Unnecessary meddling
Editorial
Although well-intentioned, the push to amend Colorado's Constitution with an 'English immersion' edict is ill-conceived. U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., and Linda Chavez, of the Washington, D.C.-based One Nation Indivisible, are trying to get the amendment on the November ballot. It would give non-English-speaking children just one year of intense English instruction before mainstreaming them into regular classes. Since children learn languages much more quickly than adults do, one year might be adequate for some. But it wouldn't be enough for all. And even those who develop a grasp of English within a year wouldn't necessarily be able to apply that new language to the academic subjects they need. The amendment also could disrupt the effort by Denver Public Schools to provide up to three years of bilingual education before mainstreaming children into regular classes. The new DPS program is operating under a federal court order. Whether the Tancredo amendment would carry more weight than that order would have to be determined in the courts. But any effort to undermine DPS' new English Language Acquisition Program is a mistake. Although the program hasn't yet had a chance to prove itself, it has great promise. DPS has about 17,000 of Colorado's estimated 25,000 students in bilingual programs. The DPS program allows children who are progressing quickly to transition into English-speaking classes sooner than three years. It also monitors students' progress and provides extra help wherever needed. Those with no English whatsoever start learning to read and develop other skills in their own languages even as they begin to study English. By contrast, the amendment would virtually wipe out bilingual education in Colorado. Parents could get waivers to keep their children in bilingual programs or send them to charter schools with such programs, but we predict these programs would dwindle radically under the one-year edict. We agree with Tancredo, a long-time teacher, that nothing is more important for immigrant children than to learn English quickly and comprehensively. Without it, they lose a golden opportunity for a good education. We also agree that bilingual education has taken far too long in the past, as children foundered in these programs for years on end. However, DPS has eradicated that trend in favor of teaching English thoroughly so children can comprehend mainstream classes. These are children who, with any luck, will wind up bilingual - maintaining their native tongues while conquering English as well. The effort to meddle in this arena is disheartening. While proponents point to the success of a similar measure in Oceanside, Calif., we remain skeptical. Oceanside has made gains, but only one-fifth of its students are bilingual. It also moved to phonics before scores improved, and we suspect that had far more to do with the success. Colorado children shouldn't be subjected to an unnecessary and shallow new law. It isn't educationally sound. And it isn't good for our kids. |