The Importance Of Bilingual Education In The United States

Education is a privilege available to all people in the United States; however, education of bilingual students has always been tied with political, social, and economical debates. The United States was founded by nations of immigrants of various nationalities and multiple languages but as the desire for power rose, mostly from Europe, tensions grew because of these differences and the want of unification began. It was clear that the European language had its advantages and the indigenous languages spoken were frowned upon as America became colonized (Ovando, 2003, p. 2). Through a historical perspective it seems as though the United States continues a cycle of linguistic intolerance. I believe the explicit tradition of the United States falls into the category of a restrictionist theory. During the permissive period many languages were spoken as a way to keep their identity and build a new colony. This was a tolerant time of linguistic diversity and many states authorized bilingual education. The 1900s allowed bilingual education but did not promote the use of it. During the restrictive period, from the late 1880s through the 20th century, laws began to raise that required English to
be the only language of instruction. Repressive policies started as a means of “cultural genocide campaign designed to “civilize” Indians … and as an anti-German sentiment which stemmed from anti-Catholic agitation” (Ovando, 2003, p. 4-5). Europeans used fear to pressure assimilation into one cultural and linguistic mold. The Naturalization Act of 1906 required immigrants to speak English and pushed for monolinguism. The United States has been running on the fear of competition and loss of power since then and believes that if there is no unification there is means for destruction. An example of this think was during World War I, when the German language was thought of as anti-American so it was no longer available in schools. English has always been deemed important so even when bilingual education is supported we know that English will be taught as the priority language. In the 20th century, it was not the school or educators responsibility to teach English. Many minorities did not prosper academically not necessarily due to not knowing the material but not understanding the instructions. Law suits began popping up that challenged the schools need for bilingual instructions. Bilingual education began in the 1960s during the opportunist period. The civil rights movement was a time that women and African-Americans were advocating for equality and civil rights. The perfect platform was then set-up for linguistic minorities to demand their right to preserve their languages and cultures. The 1965 Immigration Act brought in large numbers of Asians and Latin Americans into the country (Ovando, 2003, p.7). The rise of immigration numbers increased the likelihood of English instruction that would guarantee them equal access to educational and economic opportunities. In 1968, the Bilingual Education Act provided education to students with limited English speaking abilities. The act did not specify what kind of program it supported but it did include bilingual education as an option. My restriction theory continues during the Supreme Court Case of Lau v.
Nichols, where non-English speaking Chinese students sued the San Francisco Unified School District for not providing them with English language instruction. The Supreme Court ruled that under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, all students have a right to equality in education, and non-English speaking students are not given an equal education just because they attend the same schools and use the same textbooks as English speakers. The Court agreed that students that do not understand English need specialized instructions to reap the benefits of their education. As a result, bilingual education was finally receiving the attention it required to make a change in the way school teaches English language learners
(ELL). Language diversity is not appreciated or approached until it becomes beneficial for society, and even then there are many that oppose bilingual education to preserve unity. Many set-backs occur with immersion programs and the tradition of restriction approaches once again but this time in the form of Proposition 227 (Ovando, 2003, p. 12). This proposition required that English be the only instruction language in California schools because children were not assimilating into the English language fast enough. Bilingual education should be regarded as a benefit for greater economic activities but the activists for English only believe there should only be one language in the United States. The United States is known as a melting pot yet when it comes to language diversity we restrict the use of other languages in school and require that English be spoken. Academic proficiency is measured not by how much the student knows but how well they assimilate to the traditions of the classroom.