Defending Bilingual Education


Defending Bilingual Education

6
points

In November, Oregon will vote on an initiative that would limit the amount of time English language learners can be taught in their native tongue.

The smoldering debate for and against bilingual education has roared again to life and is quickly becoming the decisive issue on our state's ballot.

Citing immigration, funding, and education issues, this initiative has supporters fiercely backing both sides of the debate.

Insults of racism are being hurled about while the other side pushes back with the ever-present funding questions. It's getting ugly out west...

But what happens when you remove these issues and look at the students who are affected by this debate? What happened to the fine art of treating every person with compassion and allowing them to receive an education? Do we have a right to make it difficult to attain knowledge?

One example of the complex nature of this issue is a city named Woodburn in Oregon along the I-5 corridor. Walk in to Safeway to buy groceries and the signs are written in Russian first, then English, then in Spanish. There is such a large Russian orthodox population in this area, it makes sense to couch goods and services in a familiar language.

I support bilingual education and I semi-support dual-language programs but think that ESL and immersion programs are a complete waste of time.

What is wrong with meeting a student part way in their language, making them comfortable, reaching out to them socially and then teaching them the English they will need to be a productive member of society? Wouldn't you be willing to work harder for someone who has made an effort to understand who you are?

Basic humanity needs to trump the quibbling over funding and immigration law. It seems that we rely too comfortably upon the reasons why we can't instead of finding the reasons why we can. Si se puede!

For more information, please see the link in order to read the back story to this debate as well as find a glossary for the terms bilingual education, dual-language programs, ESL and immersion programs.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080713/NEWS/807130336

Peace,

Mia NW

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user-icon Submitted by Mia Northwest on Mon, 2008-07-14 20:35


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jdubhub's picture

If I can learn Spanish, they can learn English

Submitted by jdubhub on Mon, 2008-07-14 22:50.

Most of the debate surrounds the notable reticence of certain migrant "workers" and other hangers-on to learn English. "American citizens should learn Spanish!" they exclaim. Sure. Not a problem. But, since it's incumbent upon me to learn Spanish because it's so easy, then those with questionable documentation should have no problem with learning at least passable English.

The problem is--going back to the argument of entitlement--is our own government coddles and dissuades semi-permanent visitors to our country from assimilating. Can't speak English but want free money. No problem! We can give away taxpayer money in any language you speak fresh from the river or the boat.

Would any of us native English speakers be able to cross the border into Mexico, demand work, free education and benefits, and a monthly check, on top of demanding that native Spanish speakers accommodate our laziness to learn their language? If the answer is no to this question, then the answer to them should also be no.

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Publius's picture

I will second jdubhub's

Submitted by Publius on Mon, 2008-07-14 23:49.

I will second jdubhub's comment and add this:

It's not just about funding or immigration law. We shouldn't be telling these immigrants (whether illegal or not) that 1) it's OK to not learn English and 2) if they do want to learn it, they can wait until it's "needed" to become a productive citizen. The longer they go without learning it, the harder it will be for them to learn. Language is best learned in the early years of childhood, so if these students plan on being productive adults, they need to learn it as soon as possible.

I am not at all sympathetic to immigrants that struggle because they don't speak English. They made a conscious choice to live here and they know that we are an English-speaking nation. I don't think it should be the responsibility of tax-paying, English-speaking citizens to fund programs for immigrants that chose not to assimilate and learn English. But I also don't think it's the government's responsibility to create and fund a Department of Education either. They have long overstepped their authority - with little concern from the average uneducated American.

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