One who assimilated sees value in Prop. 227

EDUCATION: Rosemarie Avila, who came from Guatemala in the 1950s, says limiting bilingual education is a way to instill pride.

Rosemarie Avila speaks English, calls herself American and laughs when she’s asked how much Guatemalan tradition she holds in her life.

“Well, we buy pinatas,” she says. “We all still eat mangos. “

Avila is a model of old-fashioned assimilation. She’s been American _ not Guatemalan-American, mind you _ since the day she arrived here at age 6, when her family fled political unrest in Guatemala in the 1950s.

“There was no Spanish TV then,” she recalls. “People just expected you to speak English. It’s like, you’re in America, that’s what you do. ” Avila wonders if maybe her parents were more flexible than others in assimilating. Her father, a Czech native, initially immigrated to Guatemala and blended in there, quickly learning Spanish. Her mother, half-German and half-Guatemalan, may have been more open to a new language and culture.

Her family lived in a predominantly non-Hispanic section of Los Angeles, and Avila became fluent in English within six months.

Her parents used Spanish with each other, “but after a while, we didn’t understand it anymore. “

Her mom, Elsa, told Avila and her four siblings to speak English at home, so she could learn from them. The family became naturalized citizens as soon as their five-year waiting period was up. Avila believes their way of becoming an American is the most important reason she succeeded in school.

Still, she wishes she knew more Spanish now _ her kids don’t speak it at all. Her husband, Jim, the son of Mexican immigrants, also grew up speaking English.

She finds it ironic that she has to send her children to other countries to learn her family’s native language. Her 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, is planning to spend this summer in Spain.

Yet she’s among Orange County’s strong proponents of Proposition 227, the initiative that would allow one year of bilingual education. A Santa Ana school board member, she believes Prop. 227 is the way to make immigrant children fluent in English and give them a strong sense of patriotic pride.

“Our poor Hispanic kids say, ‘Am I Mexican or American? Do I speak English or Spanish? ‘

“Because of multiculturalism, they have no sense of belonging here. They’re kids without roots. We don’t give a territory, a country, values. “

Old-fashioned assimilation makes immigrant children fluent in English and gives them a better chance of reaching college and professional jobs. She says she’s proof of that _ and she still knows her roots.

“I still feel kinda Guatemalan,” she said. “I guess because I write my mom. Every time there’s an article in the paper about Guatemala, I naturally gravitate to it. But my first president is George Washington.

Rosemarie Avila, 50, Santa Ana school board member Years in the U.S.: 44 Children: June, 23; Debbie, 22; Cindy, 17; Lauren, 12; Jordan, 9. All attended or are attending Santa Ana schools.

Language spoken at home: English Birth place: Chichicastenango, Guatemala; became a citizen within about five years of arrival to California Residence: Santa Ana, 25 years Occupation: Homemaker; seven-year Santa Ana school board member; trustee for Biola University in La Mirada Education: B.S., social science, Biola University Views on Prop. 227: Supports.



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