Sides clash in bilingual ed debate

Financed by a California millionaire, a Tucson group announces its petition drive to ban the language program.

The Tucson launch of an initiative to dismantle bilingual education in Arizona turned into a shouting match today, with opponents and supporters exchanging personal attacks.

“Coconuts!” some of the 75 mostly Hispanic protesters yelled at members of English for the Children – Arizona. The derogatory term refers to Hispanics being “brown” by appearance only.

“Go back to Mexico!” at least one of the half dozen members responded.

The announcement of today’s initiative filing set the stage for what is expected to be a racially charged and emotional controversy over the next few months.

The Tucson-based group needs 115,000 signatures over the next 1 1/2 years to put the measure on the 2000 ballot.

Even the site of the group’s announcement – El Rio Neighborhood Center, 1390 W. Speedway Blvd. – was hotly contested.

Gus Chavez and other protesters called the site selection “an insult,” because El Rio is viewed as where the Chicano struggle began locally.

“It’s the heart of the barrio ,” said Chavez, an instructor at Pima Community College whose children attend school in Tucson Unified School District.

Spearheading today’s announcement was Ron Unz, the Silicon Valley, Calif., millionaire who bankrolled that state’s initiative, which voters approved in June.

Unz already has given English for the Children – Arizona more than $4,000 for polls, office equipment, campaign signs and bumper stickers.

“Unz, go home!” the crowd chanted, as Unz sat unfazed.

“He is not welcome in our community,” said Lorraine Lee, director of Chicanos Por La Causa, an agency that helps minorities find low- income housing.

“I think this effort by Ron Unz is an insult as a parent and citizen of Arizona. This man believes because he has money that he can move in here and change our educational system. But that would hurt children, and we’re going to fight this.”

Longtime local education activist Maria Mendoza, cofounder of English for the Children – Arizona, said Unz is here at her request.

She said she and other members appreciate his help.

“This opposition does not scare me,” Mendoza said, referring to protesters. “They are more concerned about preserving their roots than about educating Mexican-American children.”

Hector Ayala, co-founder of the group and an English teacher at TUSD’s Cholla High School, agreed.

“We think bilingual education is the most insidious educational program for Mexican-American students,” Ayala said. “It just keeps relegating Hispanic students to the lowest position in society.”

Ayala said that during his 12 years of teaching at Cholla he has seen many incoming freshmen with poor English competency. He blames bilingual programs, which he says most of his students have been exposed to.

The Arizona initiative is the result of six months of meetings of parents and teachers dissatisfied with bilingual programs.

THE INITIATIVE

Highlights of the English for the Children – Arizona initiative:

Schoolchildren would learn English by being taught in English.

Children with limited English proficiency could enroll in “sheltered English immersion” programs for as long as one year.

Foreign language classes for children who already know English would be unaffected, as would special education programs for the physically or mentally impaired.

Parents could submit a written waiver to keep their children in bilingual programs. Schools where 20 or more students in the same grade request a waiver would be required to offer a bilingual class.

To monitor academic growth, a written test – in English – would be given annually to all students, starting in the second grade.



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