AS Blog

Immigration is always in issue that needs to be addressed and debated. There are so many different views that for me, it’s hard to decide what the best thing to do is. Jenna’s presentation shows a great overview of what the issue is and how if affects everyone living in the United States. She points out the different, important topics relating to immigration. First of all, I was able to make a connection about schools. Bilingual education’s main line is targeted at those that are non- English proficient who generally tend to be first generation in the United States, which means there parents were immigrants. When children cross over at a young age with their families and attend a school here, what is going to happen when they want to continue their education by going to college? If the DREAM Act isn’t passed, then they will be contributing to the number of illegal immigrants working at low income jobs. What really caught my attention was what was said about the crime and prisons. I didn’t think so much about how much was spent everyday for someone that doesn’t even belong here. I’m debating with myself on whether or not hospitals have the right to deport these people. Their job is to attend to them; they are not border patrol to be sending them back to their country. But then again, the whole issue of anchor babies and health care comes to mind, and I think maybe hospitals are only trying to help those who pay taxes and get affected by this. And of course, the US just can’t send the illegal immigrants back but building a fence isn’t going to stop them either. Maybe if US didn’t make the process of becoming a citizen so hard then maybe there wouldn’t be so many illegal immigrates here in the first place. Applying for a visa can take so long and isn’t always guaranteed, so people just find it easier coming to the US illegally for “easier.” But of course that isn’t right. They become part of a huge, huge problem the deals with the economy, schools, crime, discrimination, health care etc. So it raises the question of what the role of the US is. Does it help these people out or stop them from coming in when they are only looking for a better life? Do the consequences of having these people here out weigh morals? (a better future, better education, better pporunites)

A Charming View

Reading Alyssa’s presentation “Hard Knock Life” brought upon a certain sadness. All I knew was that child labor existed but I really never understood or knew how bad this problem has gotten. I feel that I’m not the only one that feels this way. No one knows how terrible the working conditions are for these children, what their lives are like, and how much these children suffer everyday. The first video taught me-well showed me- through statistics and pictures the horrible things children must go through to receive little money to be able to support their families. What these children are doing is something adults here in the United States don’t even do. They work almost twice as much and to think they are only children. What is scary is that this is happening right now, someone is dying right now. The hardest decision anyone makes is when they have to decide as a child whether they want to work in horrible, horrible conditions or not work and find a different way to supply their bodies with the simple nutrients they need. The question Hunger or Work? was a great way to put things in perspective. Not many adults in the US have to make this hard of decision. It’s just sad children must go through this and that something like this exist today; 2010. I never thought that buying at stores like NIKE and Gap, I would be supporting child labor! I totally agree with Alyssa and what America has to do to help. An American is helping those that cannot help themselves. Even with the slightest help, such as buying clothes from somewhere else and getting people informed about this, can really make a difference. We need to bring this to an end and make sure that without sweatshops and child labor, families and the countrycan still move forward and progress. Today, I think people in the US take everything for granted and forget at times just how lucky we are for getting simple things like having clean drinking water. People forget how fortunate it is to be able to go to school even though it’s a pain without having to give up the cost of food.

Jill's Blog

Reading Jill’s Blog- The Power of Music in America, made me come to a realization I never thought of. Every day at school, it seems like now everyone is listening to music either on their iPods and other music devices. I always thought music was something we just listened to, dance to and sing to. Of course there are those certain songs that really can inspire a person but I never thought anymore than that. After reading Jill’s Blog about the power of music in America, it showed me music can do so much more. I realized that music - although danceable, singable and listenable – can also bring the wall down people put up and help a cause. A great example shown was the Haiti video presented. There, all different styles of music were represented by the artists. It wasn’t just one style of music. Artists who do not enjoy a certain style of music dismissed the dislike to come together for a great cause such as Haiti. Music is able to put all differences aside but at the same time show that the music community is so diverse.
In the end, it didn’t matter what kind of music these artists like or what kind of music they sing, they came together and used their talent of singing to create a wonderful song for everyone to enjoy. Music is a great form of expression. It’s a great way to put one’s ideas out there, share a belief or thought. Through this, people are unified once again. Listeners can come together and share each others opinions and review just what the song is trying to convey. Anyone who does this for a living has a pretty awesome job. Not does their work inspire others, but they themselves get to be part of it. Music helps them launch who they are. Whether it is to dance, sing, listen, inspire, unify, music will always be present everywhere. A world without music, well, let’s just say I can’t imagine that. It’s always present whether we like it or not.

Citations: Final Presentation

Images
http://www.2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cugyas4O6GQ/S3RfIdEeOLI/AAAAAAAAAAM/kQwwuPfyLuQ/s1600-h/dream1_203221416.jpg

http://blog.nj.com/hudsoncountynow_impact/2009/02/large_new-jersey-graduation-requirements-snyder-high-school-jersey-city.jpg

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/metcalfe/Non-People%20Pics/USdepartofed1.gif

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZZ6KW7VBL.jpg

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/6667757/2/istockphoto_6667757-mortar-board-books-and-diploma.jpg

http://teachingbilingual.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/small_group_instruction_pic_1.35444130.jpg

http://www.thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_110/11678016184dC7SE.jpg


JOURNAL ENTRIES

American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. "Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants Is Just." Opposing Viewpoints: Students' Rights. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010 http://find.galegroup.com

Bilingual Education Act (1968)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/.

bracero program." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. .

Chicano movement." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. .

Connerly, Ward. "Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants Is Unfair." Opposing Viewpoints: Students' Rights Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010
Latinos in U.S. society." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 28 Jan. 2010.


Sacchetti Maria. From in-crowd to out: Illegal Immigrants often find the road to college blocked." The Boston Globe May 17, 2009.

Ramirez Eddy. Should Congress Enroll Illegal Immigrants? A new front line in the immigration debate: access to higher education" US News August 7 2008


Rodriguez Richard. "Aria" Growing Up Latino: Memoirs and Stories Ed. Harold Augenbraum and Ilan Stavans 1993

Warner Margaret, Ron Unz, and James Lyons " Debating Bilingual Education," Annals of American History. [Accessed February 1, 2010].

Current Event: Analytical Updated

The U.S. Department of Education has been accomplishing many of its goals since it has started. Currently, they have helped a new act called “The No Child Left Behind Act” which “is based on the belief that setting high standards and establishing measureable goals can improve individual outcomes in education” (NCLB) also have supplied funding and other programs as well. Today there is a new concern about education. A large majority of the Hispanics living in the United States are illegal immigrants and every year an estimated 50,000 to 65,000 illegal immigrant children grow up in this country and attend a school here. In 1982, a Supreme Court decision entitled a free education from kindergarten through high school for everyone, regardless of their legal status. After receiving their basic education and succeeding with the help of the bilingual education programs, many of these students want to graduate from their high school and continue their education onto college. These students are often stopped because now, their legal status matters in college. Because these students are illegal, they cannot provide a social security number which means they cannot quality for financial aid. Financial aid excludes undocumented students, making paying for college much more expensive. Because these illegal Hispanics students can’t afford college and cannot qualify for help, many do not end up going to college. The goal of the US Department of Education, “assuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual” now conflicts with this problem because without a college education, success isn’t always present. It was present throughout the basic years but now “equal educational opportunity for every individual” isn’t valid when a student is illegal. Now because these students cannot continue their education, they must work; illegally, not have a college education and the pattern would continue for children. Some of the senators recognized this problem and introduced the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act ( The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) “would permit undocumented students who graduate from high school to apply for legal residency and allow these students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in their home state.” If this act gets passed, illegal immigrant students apply for legal residency which means they can pay in-state tuition, get the financial help they need, go to college and work legally in the United States. The article “Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Just” points out the “the young people at issue did not have a say in the decision to come to the U.S. and it is wrong to hold them fully liable for an immigration status that was derived from their parents.” In other words, if these students want to continue their education onto college, they should be able to and not be punished for their parents’ actions. They didn’t choose to be illegal; their parents’ did. Students like these who have had to “overcome the odds of growing up in tough neighborhoods and impoverished immigrant families to remain in school and yet succeed,” (Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Just) deserve the benefits that come if the DREAM Act is passed. But not everyone agrees. The article “Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Unfair” explains that (focusing their attention in California), illegal immigrants would get charged less to attend a California public university than any other U.S. citizen who wants to come from another state. Citizens who attend UC for example pay around 4,000 dollars in tuition while out-of-state students pay about three times that for the same education. The article says “becoming illegal he or she can get a huge annual tuition cut of about 11,000 dollars.” Why do illegal immigrants get to pay less when paying less should be a privilege an American citizen should have is the question that gets asked. The article makes a point when it says, “[working families] take out a sizable loan to finance their children’s college education and many of whom will never be able to afford to send their children to college- how can we ask them to subsidize the education of those who should not be in our country at all?” William Gheen, an advocate of stricter immigration controls says the scare education dollars that the states have “should be spent on making college more affordable for U.S. citizens, not illegal immigrants…we need to worry about American students.” This new concern about education for illegal immigrants brings up what the United States responsibility is towards this issue. America has always been viewed by immigrants as a place to aspire themselves and get better opportunities than what they could have received in their native country. They come in search of the “American Dream.” They want a better future, but how can they work towards one if their college future isn’t a promising one?

Literature: Analytical updated

Richard Rodriguez shows readers what a bilingual education has done for him in his short personal story, Aria. In his story found in the book Growing Up Latino, he describes his experience as a boy having to go to school in the United States even though he only knew Spanish at the time. Both of his parents were Mexican immigrants living in California. His family and him lived around “gringos;” Americans. He remembers how every time he stepped out of his house, he’d “[remember] that in this world so big, I was a foreigner.” Outside of his home, Richard always felt separated. He would only hear English around him but would never know what was being said. His parents didn’t speak English all that well and every time they spoke it, they were hesitant. The only place he felt he belonged was in his home. In his home he was “delighted by the sounds of Spanish.” So when he was at home speaking Spanish, he would belong; “Like others who know the pain of public alienation, we transformed the knowledge of our public separateness and made it consoling- the reminder of intimacy. Excited, we joined our voice in a celebration of sounds.” To Richard speaking Spanish had meant a certain closeness. Spanish was something that always brought the family together. When he spoke Spanish, he wasn’t alone because his family was there with him. When the Bilingual Education Act was passed, Richard’s teachers told his parents to only speak English at home and was given a tutoring session everyday at school. Now, Richard had felt that he “had no place to escape to with Spanish;” English wasn’t only outside of his home but also in the inside. As time went one, English became more and more normal to him. Richard had begun to understand the teacher, and participate in class. With his new profound knowledge of English, Richard now belonged to the society. Because he knew the public language, he could play with the neighborhood kids and no longer feel alone. He now considered himself as an American citizen. “Only when I was able to think of myself as an American, no longer an alien in gringo society, could I seek the rights and opportunities necessary for full public individuality.” These rights and opportunities were his friends, being able to take part in a society where he can converse with people and no longer having to feel that he cannot belong because he doesn’t know the language. Richard is an example of what bilingual education can do to a student that wasn’t English proficient. Bilingual education can open the door to success in the society. In Richard’s case, he has become a successful, confident student, and now even a well-known author. He clearly shows what the goal of the US Department of Education wanted for every student; bilingual education had brought him success and many opportunities.

Background: Analytical updated

Education is the base that America is set upon. President Obama has said during his national address to America’s school children that, “What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.” Education today has progressed significantly over the years. Everyday new strategies and new methods of teaching are thought of to better the quality of education. In 1980, the US Department of Education was founded with many goals intended towards bettering overall education; one goal for all students was, “assuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual.” Looking back at the 1950s, America was merely beginning towards progressing its school systems. During this time as well, America seemed like the place to be. Many of the Hispanics groups such as Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans were migrating to the United States in look for better opportunities. Many Puerto Ricans came during World War II while Cubans came for safety since Cuba was under dictatorship. A lot of the Mexicans were here because of the Bracero Program. This program was an agreement set between Mexico and the United States in 1947. The agreement was that Mexico was to send agricultural workers to the Southwest to work in the United States. An estimated 142,000 workers came with their families. When the program ended in 1964, many of these workers stayed in the United States. Because the number of Hispanics immigrants was increasing, bilingual education came to a rise. Many of these children were non-English speaking and were attending public schools here in the US. These students were only speaking in their native language which at the time was primarily Spanish; it was the only language they knew how to understand and speak. The students were forced to go to school but once there, they did not understand much since everything was in English. Many did not have any previous knowledge of the English language so the concern was how does a student learn when they do not understand the teacher. In 1968, Congress passed the Bilingual Education Act because they recognized that “there are large and growing numbers of children and youth of limited-English proficiency, many of whom have a cultural heritage that differs from that of their English-proficient peers.” Congress in the act said, “in order to ensure equal educational opportunity for all children and youth and to promote educational excellence, to assist State and local educational agencies, institutions of high education and community-based organizations to build their capacity to establish, implement, and sustain programs of instruction for children and youth limited English proficiency.” But this act was debated carefully. After four or five years after the act was carried out, problems arose because according to Ron Unz, an anti-bilingual supporter, said “only 5 or 6% of all students that didn’t know English, actually learned English.” The goal of the act was to make sure all of these students learned English so bilingual education had no place in the public schools in the United States. James Lyons on the other hand, said that “bilingual education has made it possible for children to have continuous development in their native language, while they’re in the process of learning English. Because of the number of Hispanics now living in the United States has vastly grown and, according to the 2007 American Community Survey “there are 45 million Hispanics who speak Spanish as a first and second language and 6 million Spanish speaking students,” the Department of Education has stuck to its overall goal and has helped bring upon many improvements to bilingual education programs. Bilingual education is still needed since more and more immigrants are coming to the United States and now students can be comfortable in the classroom while speaking their language yet still learning English. The Department of Education has helped Hispanics students have success in their basic education.

News Article: From in-crowd to out

This article "From in-crowd to out" by Maria Sacchetti is similar to the one by Eddie Ramirez. It talks about how the doors close for illegal immigrants when it comes to college. After graduation from high school, there is the big question that rises for illegal immigrants. What comes next? Those against illegals in college say that "students should not take spaces away from US citizens or legal residents. " They say, "resident tuition is a privilege that should be for US citizens or legal residents only." What some people may not know is that for these students graduation day is "like a funeral" according to a Stephania, a girl interviewed. There is nothing left to do. All their friends are gone and are now alone. There were so many opportunities for these students but because of their legal status they can never obtain them. Like I said in the other posts, that is why colleges need to change how they do things and open the doors for those students who want to continue to grow and learn. They become so much more. They didn't come here, their parents did but yet they still made the best of it by going and doing well in school. They should have all the reason to go to a college.

"From in-crowd to out: Illegal Immigrants often find the road to college blocked." Maria Sacchetti. The Boston Globe May 17, 2009.

DREAM ACT

Here's a link to the website of the DREAM Act: link

P.S. it introduced by our very own Dick Durbin along with other Senators.

News Article: Should Congress Enroll Illegal Immigrants?

As mentioned in other posts, the DREAM Act (which stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) “ would enable undocumented students who have attended U.S. schools and met other conditions to gain legal status and qualify for some student aid according to Eddie Ramirez in his article “Should Congress Enroll Illegal Immigrants?” So now what happens when these students have finished their high school education? Well, instead of accepting students into their schools, states like South Carolina ban illegal immigrants from attending their colleges and universities. Along with South Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Oklahoma deny illegal immigrants in-state tuition benefits. “Supporters of these policies say that scarce education dollars should be spent on making college more affordable for U.S. citizens, not illegal immigrants… we need to worry about American students” is what was said by William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee. In North Carolina where the number of undocumented students is growing fast was considering to follow in the other states footsteps. They were concerned that “admitting unlawful residents conflicted with federal law.” California is facing a law suit because they are “favoring illegal immigrants over U.S. citizens” when it comes to paying tuition. U.S. citizens area paying higher fees than the illegal immigrants who pay for in-state tuition.
I feel that many successful students get punished for the parents’ actions for coming into the U.S. illegally. Once they have been educated and received a legal status, illegal immigrants would no longer be illegal and “pay taxes and make greater contributions as professionals and citizens.” Hopefully the DREAM Act gets approved by Congress but as of right now, it has not had enough support so the states have taken the issue into their own hands.

"Should Congress Enroll Illegal Immigrants? A new front line in the immigration debate:access to higher education" Eddy Ramirez US News August 7 2008

Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Unfair

The article “Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Unfair” explains the reasons why illegal immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to go to college. Focusing their attention in California, the article says that illegal immigrants would get charged less to attend a California public university than any other U.S. citizen who wants to come from another state. Citizens who attend UC for example pay around 4,000 dollars in tuition while out-of-state students pay about three times that for the same education. The article says “becoming illegal he or she can get a huge annual tuition cut of about 11,000 dollars.” Why do illegal immigrants get to pay less when paying less should be a privilege an American citizen should have is the question that gets asked. The article makes a point when it says, “[working families] have taken out a sizable loan to finance their children’s college education and many of whom will never be able to afford to send their children to college- how can we ask them to subsidize the education of those who should not be in our country at all?”
The article makes very good points but I think of it this way. Why do we provide ramps for those who are handicapped? We know that they cannot go up the steps easily so going on the ramp provides an easier and more helpful way of going up the stairs. It’s the same for illegal immigrants. They cannot make it to the top without help. We know their families make less money than an American who works here so they need this to afford a college education. This subsiding tuition costs acts like a ramp. It’s a help to get to the top. By not doing this, we should make all handicapped people walk up the stairs like every other person.

Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants is Just

Every year 50,000 to 65,000 illegal immigrants grow up in this country, attend a school here and graduate from high school. These students are the ones whose parents came to the United States illegally and brought them at a very young age. Regardless of their immigration status, these students are allowed into the public school system to get their basic education. But what happens after high school is what creates problems. Because these students are illegal, they cannot provide a social security number and cannot qualify for financial aid which means it makes it very hard to afford and attend a college. Federal laws governing financial aid exclude undocumented students. So many illegal immigrants do not go to college. To change this situation, the DREAM Act was introduced. The DREAM Act “would permit undocumented students who graduate from high school to apply for legal residency and allow these students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in their home state” according to the article Subsidizing College Tuition for Illegal Immigrants Is Just. If the DREAM Act is passed, illegal immigrant students can pay in-state tuition and go to college and apply for legal residency which means they can work legally in the United States. This can even help better the economy because then, they would be paying taxes etc. After working so hard in high school, these students can continue their studies and education in college if this act is passed. It is a great reward for the students “whom have over come the odds of growing up in tough neighborhoods and impoverished immigrant families to remain in school and succeed. These young people deserve to be rewarded for doing the right thing,” says the article. These students who are illegal didn’t choose to be illegal; it was their parents. So they shouldn’t have to pay for their parents actions. If they want to continue studying, they should be able to in my opinion.
If I worked hard throughout my high school years, I would want to go to college. Sleepless nights writing those papers, doing that math homework, studying for a test etc has to be worth something. If I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go to college like an illegal immigrant, then I’d say, “what is the point?” I think maybe that’s why the drop-out rate for Hispanics is so high. They don’t have a goal so they think what’s the point? This could all be changed. The dropout rate could reduce and those sleepless nights writing those papers could all lead up to something. Going to college... if the DREAM Act passes. If not, these students are hopeless. All that’s left is working, and then the pattern continues for generations. Because they don’t have an education and a legal status, their children won’t then either. The DREAM Act could better the Hispanics outlook. It can stop this by providing the illegal immigrants with a college education, getting them a good job plus a legal status which then they can later apply for citizenship. I believe everyone deserves an education beyond high school no matter what legal status a person may have. Everyone wants the same thing: success.

Richard Rodriguez "Aria"

Richard Rodriguez short story Aria is about his experience as a child growing up in a "gringo" neighborhood. He writes about the challenges he faced while going to school and living in a community were he didn't belong. Richard rarely heard English being spoken to him; for Spanish was what was only spoken at home. The only English he heard was the English spoken without ease by his parents. Richard writes, "it was unsettling to hear my parents struggle with English. hearing them, I'd grow nervous, my clutching trust in their protection and power weakened." That is why at home, he was happy. He'd feel relieved and excited to hear the "sounds of Spanish." It was when Richard starting going to school that he felt nervous. When the Bilingual Education Act passed, teachers needed to use Spanish in the classroom for those students who didn't know English all the well, like Richard. But Richard's teachers take on that responsibility. When asked a question, Richard would mumble which then led the teachers telling his parents that he needed to speak English at home and not only Spanish. So, Richard and his family would practice their English together. He became a more confident English speaker who was willing to participate in class now. Now, Ricard feels that he has become part of society. No longer does he feel separated from society for not knowing the "public language." He belongs now. "gone was the desperate, urgent, intense feeling of being at home; rare was the experience of feeling myself individualized by family intimates. We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close; no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness."

The problem that bilingual education brings is the fact "that children lose a degree of "individuality" by becoming assimilated into public society." Now, Richard has begun to lose confidence in speaking Spanish and starts "forgetting his native society." Because Richard and his siblings are now more advanced then their parents, at home its very quiet. They no longer talked to each other in Spanish and had that family tie that bonded them all together. The good thing with bilingual education is that now Richard (who can represent others) now knows English. By learning the English language, people like Richard are given more opportunities, they become part and are accepted by society, and have friends.

So is bilingual education a good thing or a bad thing for someone that isn't English proficient? Richard's story shows the good and the bad. Is forgetting your native language worth being accepted by the public? In my opinion, it shouldn't be like that. It's up to the person to decide what they want to do with this great advantage. I grew up similar to Richard; Spanish was mainly what was spoken in the house and English well, only at school. But as I grew older and understood more, I starting mixing up by words. In one sentence I'd be using English then insert a Spanish word. So because of this, I started to practice more by English. But then, my Spanish would get weak. Unlike Richard though, I embraced both languages. Instead of choosing which one (I kinda felt he did that) I wanted to use, I expanded and learned more about both. School helped my English and because I wanted to be better at Spanish, I'd only try to explain and speak in Spanish at home. In middle school I took Spanish as the language of study. Everyone always asks why I did if I'm fluent in it. I want to be rude and say, "Why do you take English?" but instead I say to better by reading and writing skills. Yeah I may speak it but my parents never sat me down and taught me how to spell etc. The simple stuff yes but the complicated stuff no. A person shouldn't have to choose what they want to speak. It's great that a person knows two languages. There are so many advantages like helping people when they don't understand something. It's sad to me when someone loses their "Spanishness" I think bilingual education doesn't make someone lose their individuality... I think the student chooses to. The goal of bilingual education is make a student feel confident when speaking both English and Spanish.
Richard Rodriguez, "Aria" Growing Up Latino: Memoirs and Stories Ed. Harold Augenbraum and Ilan Stavans 1993

Where I am So Far...

While researching the topic of Hispanics, I've been more interested in education. I'd like to see how education has progressed starting with the Bilingual Education Act to present day today. I'd like to explore the changes that have happened towards education, how its has gotten better, how have the students been reacting/responding etc. Also not only looking at the education itself but also the life of the students and what they must go through. Looking at the importance of education and what it means to each the student.

Debating Bilingual Education

Bilingual education has been debated many times on whether or not it is helping those students that are non native English speakers. After passing the Bilingual Education Act in 1968 and the Equal Education Opportunity Act, the topic of bilingual education began to create headlines. After passing both acts, schools began teaching the basic academic subjects in student's native language then would move on to teaching English. After increasing funding for these programs, critics pointed out the "alarming dropout rate and lack of English-language proficiency.” States like California where there are the most Spanish speakers were not showing the results expected after having these programs. Then the question arose whether or not to require all schools to abolish bilingual education and teach all in English or continue having the bilingual programs. A debate was broad casted in 1997 on The Newshour with Jim Lehrer between Ron Unz and James Lyons. Ron Unz believed that all public schooling should be taught in English while James Lyons, executive director of the National Association of Bilingual Education, supported bilingual education. Ron Unz said that bilingual programs should only be carried out for older kids, such as 14 or 15 years old who don’t know any English and are put in public schools. He pointed out that children have an easier time learning another language; having them in a classroom where English is only taught would make them learn the language quickly. Meanwhile, James Lyons said that bilingual education "has made it possible for children to have continuous development in their native language, while they're in the process of learning English." He also said that when English is being taught to a 14 or 15 year old, they are taught to speak in an "unaccented form." Most of these students are either first generation or second generation families. Ron Unz said that the reason the United States should abolish bilingual education is because, for example California, only 5 or 6% of all students that don’t know English, learn English. The goal was that all these students learn English but instead only 5% did. James Lyons argued that only 1/3 of the children in California who don’t know English are receiving a bilingual education; the other 2/3 are not. Lyons then made a point that said that “the child who learns English but doesn’t learn any of the other academic subjects taught in school is not going to succeed.” Using Spanish as the medium of instruction, students do much better. The debate came to a close when it was not so much questioning if bilingual education was to blame for the students not being able to read or write, but the poor school systems the US has. A student attending a “good” school should be able to learn English without having a bilingual program and a student attending a “poor” school needs a bilingual program was what the debate ended with.
Both men bring up very good points and it's very hard to choose a side. I agree with Mr. Lyons that bilingual education is very much needed especially for older kids who aren’t native English speakers, but then I look at what Mr. Unz said about children learning a second language quicker. If this is true, then a bilingual program is not needed. They can learn so much more when they are in a classroom all taught in English but then again, it’s very hard for a child to teach him/herselves. Like Mr. Lyons said, “using there native language as the medium of instruction” is something that should be considered. In my personal opinion, (for the given time period) bilingual education should have not been abolished but schools needed to go about it differently. They needed to find a better and stronger why to teach English but also not forget the needs of a non-native speaker. They need to be taught in a way that they learn yet be self-reliant of the learning if they want to succeed.

Margaret Warner, Ron Unz, and James Lyons " Debating Bilingual Education," Annals of American History. [Accessed February 1, 2010].

Bilingual Education Act (1968)

Imagine for whatever reason possible, a student had to go live in China. China is a great country to visit and maybe even live in as well. So this student has no previous knowledge of the Chinese language yet they’ll have to live in China and get educated. Let’s say in Chinese schools, they are not willing to take the time to help this student out by translating anything from Chinese to English. Every day until this student leaves China, they will have to sit in a classroom and try to understand everything that is going on. Will this student ever learn and get educated? Now imagine that but in the United States. A person comes to the United States from Mexico with no previous knowledge of English. How are they supposed to go to school and learn if they only hear the language being spoken but do not actually understand the language? This was how it was before 1968. Thanks to the Bilingual Act of 1968, the "Congress mandated the creation and funding of bilingual programs in public schools." This Congress recognized that "there are large and growing numbers of children and youth of limited-English proficiency, many of whom have a cultural heritage that differs from that of their English-proficient peers" and that these children were not learning. The act reads, “in order to ensure equal educational opportunity for all children and youth and to promote educational excellence, to assist State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations to build their capacity to establish, implement, and sustain programs of instruction for children and youth of limited English proficiency." Thanks to this act, students of mainly the first generation in the United States can be successful. They can speak their own language when asking questions, understand the material being taught, have academic achievement and still meet state standards. I have seen this first hand at Oak Terrace Elementary School in Highwood. Many of my extended family members have or are attending this school. Because of the many students that have parents whom do not speak English, Oak Terrace has a bilingual program. My cousins/nephews and nieces use the Spanish in their classroom and at the same time are taught in English. The bilingual programs not only help them, but also my aunts and uncles. They understand and can participate in their child’s learning. Something they maybe couldn’t have done if this act was not present. The integration of English and Spanish in a classroom not only helps the Mexican American students, but gives an advantage for those who already know English. At Oak Terrace, students who already know English get taught Spanish at a young age because it gets spoken in the classroom; making them bilingual. (Something that becomes very handy in the future.) By the time they get to high school, these students will have already been advanced in the language. The act of 1968 was one that is really useful and can only develop a student even more. Students who aren't from the United States and don’t have the advantage of English speaking parents can still have the same success as a person who is from United States and has English speaking parents. Maybe this act is also true in China, I don’t know. If it is, the student living there can feel much better : )

"Bilingual Education Act (1968)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/.

Bracero program

The bracero program was when Mexico agreed to send agricultural workers to the Southwest to work in the United States from 1947 to 1949. An estimated of 142,000 workers “provided a source of cheap, unorganized labor.” The workers were paid low wages, had terrible living conditions and their children received no education. This program was ended in 1964. While reading the article about the Bracero program, I was reminded of slavery. Slaves came here to work in the fields for very little money, had lived in horrible conditions and if they had children, they were not allowed to go to school. Slavery was an awful part of history and I don’t know if Mexicans were treated as badly as them. At the same time, both groups of people were only trying to better themselves. Blacks worked to buy their freedom while the Mexicans worked to get more than they had in Mexico. In Spanish class, we read Cajas de Corton (which means cardboard boxes) by Francisco Jiménez which is about a family who came to the United States from Mexico to work in agriculture. Each season had a different harvest so they would have to move to a different plantation each time. The boy recalls living in a home with mud floors and having mainly everything they owned in the car. The brother who was 16 wanted to go to school but couldn’t because he had to work with this mom and dad. The main character went to school not knowing English. He would be at school and not understand anything that was happening. What I read in the book, I connected to the bracero program.

"bracero program." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. .

The Chicano movement

The Chicano movement. Something I've never heard about and found interesting; let’s blog about it. The Chicano movement gave rise to itself in the 1960s when Latinos started to fight against discrimination and for equal opportunities in housing, employment and most importantly education in the United States. They formed groups compiled up of mainly students, individuals and adults each devoted to “better education and political representation, seek fairer wages, and fight discrimination.” The Chicanos really disliked how certain public schools segregated Mexican Americans from the others. Groups then would focus on how to make aware of this problem such as boycotting and having walk-outs. One of these groups that had a big influence was the League of United Latin American Citizens. Their goal was to “promote unity and demand rights as U.S. citizens.” When the 1970s came around, the Chicano movement became less noticeable, for it withdrew from its demonstrations. While reading this article, I thought about how similar the Chicanos were to the blacks when they were fought for their civil rights. The blacks also didn’t want segregation in schools and would protest to make it integrated. Just like blacks, Mexican Americans were looked down upon. The whole time I just kept thinking that blacks and Mexican Americans could switch places and they would have been treated the same. Both were working class, low income families; fighting to get equal opportunities in the United States.

"Chicano movement." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. .

Overview of Hispanics

When I was searching for my article, I didn’t know whether or not to type in ‘Hispanic’ or ‘Latino.’ I asked myself, do they mean the same thing? I know I’ve used both to describe myself but I never really knew what the difference was. I decided just to type in ‘Latino’ in the search box to see what came up; the first link: “Latinos in US society.” Upon clicking on it, I read in the second paragraph, “Known variously as Hispanics, Latinos, or Chicanos, people of Latino descent are generally defined as having ancestral roots in Mexico or Central or South America.” I thought, Good, that’s me. The article "Latinos in U.S. society" summarizes and draws a big picture of who Latinos are and how they came about in the United States. It goes back to the history with dates of the Spanish settlement and Mexican-American War. Then the article talks about the help the United States got from Latinos during the World War II which caused for Latinos to immigrate to the United States “in search of employment and higher wages than they could earn in their native land” More and more Latinos came and now wanted a place in the United States. They fought to get noticed and get equal rights-just like the Americans. That’s when it happened. I thought, Where have I seen this before? I answered my own question with the answer of the Civil Rights Movement. Just like blacks were a minority group living in the United States, Latinos were now also another minority group, wanting to get noticed. They formed LULAC a group that “labored to defend Latinos against all forms of discrimination.” NAACP…I thought. The article continues on to say how Latinos have progressed themselves to even get hired for government positions and prospered in the music world. Latinos have had such an impact on the United States, such as making some schools have bilingual classes And of course, which president doesn’t talk about the controversial issue of border control? Latinos have been part of daily life, whether it be the food, the language, the music, we see it everyday. And who knows, maybe the Latino group will end up being the majority after all. Like the article says, “With more and more Americans claiming a Latino heritage, Latinos in the United States are increasingly securing prominent roles in all aspects of society.” So whether I say I’m Hispanic or Latino, I mean the same thing. My parents are from Mexican roots which makes me a Mexican-American..(aka Hispanic/Latino).

"Latinos in U.S. society." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 28 Jan. 2010. .

Research Topic

The topic circled was… HISPANICS. I chose to research Hispanics because not only am I Hispanic and can relate, but because sometimes I feel people forget why these people came in the first place. How did Hispanics get to the United States and why did they leave their previous country? What where they looking for and how did the Americans react? Today, Hispanics and the Hispanic culture have become part of everyday life; normal almost. It would be interesting to learn and see the ways the United States has changed and acted in response to this large group of people. Are Americans happy with this or are there just too many conflicts? I'm very proud of being a Hispanic and always willing to expand my knowledge.

State of Union Speech

I thought what was interesting after watching the State of Union speech was when President Obama said that colleges need to cut prices. That caught my attention seeing that we'll be heading off to college soon and those are the kind of things we'll be talking about and need to understand. "Because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college" was something I really enjoyed. I also liked how Obama said the troops were coming home but aren't leaving suddenly; yet teaching troops in Afghanistan to defend their own country.

First Post Today

Going to put money in Sarah's Haiti jar...Help Haiti