U.S. ENGLISH, Inc.: Towards a United America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 1998

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Tim Schultz
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202/833-0100

U.S. ENGLISH CHAIRMAN DENOUNCES CLINTON ADMINISTRATIONS OPPOSITION TO CALIFORNIAS ENGLISH FOR THE CHILDREN INITIATIVE

U.S.ENGLISH Chairman/CEO Mauro E. Mujica today criticized the Clinton administrations announcement of their formal opposition to Californias "English for the Children" ballot initiative (Proposition 227). "Bureaucrats and teachers unions are the only ones who benefit from bilingual education," Mujica said. "By siding with them, President Clinton is abandoning the thousands of immigrant families who are begging that bilingual education be reformed."

On Monday, Education Secretary Richard Riley called Prop. 227s advocacy of teaching immigrant children in English "extreme," and instead argued for keeping the current system, albeit while recommending a 3 year limit for participation in bilingual programs. "This 3 year limit is disingenuous at best," Mujica continued. "The Denver school board recently voted unanimously to implement a 3 year limit, and the Clinton administration sued them for daring to challenge the bilingual dogma that it takes children 7-10 years to learn English. The fact is, this administration knows that bilingual education is indefensible. So they preach reform with their words, and undermine reform with their actions."

Recent events have demonstrated an increasing Hispanic opposition to the current bilingual education system. In 1995 a group of Hispanic parents in Brooklyn, N.Y., sued the state because their children were not learning English quickly enough in bilingual education classes. In 1996 Hispanic students at one Los Angeles school were kept home for two weeks by their parents, who were protesting the lack of English instruction in the bilingual program. Over the past several months, surveys have shown that Hispanics in California support Prop. 227.

U.S.ENGLISH is currently working to pass the English Language Fluency Act (H.R. 3892)* sponsored by Frank Riggs (R-CA). Rather than abolishing bilingual education, it gives parents a choice of the type of English acquisition program in which their children are placed. "If this administration is serious about reforming this educational nightmare, they will support H.R. 3892," Mujica added. "In its current form, bilingual education hurts children. Bill Clinton has a moral obligation to do more than make recommendations. If hes serious about reform, hell support our plan to guarantee children a right to learn English."

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