Front Page  »  

California legislator calls for return to bilingual educations

February 21, 2014

education-picCalifornia State Senator Ricardo Lara proposed a ballot measure Thursday that would reverse the state’s ban on multilingual education in public schools. [LA Times]

Sixteen years ago, California voters approved Proposition 227, which requires public schools to instruct students in English. Lara, a Bell Gardens Democrat, has proposed that parents receive a choice as whether to let their children participate in bilingual education.

“English will always remain the official language of California, but we cannot ignore the growing need to have a multilingual workforce,” Lara said. Employers seek multilingual employees and all students — English and non-English learners alike — deserve access to this invaluable skill.”

The percentage of elementary school-age students enrolled in multilingual programs declined from 39 percent in 1997 to 13 percent in 2001 after the law took effect, Lara said.

Lara has the backing of the California Association for Bilingual Education and Californians Together, an organization of parents, teachers, education advocates and civil rights groups.

 


Loading...
Subjects:                     
Related:


30 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Uh, if it didn’t work then, why would it work now? Why can’t you guys quit making the same mistakes over and over again? Why don’t you try making some new mistakes for a change?


0

I see the creation of bilingual education leading to more employment opportunities in the future. Demographics are changing here, and if you are a caucasian in California you will soon be the minority…so you better brush up on your spanish if you want access to a broader range of job opportunites.


From 2010 census:


White population (california only): 14,956,253 40.1% of pop.

Hispanic population: 14,013,719 37.6% of pop.


It’s 2014 not 1974…some of you dinosaurs better open your eyes and look around you. The makeup of our state’s population is evolving…and so must our future workforce.


0

Drop dead, (the cleanest words of response I can manage right now), Archer, before you call the voting, assimilated, melting-pot Californians “dinosaurs”. The core essence of participation in our society includes adopting the language, and while I’m old, grey, gringo and completely trilingual, it was a convenience to serve clients who should have learned the language. Many of those clients could have negotiated BETTER if they’d spoken English; their loss.


I feel comfortable floating between the languages as a social pleasure, not on demand, with Hispanic friends who ALSO speak two or more languages including English, and many of us object to being told that we HAVE to ACCOMODATE those who have failed in the common courtesy to America of learning the common language.


Further, your words are an INSULT to the ESL people who HAVE learned and/or work hard to get along and conduct business in English as they polish their English skills. I’ve got tico friends who have prospered beyond my dreams and learned English as fast as they could upon arrival. THAT’S the way to go, and voters decided that.


Your post is carrying the water of Senator Lara, an extreme hispanophile who panders to a constituency instead of advancing the cause of America as a united force with a common language and energy. Malhayas tu, caballero.


Your ilk are annoying when you arrogantly speak such tripe as you do. This is about Americanism and you are aggressively touting a position hostile to our values. Persons too proud, lazy, or arrogant to adopt the language of this country will miss out on very much, and Lara’s demands are harmful to Latinos who will be impeded. We used to call the attempt to marginalize and limit a population as “ghettoization”, meaning holding back the young of a given group by limiting their ability to PARTICIPATE.


0

Hispanic language use will sap and impurify our core essence Mandrake ! language is money money has rights corporations are people, non english language users are 3/5th citizens. pure Lara branch water with xenophobia shaken not stirred.


0

LameCommenter says: Drop dead,…your words are an INSULT ….Your post is carrying the water…Your ilk are annoying when you arrogantly speak such tripe as you do….you are aggressively touting a position hostile…


Wow what a lame attack on someone with logical fallacies galore. It is just this kind of behaviour that brings down the level of discourse to a shouting match of anonymous toons.


0

I notice that, as of this moment, 1 person “liked” your post while 10 “disliked” it. In other words, by a 10 to 1 margin, commenters on Cal Coast News disagree with your suggestion that people try to be a little nicer. And, in my view, that says a lot, because this site does seem to attract a lot of enraged anonymity.


0

Thank you Lame for your response.


I’ll try to be clear and concise with my post.


1) “Drop dead”. How sad that you have to resort to such verbage against another…despite my differences with you or anyone else, I would never wish someone to die. I believe it speaks volumes of your (lack of) humanity AND your lack of an objective retort.


2) No one is “demanding” or “forcing” anyone into bilingual education. If I’m incorrect in this, prove me wrong.


3) “You are aggressively touting a position hostile to our values”. ME? Hahaha…aggressive? Compared to what…YOUR post? And when you say “our values”…whose values are you speaking of? Since when did YOUR values become the standard for all Californians?


4) Not ONCE did you attempt to refute any of my points posted with any factual evidence, just flew into a personal attack that makes me wonder if bigotry, ignorance and selfishness is all you have to offer this debate…how sad.


Have a stellar weekend!


0

My family came to this country many generations ago and took pride in learning English and not broken English to this day I have yet to learn the Portuguese Language there is no need none of my family speaks it .The way I see it is the border jumpers want to come to this country and bring Mexico with them some care and take pride to be in this country the majority don’t look at our All American City Santa Maria what a shit hole that place has turned to or any community that the Hispanics primarily reside. So what’s next should we re-write the Constitution in Spanish send absentee ballots to Mexico might as well being we have a illegal attorney, driver license’s ,free collage etc ,etc, etc


Not prejudice, Democrat or Republican but the Dems will do anything for a Vote even if it is an illegal vote

Just sayin


0

Technically, Santa Maria is an “All America City” (not “American”) – as goofy as it sounds, I know. I suppose when you’re made up of North America, Central America and South America people, one can be “All America” as opposed to just all american…


0

This is only the beginning. Mr. Lara also is sponsoring “Heathcare for All” which would give free healthcare to illegals and anyone not covered by Obamacare. The Covered California website in Spanish is also stating that they will not share any immigration information with other agencies–so illegal immigrants can sign up without fear of detection. Lara was the son of an illegal immigrant mother and is being groomed by establishment Democrats to be the head of the California Senate in spite of his real lack of experience and depth.


In Texas, one town of about 6000 people on the border, has already voted in an ordinance to use Spanish as the town’s primary language and all city business is conducted in Spanish.

After all, how do you conduct business in English if no one speaks English. Good point.


With the number of Spanish speakers in Santa Maria, Greenfield, King City, etc. we are likely to see a push by the legislature to allow Spanish as the main language for some of our towns also.


Meanwhile, with the Democratic supermajority and Lara as Head of the Senate and Perez as Head of the Assembly, the amount of aid to illegal immigrants via the taxpayer, will skyrocket.


0

Some cultural diversity is wonderful. It is interesting and fun to learn about other cultures and to share some of the traditions of the people who have come here from other countries. However, there can be too much of a good thing.


When I see things like this recommendation to adopt bilingual education, I can’t help think of what happened to the old Soviet Union. When people feel no need to assimilate, to at least a reasonable degree, into a common culture, there is a risk that the system will come apart.


My ancestors from Europe were always proud of their heritage, but they knew that they were in the United States, not the old country, and they learned English as quickly as possible.


I have often wondered how much it costs us all to print documents and provide services in multiple languages. What would bilingual education cost?


0

Well, in a country of a little more than 30,000,000, bilingualism costs the government 2.4 billion dollars PER YEAR! Can you imagine if California or the entire country adopted a bilingual philosophy…it would cost a fortune.


0

Oops…the government of Canada…


0

From L.A. Times article referenced above:

“English will always remain the official language of California, but we cannot ignore the growing need to have a multilingual workforce,” Lara said.

He said the global economy requires those who graduate from school to be able to communicate in multiple languages. “Employers seek multilingual employees and all students — English and non-English learners alike — deserve access to this invaluable skill,” Lara added.


The flaw in this argument is that children will cease to become “multilingual employees”

if they do not receive multilingual education in El-Hi grades. Being instructed/learning the

English language does NOT automatically eliminate the recipient’s “other” language. Sorry

Mr. Lara, your argument doesn’t hold, and the electorate has spoken on this issue.


0

Since when has the desire of the “electorate” or even established laws meant anything to politicians? Seriously, if the president can, in front of the world and his own nation, shred the very document we hold (supposedly) most sacred, then who gives a flying rat’s rear about some ignorant local politician wanting to further destroy the very system that made him what he is today?


They are that stupid and incestuous, in case you haven’t noticed.


0

We are rapidly morphing into Mexico North. Our founding fathers would be so proud.


0

When my grandparents immigrated to the US they felt it was their duty to learn english and were proud to be able to give their kids the education that they lacked. They realized that until they were fluent in english and actually thought in english that they would not thrive in this country. How times have changed.


0

They actually wanted to become more American, not the case anymore with many, they want they want us to change for them


0

I’m not sure *I* want to become “more American” – as that definition has so dramatically changed in today’s world…


0

Toe in the tub, foot in the door, Trojan horse, pick your metaphor, the end result will be the same.


0
1 2