Comments on: When Bilingual Education Is NOT Okay

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By: Colin Crocker

Colin Crocker — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:45:55 +0000

And as far as your claim that more economic opportunities exist for people who speak English, that is patently untrue. While English is important and every kid should be proficient in it, more economic opportunities actually exist for graduates who speak two or more languages. Over the last five plus years I’ve surveyed major employers like Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear, Hasbro, and more than 80 others in five states via the State Roadmaps to Language Excellence Project (http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/business/roadmaps-and-reports) and the findings in every state echo a common theme: kids with great second language skills are few and far between. And are in great demand.

By: Colin Crocker

Colin Crocker — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:40:10 +0000

It actually isn’t expensive to offer quality second language learning, that’s a myth. In fact, programs in Oregon, Connecticut and handful of other states show that bilingual immersion is usually a cost-neutral prospect. In other words, it doesn’t need to cost a school district any more than what they’re currently doing. Check out Portland Public Schools in Oregon.

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 04:18:03 +0000

It’s expensive to offer all of those languages, and the reality is that more economic opportunities exist for people who speak English.

By: Colin Crocker

Colin Crocker — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:31:19 +0000

Imposing language learning on kids is probably not a good idea, I don’t care where you live. Instead, why not give every kid the opportunity to learn a second language? And why not make a myriad of languages available, with each district or a series of articulated schools within a district teaching what the public wants? In some districts this will be Spanish, but in others it could be Chinese, French, Arabic, Hindi, or Russian. Access to quality opportunities to learn another language should be imposed on kids, not a language itself.

By: Johana

Johana — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 10:09:00 +0000

I have actually LIVED IN PUERTO RICO for 20 years and actually attended their public schools. One word can describe its quality and that is IT SUCKS. The English program is pitiful.

First, Paul Gutman….what does statehood has to do with this issue? in fact I argue that US is a bilingual country from its beginning…I know it is a shock to you but if you go beyond the 13 original colonies you will find that before the English Europeans showed up Spanish was the language spoken in the majority of the land we call the United States you said it yourself we have been around since Columbus…dude that is 100 years before the pilgrims arrived. Why do you think the very wise founding fathers did not put into law a national language? think about it. But since you brought it up the status question….your post exemplifies the problem with the status issue in PR, misunderstanding, lies, ignorance, and exaggerations and this is why we can never make up our mind.

Okay Soto you need some reality checks….from a person who has been there done that….first Puerto rico is a colony BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE BORICUAS HAVE VOTED FOR PLEBISCITE AFTER PLEBISCITE….I do not like it but UNLIKE YOU…I respect the decision of my compatriots and for many puertorricans calling it a colony is insulting and degrading. Second reality check for you, You write “United States and its goal to completely dominate all aspects of life in the island”. Well sister I have news for you. For the past 100 years the feds have total control over its ports, it mail, its money, its airwaves, what they hear, see and eat. If they wanted to impose anything they could have, but the fact is they haven’t at the degree of total dominance. Third, and memorize this one, if you study the plebiscites results it is clear as day that 80% of the population do not want to severe it ties to the US they cherish their US citizenship.

Which is why the change proposed by the goverment is something worth considering, PR unemployment is at 20%, because of this most of its top people leave for the US and many of those top people have to take jobs that are beneath their capacities becuase they cannot speak or write English well enough. I have plenty of examples of this in my family. You worry about culture…but if you think about it is the constant migration to and from the US is what changing the culture of the island more then any agenda from the US or English classes.

As people like you debate about “the US secret agenda” all over the world countries are committing to full immersion, fearlessly, they see what lies ahead for their children and are getting ready. I wish I can say the same for PR but your blog illustrate why it will get nowhere…I read your blog and the reason you dislike the idea is not based on merits but your suspicions of the United States and the governor political motives in other words feelings take over and the brain shut down….in the end no progress as we will continue to fall more and more behind, as more and more people leave making it a geriatric island.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:06:44 +0000

Yeah – I don´t really know much about the context of Puerto Rico so I guess its hard for me to judge how strong the influence of English speaking culture already is. Although I guess I could just look at the Reggaeton music to see.
What is the public school system like? Closer to a typical American system with at least some semblance of diversity among socioeconomic status or closer to a Latin American type public school system?
Hopefully somebody could negotiate about maybe having a more 50-50 english and spanish throughout the day especially if there is already a lot of exposure to English.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:40:51 +0000

I just wanted to add that I worked at a bilingual elementary school in Madrid where the program has been ambitiously implemented in almost all schools in the Comunidad de Madrid and all over Spain. It’s not really optional, unless you want to take your children to a different neighborhood (which I’m not sure is allowed). It is just as Ali described her program and situation in Colombia. Languages should enrich and not take away from any culture.

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:02:55 +0000

Thanks so much for your input, Ali. Unfortunately, unlike Colombia, the history of Puerto Rico is completely intertwined with that of the United States and its goal to completely dominate al aspects of life in the island. In other words, this might not be such a problem — as long as it’s an option — in other countries of the world that are not colonies of the United States, but once you delve into all the historical and political issues behind this proposal, you can see that the purpose is not bilingualism per se.

I went to a dual language school back home in Perú where the majority of my subjects were taught in English from kindergarten on and yet, my country is not a colony of the U.S. and therefore I had pretty much no contact with English once I left the school. I can tell you right now that this is definitely NOT the case in Puerto Rico! Therefore, it’s impossible to look at this proposal without taking politics and history into consideration.