Date of Award

Spring 4-4-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

First Advisor

Virginia Casper

Abstract

This Independent Study aims to explain, through the author's new understandings, the political underpinnings and concrete effects of the English-only movement that practically eliminated bilingual education programs in the public school systems of California and Arizona in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Through a review of the pertinent literature, this review presents a broad history of bilingual education in the United Sates, and the negative effects English-only legislation has had on the linguistic, academic and social development of immigrant children in California and Arizona. As the United Sates' social and racial composition has changed in the last decades, the battle against language diversity can be understood as a surrogate fight for racial discrimination. This work hopes to demonstrate how although masked as concern for immigrant children learning English, the dismantling of bilingual education programs is a purposeful attempt at disenfranchising and disempowering immigrant groups.

Comments

Dual Language/Bilingual Childhood Special and General Education

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