Bilingualisms Goal

(Barabara MUJICA)

Mine is a Spanish-Speaking household. We use Spanish exclusively. I have

made an effort not only to encourage use of the language but also to familiarize
my children with Hispanic culture. I use books from Latin America to teach them
to read and to write, and I try to maintain close contacts with Spanish-speaking
relatives. Instilling in my children a sense of family and ethnic identity is my role;

it is not the role of the school system.

The public schools, supported by public funds, have the responsibility to teach
skills needed in public life-among them the use of the English language. They
also must inculcate an appreciation of all the cultures that have contributed to
this countrys complex social weave. To set one ethnic group apart as more
worthy of attention than others is unjust, and might breed resentment against

that group.

I differ with educators who advocate bilingual education programs whose goal
is to preserve the Spanish language and culture among children of Hispanic
families. These professionals argue that in an English-speaking environment,
Spanish-speaking children often feel alienated and that this causes them to
become withdrawn and hostile. To prevent this reaction, they say, the home

environment must be simulated at school.

Imagine how much more alienated these youngsters will feel, however, if they
are kept in special bilingual programs separate from the general student body,
semester after semester. How much more uncomfortable they will feel if they are
maintained on ghettos in the school. Youngsters feel a need to conform. They
imitate each other in dress and in habit. To isolate Spanish-speaking children
from English-speaking peers may prove more psychologically damaging than
hurling them into an English-speaking environment with no transition courses at

all.
Bilingualisms Goal
(Barabara MUJICA)

The purpose of bilingual education must be to teach English to non-English

speaking youngsters so that they will be able to function in regular classes.

The term bilingual education encompasses a huge variety of programs

ranging from total immersion to special classes for foreigners to curricula that
offer courses in mathematics and history in the childs native language. The most
effective bilingual education programs have as their goal the gradual
incorporation of non English speaking students into regular programs in which

English is used.

Not all children of Spanish-speaking parents need bilingual education. Many

Spanish-speaking parents oppose the placement of their children in special
programs; the wishes of these parents should be respected. Furthermore, very
young children are able to learn a foreign language rapidly; bilingual programs
for the nursery, kindergarten, and early primary years should be kept in minimum.
Older children who have done part of their schooling in a foreign country often
need to be eased into an English-speaking curriculum more gently. For them, it is
helpful to offer certain subjects in their native tongue until they have learned
English; otherwise, they may so feel lost and frustrated they will drop out of
school. High school dropouts have less chance than others of finding satisfying
careers and are more likely to find themselves in trouble and unemployed.

Hispanics are now the fastest growing minority in the United States.
According to the population reference Bureau, a private organization, Hispanics,
counted at 14.6 million in the 1980 census, may well number 47 million by the
year 2020. Yet, they are notoriously underrepresented in the arts, sciences,
professions and politics. Economically, as a group, they tend to lag behind non-
Hispanics. According to March 1983 Federal figures, the median income for
Hispanics is 16,227; for non-Hispanics, 23,907. Certainly, part of the remedy is
educational programs that give young people the preparation and confidence

necessary to pursue satisfying careers.

Bilingualisms Goal
(Barabara MUJICA)

To get better jobs, young people must be fluent in English. Without English,
they will be stuck in menial positions. Without English, they will be unable to
acquire advanced degrees. Without English, they will be unable to protest to the
proper authorities if they are abused. Non-speaking individuals are vulnerable to
not only economic but also political exploitation. Too often, politicians who speak

their language claim unjustly to represent their interests.

The primary goal of bilingual education must be mainstreaming of non-English

speaking children through the teaching of English. But while the schools teach my
children English, I will continue teach them Spanish at home, because Spanish is

part of their heritage. Ethnic identity, like religion, is a family matter.