English Advocate Calls Demands for Bilingual Testing 'Ridiculous'

Web Today ^ | March 30, 2004 | Web Today

[walford]

A conservative organization is expressing outrage over a lawsuit that seeks to force the State of Massachusetts to administer its high school equivalency examination in Spanish for students more proficient in that language than in English.

The Multicultural Education, Training, and Advocacy Coalition and two lawyers' groups have filed suit, claiming the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment (MCAS) test is unfair to Spanish-speaking students. The group claims the exam given to evaluate students in academic subjects such as math and history is unfair and should be offered to them in Spanish.

But K.C. McAlpin of the Washington, DC-based group Pro-English believes the effort to change the MCAS is just another result of the failure of bilingual education. "It's not in our interests as a nation to be awarding American public high school diplomas to people who cannot speak, read, or understand the language of our country. It's ridiculous -- outrageous -- and no country should be expected to," he says.

The executive director of Pro-English feels immigrant students would be better able to understand the equivalency exam if they were involved in strict English immersion programs. He says a native English-speaking student attending school in Brazil, for instance, would not be expected to graduate and earn a high school diploma without learning to speak and understand Portuguese.

Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly decided to eliminate bilingual education in 2002. However, McAlpin believes the program has already caused the state's young people significant harm. "One of the reasons that they have students who cannot take and pass this high school equivalency exam is because of the failure of bilingual education to teach kids English in the public school system there," he says.

According to Pro-English's research, bilingual education students consistently score lower on standard achievement tests, and far too few of these students meet the goal of transitioning out of the programs. The English language advocacy group says many of these students remain socially isolated and frequently drop out, while millions more graduate without learning fundamental language skills and are thus deprived of opportunity in a predominantly English-speaking country.

[walford]

This should not be a 'conservative' issue. Framing it that way gives the impression that there is a cadre of nostalgic angry white old men who are trying to marginalize immigrants so that they will become invisible. That would then bring back the good old days when most everybody in America was white. Those who were not stayed out of sight.

Don't let the Left get away with portraying those of us who oppose bilingual education in that way. When my Spanish-speaking grandparents came to this country, they were determined to BECOME AMERICANS. If they wanted to retain the culture of their mother country, they would have stayed there.

So they learned the English language and became productive members of society. Assimilation does not mean abandoning one's roots. It means contributing words, customs, food, morals etc. to a greater whole so that the entire nation will be thus further strengthened and enriched.

Besides, as is mentioned in the article, bilingual education doesn't work. Immersion in the English language is demonstrably more effective.

As a descendent of Spanish-speaking people, I am particularly offended by the concept that they must receive special accommodation. Other people come to America speaking languages that are completely different and unrelated to English – such as those from Asia. Somehow they find a way to learn the language and flourish.

Are to take from this that Spanish-speakers are more stupid and thus need to be coddled in their own language?

[Born Conservative]

[bearkat]

I enjoyed that article and your post very much.

I was job searching after 4 years in college and had come to find out that I was not qualified for half of the jobs I was interested in because I cannot speak Spanish. I was furious. What country do I live in? I know the basics of the Spanish language, but I am certainly not fluent.

[brownsfan]

This should not be a 'conservative' issue.

Very well said. I'd like to add a couple things.
It really IS a conservative issue, the liberals have seen to it. It fits with the leftist/elitist mode of operation, keep a group, a large group, dependant. If they are dependant, then clearly they will need the "benevolent" left to do things for them. Obviously, (to the left elite), the left leaders are the only ones to govern because they combine "compassion" with "supeior intellect". For these very same reasons, it's why the left has made an issue, and continued with black/white race conflict in this country as long as they could! And the cost is lost productivity, and keeping entire groups of people dependant.
I'm 100% for English, and against bi-lingual education. Not because I don't like Spanish/French/Chinese/etc. It's because I know that if we all speak the same language, it breaks down barriers, gives us common footing. If you are an American, you should have a chance to excel. If you excel it benefits us all, not just you. Bi-lingualism is a hinderance, not a help.

[kenth]

Very well said too.

[searchandrecovery]

Open Mexican border, requirement to admit illegals to public schools, bilingual education/esl - well, bilingual testing is the next logical step. The wedge drives deeper a little at a time, the cancer spreads slowly. Kinda like that gay marriage thing - thinking a door can be opened just a little is the biggest mistake. Slippery slopes indeed.

[Truth'sBabyGirl]

While I generally agree with you and the article, there is one possible argument to be made for the other side. Theoretically, these kids had to learn the Math and History in English, so the language they repeat it back in shouldn't matter too much. The pigger point, though, is that people seeking to pass high school equivalency tests are hopefully seeking jobs. I'd rather have them working in predominantly Spanish neighborhoods than being on the public dole. If they know the subjects, let them pass, and let them work for a living.
I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here, but it makes for an interesting debate.

[chronotrigger]

In the mid 90s, french speaking Quebec almost voted to separate and become an independent nation by a vote of approx. 49.6%-yes. If Canada can be brought to the edge of collapse because of the language issue, then so can this country.

The best solution for everyone is to teach English only. I only wish more people understood this.

[chronotrigger]

This should not be a 'conservative' issue

Right. It should be a common sense issue.

[Former Fetus]

Theoretically, these kids had to learn the Math and History in English, so the language they repeat it back in shouldn't matter too much

Last year I was teaching high school at a local private school and we had 2 Mexican students who did not speak any English. Since I was bilingual, they had no excuse in my class. I helped them learn English, tutored them after school in Chemisty and Biology, speaking Spanish, and allowed them to answer their tests in Spanish. Do you wonder how they did? the highest grade any of them got was a 24! BTW, when I arrived to this country I didn't speak much more English than those boys. But I worked hard. I asked for, and received, permission to carry an English - Spanish dictionary while taking exams for those courses where professors were known to take points off for misspellings. And I stayed the h**l away from all Spanish-speaking clubs, parties... I ended up graduating on schedule, wrote and defended my PhD dissertation totally in English (with some help from spell check!) and a 4.0 GPA. I don't have any sympathy for bilingual education or for those people who expect everybody else to learn their language.

[Modernman]

It's almost like liberals want to keep Hispanic immigrants as a permanent underclass. Let's face it- being able to speak and read English is absolutely neccesary if you want to be able to get anything other than low-level service and manual labor work. Bilingual education only serves to cut off these kids from a prosperous future.

[Choose Ye This Day]

You're a great example of what immigrants--legal and illegal, from any and all countries--should strive for. Work hard, don't accept mediocrity, be proud of who you are and where you're from, but respect and revere the country of freedom you're now in.

I lived in Argentina for two years. I learned the language. I didn't expect shopkeepers and landlords to understand English. I was visiting in their home (country), so I saw no reason why I wouldn't live according to their rules and speak their language.

If my family moved to South Korea, what would happen if I demanded that the public schools teach and test my kids in English?

[KC_for_Freedom]

The pigger point, though, is that people seeking to pass high school equivalency tests are hopefully seeking jobs.

Well, it is just that they should work that they should learn english. This is New England, not San Antonio. English is the door to work in every location, non-english puts you to work in the ghetto and this is not a positive help. Especially with the experience of english immersion in California. (Which was supported by hispanics too.) The result has been an overwhelming success for the kids who are passing the competency tests in greater numbers every year. MA needs to get with it. Bi-lingual education is a coddle, primarily of benefit to the teachers with bi-lingual credentials who made extra money.

I love spanish, and can be well understood in this second language, but I would never tell someone here that their future does not depend on them learning english as well as they can.

[breakem]

If Canada can be brought to the edge of collapse.....wow what an impact!

[Truth'sBabyGirl]

Point well taken.
Obviously, I meant to write "bigger," not "pigger." Maybe my English skills need some work too!
:) TBG

[Choose Ye This Day]

I kind of like the sound of "the pigger point."

Maybe that has something to do with Ted Kennedy?

[walford]

...french speaking Quebec almost voted to separate...

Yes, you have supplied a critical aspect of the issue that I neglected to mention. Quebec stands as an example of what looms for America if we continue to facilitate quasi-functionality for non-English speakers.

They will not become part of the greater culture. Instead they will be further marginalized. Eventually they will become a constituency for the balkanization of our culture into language/race/culture-based interest groups.

Let us not forget groups like La Raza that actively seek to demographically overwhelm the southwestern U.S. with illegal immigration until a critical mass precipitates a de facto [if not de jure] secession from the Union.

[JusPasenThru]

Espanol es muy importante en mi trabejo. Aprendir espanol no es si malo, no es verdad?