Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h7TMNc706369; Fri, 29 Aug 2003 18:23:38 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 18:23:38 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030829222050.4968.qmail@web40303.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Jillian <zazee27@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9337] Accept English-Only Donation? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 4182 Lines: 98 It's invigorating to see a spirited discussion going on again here. Must be the tang of Autumn in the air (though I am sad, as usual, to think of dreamy summer ending). Anyhow, the instigation for said discussion was a moral dilemma: should one accept money from a group whose aims or stances one opposes, when accepting the donation might well imply agreement with the group's stance and aims? There is only one morally defensible response to such a dilemma: refusal. However, one would want, before rejecting any gift, to ascertain precisely what the group stands for and advocates, to be certain that it is, indeed, in moral opposition to one's own outlook. The discussion then proceeded to the wider question of whether governments (at various levels) and other social entities ought to promote or enable the use of first languages by immigrants by offering tax-supported items, such as government publications and public education, in the languages most commonly used by immigrants, or offer these only in English? I think Joe was rather brave in expounding a position which he must have known would be instantly rejected by the majority of members here. So far as I understand his position, however, I seem to share it. Here are my concerns: 1. Fairness. No matter how effective some teaching method, namely (here) bilingual education, may be proven to be, it will never be FAIR, as it will not be available to all who need it. Immigrants living in a location without qualified bilingual teachers, as well as immigrants who speak a language for whom there are no, or not enough, bilingual teachers, will not enjoy whatever benefits come from this education and will thus be at a disadvantage. (If they are NOT going to be at a disadvantage, then there is no point in promoting and paying for the bilingual education classes.) To say that all students cannot have something does not, of course, mean it should not exist. It does, however, mean that when one speaks of the need for a program (such as bilingual ed) one must remember that not all immigrants will be allowed to participate. Therefore such programs are not democratic (favoring social equality) but on the contrary, create a favored group--those immigrants, chiefly Spanish-speaking, who are offered such programs. 2. Since a great many of the Spanish-speaking children in public schools are from families that are here illegally, surely you can see why offering special courses to this particular group strikes many people as wrong. 3. Andres, with his usual astuteness, has provided us a miniature history chapter on how immigrants have assilmilated over the centuries without publicly supported bilingual education--for better or worse. Immigrants who came to North America in the past did not expect any linguistic concessions. 4. The majority of Americans, in my experience, react to any dilemma as if it only occurred in the USA. However, other nations also have immigrants. What do they do in regards to language and education? It is true that throughout Europe you will see signs and instructions in English, but this hardly results from a particular nation's desire to assist its English-speaking immigrants--it is because English has become the universal means of communication. I would like to know a. how various countries deal with public communication--in what languages do they publish driver's license manuals and census forms, etc. (not for indiginous languages, but for immigrants)? b. how various countries deal with bilingual education. There are many immigrants in Spain, where I lived, but I never heard of bilingual education for them. However, it is quite likely that there might be such a thing in northern European countries. Does anyone know? c. Several states have passed laws allowing the children of illegal immigrants to attend public colleges and pay in-state tuition, if they have graduated from an American high school. Does anyone know how other countries have dealt with this situation? __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
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