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Overview for the Teachers of English Language Learners

Californians decisively rejected bilingual education on June 2, 1998, approving a mandate for English-only instruction known as Proposition 227. The vote was so one-sided--61 to 39%--that it is difficult to say what, if anything, could have altered the outcome.

Since the election, two viewpoints have emerged:

• One is that anti-immigrant sentiment among voters made this ballot campaign, like other English-only initiatives before it, virtually unstoppable.
• The other is that, armed with a different strategy, bilingual education advocates might have beaten back the assault.

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English for the Children

The so-called "English for the Children" initiative signals a new phase of English-only activism, broader in its appeal and more direct in its assault on educational programs. Its lopsided victory in California shows that advocates for language-minority students have yet to develop an effective response.

Moving Beyond California

As the campaign to dismantle bilingual programs moves to other states, there is an opportunity to learn from mistakes made in opposing Proposition 227--in particular, the decision not to defend bilingual education or to explain its pedagogical rationale. Changing public attitudes and mobilizing grassroots support must be part of any successful strategy.

What will happen next?

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