Pros And Cons Of The English Only Debate
Running head: ENGLISH ONLY DEBATE
The English Only Debate
Layne Smith
Grand Canyon University
Instructor: Dr. Rollen Fowler
ESL 523 / English Language Teaching Foundations and Methods
Revised
July 30, 2008
Abstract
This paper describes some of the issues relating to the proponents and opponents to the English only debate. It is an argument that is deeply rooted into the cultural history of the United States. The proponents of English only laws view the spread of multiculturalism in schools, aided and abetted by the local and federal government through the printing of various language ballots as the beginning of the Balkanization of American culture where the spread of other languages will outstrip the use of English is many parts …show more content…
The events in Canada at the time galvanized a fear of a multicultural society, which could result in the balkanization of the United States if left unimpeded. The proponents of the English only debate also have used the additional costs of having to produce multiple language ballots as another reason to rail against local and state governments that do not support English only initiatives. The opponents to the English only debate consider it to be a reaffirmation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which adhere to the belief that the language of an individual is their cultural identity and it should not be abridged. The funding of educational institutions is not to deny fair access to educational opportunities such as providing support to students whose spoken language may be other than …show more content…
Federal laws were enacted protecting the use of bilingual ballots in districts that have large populations of non English speakers. As a society we value literacy as a passport to full participation in American society; but not use mastery of the English language as a qualification for citizenship. The costs associated with bilingual voting is no more onerous than voter registration drives, providing wheelchair access to polling areas, providing special Braille ballots for blind voters, or for providing absentee or mail-in balloting for many special and general
The English Only Debate
Layne Smith
Grand Canyon University
Instructor: Dr. Rollen Fowler
ESL 523 / English Language Teaching Foundations and Methods
Revised
July 30, 2008
Abstract
This paper describes some of the issues relating to the proponents and opponents to the English only debate. It is an argument that is deeply rooted into the cultural history of the United States. The proponents of English only laws view the spread of multiculturalism in schools, aided and abetted by the local and federal government through the printing of various language ballots as the beginning of the Balkanization of American culture where the spread of other languages will outstrip the use of English is many parts …show more content…
The events in Canada at the time galvanized a fear of a multicultural society, which could result in the balkanization of the United States if left unimpeded. The proponents of the English only debate also have used the additional costs of having to produce multiple language ballots as another reason to rail against local and state governments that do not support English only initiatives. The opponents to the English only debate consider it to be a reaffirmation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which adhere to the belief that the language of an individual is their cultural identity and it should not be abridged. The funding of educational institutions is not to deny fair access to educational opportunities such as providing support to students whose spoken language may be other than …show more content…
Federal laws were enacted protecting the use of bilingual ballots in districts that have large populations of non English speakers. As a society we value literacy as a passport to full participation in American society; but not use mastery of the English language as a qualification for citizenship. The costs associated with bilingual voting is no more onerous than voter registration drives, providing wheelchair access to polling areas, providing special Braille ballots for blind voters, or for providing absentee or mail-in balloting for many special and general