New Mexicans split on bilingual education

ALBUQUERQUE—Democrats and Hispanics are more likely to support bilingual education than Republicans and Anglos, but a slight majority of New Mexicans overall support such programs, a new poll shows.

The poll, commissioned by the Albuquerque Journal and published by the newspaper today, showed 53 percent of those surveyed said they support bilingual programs, with 41 percent opposed and 6 percent undecided.

However, 75 percent of Hispanics questioned back bilingual education, compared with 42 percent of Anglo respondents.

The survey of 402 New Mexicans, conducted Sept. 5-10, has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Bilingual education programs teach students who don’t speak English some subjects in their native language while they learn English. Critics say all students should be taught only in English.

“What we have here is an issue that divides the community” along almost every demographic group – political party, ethnicity and age, said Brian Sanderoff, president of Albuquerque-based Research and Polling Inc., which conducted the survey.

Hispanics view attacks on bilingual education as threatening their culture, while Anglos say the programs come at the cost of teaching English, Sanderoff said.

“Both of those are gut issues,” he said.

The poll found:

-Support for bilingual programs is highest among younger voters. Eighty-three percent of those 18 to 34 years old support bilingual education, compared with 36 percent among those 65 and older.

-Fifty-five percent of Republicans oppose the programs; 62 percent of Democrats support them.

-Opposition to bilingual education increases with income. In households earning less than $ 20,000 a year, 64 percent back the bilingual approach, compared with 49 percent of those earning more than $ 40,000.

-People with children at home are more likely to back the programs.

-Support for bilingual education is higher in urban areas of the state.



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