Thursday, February 25, 1999
Arizona proposes initiative to end bilingual education
ARIZONA: Measure calls for immersion program, recalls Prop. 227
debate
By Ileana Vega
Daily Bruin Contributor
An initiative modeled after Proposition 227, the 1998
voter-approved measure that mandated the elimination of most
bilingual education programs in California, was introduced in
Arizona earlier this month.
The initiative would limit how long the state pays for students’
bilingual education. It would also require students not fluent in
English to be placed in special intensive "sheltered English
immersion programs" to learn English as quickly as possible.
"Something has to be done to help these children speak and
understand English," said representative Linda Gray, R-Glendale in
Arizona.
The news that other anti-bilingual education proposals are
appearing has sparked debate in the UCLA community, which is still
deeply divided over Proposition 227.
Daniel Rego, secretary of the Bruin Republicans, supports the
Arizona initiative and is glad that children will be taught
English.
"Immersion programs will be particularly beneficial to Latino
children who won’t be segregated in bilingual classes," said the
third-year chemistry student.
Bilingual education supporters argue that the three-year limit
is arbitrary and ignores student’s individual needs, since it
requires them to be proficient in English even if they are not.
Kris Gutierrez, a UCLA associate professor of education, said
the measure is a "pernicious and racist initiative that has nothing
to do with the education of our children, because if it did, it
would focus on education."
Gutierrez, who specializes in literacy and cultural human
development, said she strongly supports bilingualism and feels it
should be valued as a resource in the 21st century.
She criticized immersion programs for concentrating too much on
learning English at the expense of other skills.
"Immersion programs don’t allow (students) to use material from
their home language, which is necessary to learn content,"
Gutierrez said.
Supporters of the initiative consider immersion programs better
than bilingual education, which they say prevents students from
learning English and takes funds away from other programs.
"I supported (Proposition 227) here in California, so I support
it spreading anywhere else since I think bilingual education
programs are destructive for all," said John Strelow, a chairman of
the Bruin Republicans and a third-year political science
student.
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlan (MEChA), a prominent
student group, in contrast, strongly opposes proposals like
Proposition 227.
"This bill exemplifies the xenophobic attitudes that the
dominant society has to the growing number in the minority
population, especially in the southwest with the growing number of
Chicana/o and Latinos community," said Henry Perez, a fourth-year
Chicano/a studies student.
"It’s become stylish to attack the immigrant community for
political gain. Don’t attack bilingual education, but rather,
remedy it by repairing the way it’s implemented and improving
resources," he said.
In Arizona, initiative supporters argue that many students
linger in bilingual education programs too long and would do better
academically in regular classes.
The proposal allows exceptions to the three-year limit on state
funding for bilingual education, although a student’s parents could
ask the state superintendent of public instruction for a waiver.
The limit would not prohibit students from continuing in bilingual
education. A district, however, would not get extra state money for
student instruction.
Also, the student’s parents would have veto power over their
child’s enrollment in a bilingual program and be able to have the
student removed from the program within five days of making a
request.
But Stacy Lee, president of the Undergraduate Students
Association Council, doubts that the initiative will really serve
the educational needs of students.
"Proposition 227 or any other measure similar to it silences a
large portion of the population who don’t speak English since
they’re denied an education that serves their needs," she said.
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