I Support Your Initiative

By: Eugene Gonzales, LL.D.
September 7, 1997

To: Ron Unz - Chairman - English for the Children
Gloria Tuchman - Co-Chair - English for the Children

From; Eugene Gonzales - LL.D.
Re: Endorsement of Initiative - English for the Children

First, a brief note about my background. In California I have been an educator for forty-two years. I was Assistant Superintendent, Associate Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State Department of Education. For six years I served the United States Department of Education as the Secretary's Regional Representative for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Islands.

I have read and thought about the initiative and have discussed it with educational colleagues throughout the state. Personally, I have opposed bilingual education for children in California for many years. In California, bilingual education means instruction in the child's native language for too many years. In studies throughout the country, present evidence clearly proves this method delays or prevents the learning of English by Hispanic students. It has a failure rate of 95% and is a major factor in .the large percentage of Hispanic students who are school drop outs.

In my experience as educator, some form of sheltered English has been proven more effective. Children can be placed in English language classes within one year rather than three to five years which is the present practice for bilingual classes.

Passage of your initiative is critically important for our children. This is especially true in California with children representing over two hundred languages and cultures in our schools. Sheltered English will integrate these children in our schools through a common language within a short time, reduce cultural tensions, extend educational opportunities for children and promote unity through a common language.

Eugene Gonzales, LL.D.