June 3, 1997.

In a blow to supporters of bilingual education, a newly released LA Times poll shows that 83% of Orange County Latinos favor English-language classes for all children as soon as they begin school, with only 17% supporting the native-language instruction methods used under bilingual education (LA Times, Orange County Edition, 6/1/97. The views of Orange County non-Latinos were even more one-sided, with over 90% favoring English-language education. The poll was based on interviews conducted in English and Spanish with 750 adult residents of the county. Bilingual education has recently become an important political issue in Orange County, as several school districts have attempted to move away from that system of language acquisition.

Since 1994, hot-button, ethnically-charged issues such as legal and illegal immigration, affirmative action, and allegations of voter fraud have led to increased political rivalry between Orange County's large Anglo and Latino populations, culminating in the bitter and disputed Dornan-Sanchez election in California's 46th Congressional District. Some Orange County Latino activists, such as Nativo Lopez of Hermanidad Mexicana Nacional, have recently denounced the proposed "English for the Children" initiative to end most bilingual education in California as a divisive measure motivated by anti-Latino racism. The strong agreement between Anglos and Latinos on the issue casts doubt on this argument.

Lydia Calderon of Buena Park, a native Spanish speaker whose grandson is in public school, explained to LA Times reporters that "If you're going to teach them in Spanish, they're not going to try as hard. English is a hard enough language. If you don't get it at the beginning, it takes twice as long. The sooner they learn English the better."