The Importance Of Bilingual Education In The United States

Education is a privilege available to all people in the United States; however, education of bilingual students has always been tied with political, social, and economical debates. The United States was founded by nations of immigrants of various nationalities and multiple languages but as the desire for power rose, mostly from Europe, tensions grew because of these differences and the want of unification began. It was clear that the European language had its advantages and the indigenous languages spoken were frowned upon as America became colonized (Ovando, 2003, p. 2). Through a historical perspective it seems as though the United States continues a cycle of linguistic intolerance. I believe the explicit tradition of the United States falls into the category of a restrictionist theory. During the permissive period many languages were spoken as a way to keep their identity and build a new colony. This was a tolerant time of linguistic diversity and many states authorized bilingual education. The 1900s allowed bilingual education but did not promote the use of it. During the restrictive period, from the late 1880s through the 20th century, laws began to raise that required English to
Nichols, where non-English speaking Chinese students sued the San Francisco Unified School District for not providing them with English language instruction. The Supreme Court ruled that under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, all students have a right to equality in education, and non-English speaking students are not given an equal education just because they attend the same schools and use the same textbooks as English speakers. The Court agreed that students that do not understand English need specialized instructions to reap the benefits of their education. As a result, bilingual education was finally receiving the attention it required to make a change in the way school teaches English language learners