Wednesday, April 2, 2008
rant
There is no reason to declare bilingual education a defunct style. Those who wish to outlaw its use stem their opinions from xenophobia, thinking that the use and encouragement of foreign languages will lead to the subversion of American culture. People fear that by letting immigrant children learn to speak through a language they actually understand, that the children will refuse to integrate into American culture. This has been a fear of resident Americans for hundreds of years. The next wave of immigrants has always been the one that would destroy what we stood for. The battle over bilingualism is a part of a larger struggle over Mexican immigration. To let Mexican immigrants be taught in their native languages would serve to give recognition to them. So since this issue is part of a more poignant struggle for many, the dirty tactics of such passionate arguments have come out. Excessive media coverage and debate by those who have no experience or authority in the realm have diluted the issue. There is no reason to resist an educational style that can work for some, and the covert reasons that push the issue are pointless as well.
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1 comment:
The points you make in your rant are sufficient and very true as well. I agree with your statement that "those who wish to outlaw its use stem their opinions from xenophobia" because it is completely true. I've found many quotes from various different sources within my research that prove this. They fear that bilingual education will create language barriers throughout the nation and destroy our country's unity. However it isn't necessarily true; as you pointed out, it is an educational style that can very well work for some. I personally feel that if a person is still learning adequately, why should it be rejected? Good rant.
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