingual Education means more jobs for them to administrate it. Each will say that the Supreme Court decision supports their view. Even thought the court never specified how to attain equal education for Limited Speaking Children in the case Lau v. Nichols Supreme Court Decision
National Education Association,
"The National Education Association recognizes the importance of an individual's native language and culture and the need to promote and preserve them through instruction, public service announcements, and all other forms of communication. "
"The Association believes that, although English is the language of political and economic communication in the United States, efforts to legislate English as the official language disregard cultural pluralism; deprive those in need of education, social services, and employment, and must be challenged"
The group does have informative information on their web site. But they do try too hard to scare people about English Only Laws saying that U.S. spies will be breaking the English Only Law if they talk to their informant in any language besides English.
They also claim that U.S. English, and English First are part of anti-immigrant organizations. Such as Committee to Preserve the Family U.S. Border Control and Council on INTER-American Security and Federation for American Immigration Reform.
OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MINORITY LANGUAGES AFFAIRS
"Established in 1974 by Congress, the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs helps school districts' meet their responsibility to provide equal education opportunity to Limited English proficient children."
Congress passed the Bilingual Education Act in 1968 in recognition of the growing number of linguistically and culturally diverse children enrolled in schools who, because of their limited English proficiency, were not receiving an education equal to their English-proficient peers. The purpose of this Act was, and continues to be, aligned with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which the Department interprets as follows:
Provide equal education opportunity to limited English proficient children "Where inability to speak and understand the English language excludes national origin minority group children from effective participation in the educational program offered by a school district, the district must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional program to these students."
Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs also sates that it is Bilingual where they try to enhance the self esteem of Limited English Students by enhancing their own native language skills while they learn English. One such study by the paper on the Web is by The National Clearing House for Bilingual Education which is funded by the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs is titled Best Evidence: Research Foundation of the Bilingual Education Act by James Crawford. Another study is BILINGUALISM AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION: A RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE ByKenji Hakuta
Of course it is the way how we achieve this goal is in contention. The Department of Education will say we need more classrooms in Bilingual Education to achieve these goals. Others like Center for Equal Opportunity, U.S. English, English First for example would say no, this means more effort into ESL.
U.S. English, English First seem more concerned about making English the official language Center for Equal Opportunity(run by the former President on U.S. English) seems more interest in Bilingual Education. They mention a study in CA. That says bilingual Education is a total failure by the Little Hoover Commision
U.S. English while is in favor of English Only bills to make English the official language of the they are not opposed to English As a Second Language programs. What they are against funding for Bilingual Education. Maybe they just feel either you are in an English-speaking country learn English. Or they truly might feel by forcing people to speak English. Everybody would benefit the immigrant and the country as a whole. Or maybe they are anti immigrant, I don't know.
English First is another organization that is not in favor on Bilingual Education. Actually run by an emigrant Mauro E. Mujica. He might honestly feel that it is a beneficial that immigrants learn English as soon as possible so they can exceed in anything they want to, as he did. They also are in favor of English Only Laws like HR 602 HR 351, HR 739, HR 622, HR123, HR 1005, And are in favor of ESL and not Bilingual Education.
Congressman Robert Underwood addressed the congress on November 28, 1995 in response to some of these English Only bills.
Center for Equal Opportunity Is run by Linda Chavez. They have links' articles to promote no Bilingual Education just ESL. In her Article One Nation, One Common Language she brings stories that Hispanics are put into more Bilingual classes and other races Russian Chinese are in ESL classes hence the Russians and Chinese enter mainstream English Classes faster. Because of this the Hispanics, are at a disadvantage. I guess this is where she got the name she wants Equal Opportunity but feels that they are getting the short end even in school. She goes on to explain how a good thing to teach Spanish children English has turned into "group rights " of minorities. Center for Equal Opportunity even publishes in Spanish a guide how to get your children out of Bilingual Education
Center for Equal Opportunity brings a study from New York that (they do not qualify it)(they e:mailed me name of the studys "The Educational Progress of Students in Bilingual and English as a Second Language Programs." It was issued by the Chancellor of the New York City Schools on October 14, 1995) that Center for Equal Opportunity quotes' a study from the New Board of Ed That published a study that Spanish and Haitian students were in Bilingual Education being teaches in the native language. And that Chinese, Korean and Russian were ESL mainly speaking English. The ESL students moved faster into English Only classes and were doing better in school in reading and writing. I just have a problem even if you could qualify these results the study seems doomed from the start. Since the groups were from different background's maybe that was the difference and not the teaching itself. "There is mounting evidence that immigrant youths perform at least as well academically and may stay in school longer than their U.S.-born majority-group peers of similar class backgrounds. Indeed, in spite of often difficult circumstances, such as those experienced by refugee children who come to the United States from war-torn nations, some immigrant children even exceed the academic norms of U.S.-born native English speakers from advantaged environments." (NAC) But other immigrant students perform less well, fueling public stereotypes about specific immigrant groups. Aggregate national statistics, particularly those that document lower achievement levels for Hispanic immigrant students...
Many people always bring up the arguments how did previous generation copes. They did not have all these Bilingual Education classes and mufti Lingual helped? First There are some evidence that the old generation did not do as good as people think. According to a study from National Association of Bilingual Education as reported by National Education Association, in 1890 children of foreign born parent were 3 times more likely to drop out of high school. But really even if they were a success to example is really, mute today's world is different high paying blue collar jobs are not growing and college/education is much more important then previous generations.
entrenched in their views. Both sides are dealing with a believe system in, how to bring equal Education as Limited English Speaking as ordered by the Supreme court in Lau v. Nichols Supreme Decision. Both sides have studies that support theirs believe systems. Since every study can be criticized. For example, they the students did not have the same teachers, they came from different socioeconomic backgroungs. Because of these questions, empirical evidence is very hard to come by. Further to see if any program is really effective, they need to make longitude studies in the different programs and these is always a problem since the environment of the subjects will not be the same.
But on the opinion on the American public I can be sure.. The American public is for English as a Second Language and not for Bilingual Education. As far as English Only Laws, while they approve of it, I am convinced they really have not understand the full ramification. But it would seem they do expect immigrants to put a great effort in learning English.
California Secretary of State
Center for Equal Opportunity
Department of Education
English First
Find Law
GSS Home page
Institute for Research in Social Science Public Opinion Poll Question Database, University of North Carolina
The National Clearing House for Bilingual Education
National Education Association
OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MINORITY LANGUAGES AFFAIRS
Thomas legislation Information
U.S. English
White House