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The Bilingual Ban That Worked
City Journal ^ | Heather Mac Donald

Posted on 12/10/2009 9:16:52 AM PST by ventanax5

In 1998, Californians voted to pass Proposition 227, the “English for the Children Act,” and dismantle the state’s bilingual-education industry. The results, according to California’s education establishment, were not supposed to look like this: button-cute Hispanic pupils at a Santa Ana elementary school boasting about their English skills to a visitor. Those same pupils cheerfully calling out to their principal on their way to lunch: “Hi, Miss Champion!” A statewide increase in English proficiency among all Hispanic students.

Instead, warned legions of educrats, eliminating bilingual education in California would demoralize Hispanic students and widen the achievement gap. Unless Hispanic children were taught in Spanish, the bilingual advocates moaned, they would be unable to learn English or to succeed in other academic subjects.

California’s electorate has been proved right: Hispanic test scores on a range of subjects have risen since Prop. 227 became law. But while the curtailment of California’s bilingual-education industry has removed a significant barrier to Hispanic assimilation, the persistence of a Hispanic academic underclass suggests the need for further reform.

(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bilingual; california; education; hispanic; learning; teaching

1 posted on 12/10/2009 9:16:52 AM PST by ventanax5
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To: ventanax5
My mother didn't speak a word of English when she started school in the one room schoolhouse. She learned and still retained her native tongue (Ukranian) for the rest of her life. Both my parents knew Ukranian,

BUT, they never taught us children. WHY?? We were Americans....all the way. No other reason!!

2 posted on 12/10/2009 9:25:33 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: ventanax5

Actually, children ARE language sponges. It’s the easiest time of their lives to learn multiple languages. Teaching a Mexican child English only gets more difficult as they get older. Why do I know this and PHD’s do not?


3 posted on 12/10/2009 9:31:41 AM PST by Republic of Texas (Socialism Always Fails)
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To: Republic of Texas
... Teaching a Mexican child English only gets more difficult as they get older. Why do I know this and PHD’s do not?

A lot of PhD's are educated beyond their abilities and have lost any shred of common sense they ever had.

4 posted on 12/10/2009 9:39:39 AM PST by rllngrk33 (0bama, proof we can no longer underestimate the stupidity of the voters.)
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To: ventanax5

Excellent article! Thanks for posting.


5 posted on 12/10/2009 9:46:13 AM PST by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll protect your rights?)
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To: Sacajaweau
My great grandparents emigrated from Wales to the US. Their 19 children all spoke only English. They only spoke Welsh to each other a few fellow Welsh immigrants at church. The children were very successful farmers and engineers. No linguistic or cultural barriers to success in the U.S.
6 posted on 12/10/2009 10:04:38 AM PST by Myrddin
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To: Republic of Texas
Teaching a Mexican child English only gets more difficult as they get older. Why do I know this and PHD’s do not?

Perhaps the PHD's have a vested interest in keeping the "underclass" under?

Regards,
GtG

7 posted on 12/10/2009 10:20:52 AM PST by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, I like it 'cuz they know me here.)
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To: ventanax5
The original claim that teaching children some classes in Spanish so they don't fall behind while working to teach them English makes some sense. The problem is that bilingualists saw bilingual education not as a method of teaching children but rather as a method of getting long term job security. I finally gave up on biligual education as currently used when I heard stories of students who spoke only English but had Hispanic names were put into Spanish only classes - sorry, but the idea is to get Spanish speakers to speak English as quickly as possible, not the other way around just to boost numbers of students and therefore teachers.
8 posted on 12/10/2009 10:23:21 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Obamalaise - the new mood for America.)
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To: Republic of Texas
Teaching a Mexican child English only gets more difficult as they get older. Why do I know this and PHD’s do not?

Harder = more teachers, more books & more curricula written by PhDs. Easier = learn it naturally without special books or curricula. Hmmm.

9 posted on 12/10/2009 10:25:34 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Obamalaise - the new mood for America.)
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To: Sacajaweau
When I started dating my wife, one of 10 kids in an Hispanic family, I thought "cool...I'll improve my Spanish."

That was laid to rest at the first big family gathering, including a few aunts, uncles, and cousins. The older generation, that of my future FIL & MIL, spoke Spanish amongst themselves. They spoke predominantly English to their children and grandchildren.

10 posted on 12/10/2009 10:39:25 AM PST by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: KarlInOhio
I'm not saying "one size fits all", but you won't find a bigger proponent of immersion training than me. I had been stationed in Germany for two years before I took a formal class. I was able to pick up bits and pieces through Berlitz and small conversations, but my conversational abilities really took off after a couple of months of immersion classes.

My last two years in Germany were much more enjoyable, thanks in large part to my confidence in my ability to speak the language. I'd often go out to eat with a friend and his wife-to-be (who spoke very little English), so we pretty much spoke German.

We had interesting conversations with several German friends. Wanting to shake off the rust on their English, they'd speak English to us, while we were speaking German. It was great fun.

Those abilities came in handy during the 1980 election. My neighbors were sure that Reagan was going to start WWIII, so they were pleading with me to vote for Carter. At the neighborhood gasthaus, I was able to give them a few American Civics lessons.

11 posted on 12/10/2009 10:53:52 AM PST by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: ventanax5

Assimilation is a must for a cohesive society.

People who refuse to assimilate do not need to be moving to the USofA. Period.

Because Muhammadanism is political, adherents cannot assimilate without apostasy. Therefore, they should not be allowed in the USofA unless they are willing to give up the political aspects of Izlam. Good luck with that.


12 posted on 12/10/2009 11:06:32 AM PST by HighlyOpinionated (Abortion-Euthanasia kills the very people for whom Social Justice is needed.)
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To: Republic of Texas
Why do I know this and PHD’s do not?

They do know it, that just isn't their agenda. It is all about money, power, and control.

13 posted on 12/10/2009 12:10:19 PM PST by itsahoot (Each generation takes to excess, what the previous generation accepted in moderation.)
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To: KarlInOhio
The problem is that bilingualists saw bilingual education not as a method of teaching children but rather as a method of getting long term job security.

Bingo. Their English skills are often not nearly good enough to be employed as anything other than a teacher who teaches in Spanish.

My experiences as an ESL teacher include seeing victocrat American-born Mexican-descent teachers inflict Spanish and Mexican reconquista political and historical propaganda on ESL students. The ESL students were mostly not from Mexico, and about a third didn't speak Spanish.

14 posted on 12/10/2009 2:39:15 PM PST by ReagansShinyHair
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To: ventanax5

BTTT!


15 posted on 12/29/2009 8:57:45 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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