Teachers who violate Prop. 203 may be sued

During the election campaign, Tucson educator Salvador Gabald?n repeatedly denounced Proposition 203, claiming it would completely outlaw bilingual education programs in Arizona. Now that Proposition 203 has passed in a huge landslide, he has strangely reversed his position.

In his Nov. 26 Guest Opinion, Gabald?n claimed the measure does not outlaw bilingual education and actually may require children be provided Spanish-language instruction (“Prop. 203 won’t banish bilingual ed”).

His original view was closer to the truth. Except under very limited circumstances, Proposition 203 requires that “nearly all” public school instruction be conducted in English. The meaning of this is very plain.

If a public school employee willfully violates this law, he or she can be sued, held personally liable by the parent of any school child in Arizona and may be driven into personal bankruptcy.

If found guilty, he or she would immediately be removed from school employment and banned for five years.

Along with hundreds of other fanatic bilingual education teachers, Gabald?n made every effort to defeat Proposition 203. He lost. I suggest he obey the new “English in the schools” law or seek employment elsewhere.

Ron Unz
Chairman, English for the Children
Palo Alto, Calif.



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