Gingrich: Bilingual Education Must End

Possible Presidential Hopeful Says Children Should Not Learn "The Language Of Living In A Ghetto"

(AP)  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich equated bilingual education Saturday with “the language of living in a ghetto” and mocked requirements that ballots be printed in multiple languages.

“The government should quit mandating that various documents be printed in any one of 700 languages depending on who randomly shows up” to vote, said Gingrich, who is considering seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. He made the comments in a speech to the National Federation of Republican Women.

“The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. ... We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto,” Gingrich said to cheers from the crowd of more than 100.

“Citizenship requires passing a test on American history in English. If that's true, then we do not have to create ballots in any language except English,” he said.

Peter Zamora, co-chair of the Washington-based Hispanic Education Coalition, which supports bilingual education, said, “The tone of his comments were very hateful. Spanish is spoken by many individuals who do not live in the ghetto.”

He said research has shown “that bilingual education is the best method of teaching English to non-English speakers.” Spanish-speakers, he said, know they need to learn English. “There's no resistance to learning English, really, among immigrants, among native-born citizens. Everyone wants to learn English because it's what you need to thrive in this country.”

In the past, Gingrich has supported making English the nation's official language. He has also said all American children should learn English and that other languages should be secondary in schools.

In 1995, for example, he said bilingualism poses “long term dangers to the fabric of our nation” and that “allowing bilingualism to continue to grow is very dangerous.”

Bilingual programs teach students reading, arithmetic and other basic skills in their native language so they do not fall behind while mastering English.

On voting, federal law requires districts with large populations of non-English speakers to print ballots in multiple languages.

[taddles-2009]

Why does anyone listen to this windbag, he made himself irrelevant 10 years ago when his own party booted him out of office.

Politicions are like diapers, they both need to be changed regularily and for the same reason. Unfortunatly Newt is like the floater in the bowl that just won't flush.

[homespunlady]

Hmm...Will anti foreign language be the new rallying cry of the "Nascar demographic"? Let's try it out using Newt and see what happens...

Ever get the idea this may be a diversionary ruse?
While we were debating Terry Schaivo's rights and Gay Marriage the US Treasury was being emptied and shipped overseas our rights were disappearing and OSAMA BIN LADIN wa laughing his backside off with his (maybe corporate?) buddies!!

[sy2502]

I am sick of paying thousands of dollars in taxes just to print documents in 700 languages. Too many of the people that need those documents in a language different from English don't even pay taxes to begin with! If you want documents in another language you should have to pay for them through the nose.
And this comes from me, a LEGAL immigrant whose native language is not English.

[realpatriot1]

What does Gingrich know about bilingual education...he's only had a bi-sexual education himself!

[randalds]

What's good for Mexico is GOOD FOR U.S. Mexico says won't accept new citizen UNLESS THEY SPEAK SPANISH
Posted by joanpz at 03:26 PM : Apr 01, 2007

Unless of course you slip the guy who signs the forms a couple of hundred US dollars. Works wonders.

[coffeehead-2009]

Everyone wants to learn English because it's what you need to thrive in this country.%u201D



Obviously he hasn't been down to miami lately.

If individuals want to be American -
if they WANT to speak English -
there are plenty of courses available for a small fee. --- Pay it and learn.
I am so tired of this accountability being so anti- white middle class.
From our penal system *jail if we steal a 100.00 item, slap on the hand for ceo's who swindle millions."
We condemn and demean AMERICANS for being on "welfare" but somehow those immigrants who fill the needs for profit are above that - WE OWE THEM?
Speak English -
Boycott in the streets (no less than striking) and have your organizers arrested and fined millions - just like the unions. Jail the protesters and make them reimburse the citizens for the cost of security and loss of business.
It's about time that those who REALLY make this county stand up for themselves. - stop the economic gap from widening and return middle class america to where we belong.

[tbweb]

The influx of Spanish speaking citizens into our country has created a dilemma... Let the research drive the decisions rather than the emotions.
Posted by ed_doc at 03:10 PM : Apr 01, 2007

--ed_doc

With all due respect, the emotions you speak of come from the fact that this influx of millions of foreigners are here in the United States illegally and are stressing out every service system including our schools. Many Americans don't subscribe to your 'get used to it' advice and want them out, back where they came from. If I were an illegal, I would take what I get and keep my mouth shut, but no, they want rights, services and benefits and our schools disrupted! The really sad part is these 10, 15 or 20 million illegals have jumped the long waiting line of those who applied for U.S. entry the right way and have been in some cases waiting for 10 years, what about those who tried to do it right? Why are the criminals who entered illegally being rewarded and allowed to jump ahead in the weaiting line? My advice is you get used it, because the emotions are not going away!

[klingon69]

With the influx of so many people whose primary language is not english, is that the problem created for the public as a whole.
The research of Stephen Kraschen does not hold water. It has been proven when you try to learn a language by using your native tongue as a transport system, you wind up trying to translate as fits your native tongue. Unfortunately since rules of grammar differ so much between english and many other languages, the person winds up speaking english, but in a way that can be incomprehensible to many ears.
The best way to learn a language is by complete emersion. That has been the way that most people originally learned a foreign tongue.

[actornaught]

joan, hang in there, if newt and his anti-rights flaks get their way, we WILL have a government as oppressive as Mexico's.

[joanpz]

What's good for Mexico is GOOD FOR U.S. Mexico says won't accept new citizen UNLESS THEY SPEAK SPANISH

[j0hnwi11iams]

He is creating a straw man. He doesn't want to talk about real issues. He wants to talk about stuff that is not significant. What about Global Warming and our dependence on foreign oil? The sound of silence is deafening.

Just because he is right about one thing doesn't make him any less of a scumbag. He sucks on so many other issues. Precisely the ones he wants to avoid talking about.

[ed_doc]

The research of Stephen Krashen indicates that the most rapid assimilation from a native language to a second language is through instruction taught in the native language. Immersion in English removes the native language as the transport mechanism.

The influx of Spanish speaking citizens into our country has created a dilemma that cannot be solved by the rants of those advising a return to their prior country. Public education institutions do not have the luxury of choosing which students to educate. With a system based upon not what's best, but what's most affordable, educators must continue to use methods that provide for the fastest transition for the fastest growing population.

Get used to it folks -- American is becoming more diverse than it has in the past 100 years. Let the research drive the decisions rather than the emotions.

[wa_dem]

tbweb wrote: "The point is the English language must be learned and not avoided."

I agree, tbweb - thanks for your note. In essence, that is what Mr.Gingrich is attempting to say... My issue with him is that he is using very charged language to make this simple point.

When we start saying: "You have to speak English in America", then we have lost the meaning of America.

Let us be warm and compassionate to those who bring so much value to this country, and who go mostly unrecognized... Even if you speak fluent English, you have to work very hard here to be successful.

I should just mention that ideally the inter-active menu systems on phones should let you speak any language - now THAT would be great customer service. "Press 3 For Mandarin Chinese, Press 4 for Hindi".

Some of you people need to be a little more open minded... Or you could move to countries where everyone has to follow the rules, as specified by the ruling classes, such as Cuba, Iran, or Zimbabwe.

[mbievtea]

Good for Mr. Gingrich. The continuation of bilingual education for an extended period of time is counter-productive. Of course, someone like Mr. Zamora picks the statement apart and focuses on the word "ghetto". This is the same problem with Islam. Being politically correct is nice, but it only makes people "blind and mute" because citizens start to think 'I can't discuss that ... someone may not like it'. This is a democracy and discussion is open to facts not etiquette. Let's discuss facts. Extended, prolonged bilingual education is counter-productive ... that is the fact! As for me, I want a politician -- especially one who may influence policy and direction -- a candidate who talks about facts. Keep it up Newt!

[macusweil]

Have to say that in any language and adulterer and hypocrite are still the same, although I do agree ballots should be written in English.

[actornaught]

Funny how this scumbag is out in public pushing anything. One after another, he and his scandal-ridden 'Contract on America' cronies have had to scurry into the shadows.

[tbweb]

--realpatriot1

The smart people with the Masters Degrees and PhD's will need to figure out the administration of bilingual education in a way that makes everyone happy. Because of School Bus schedules and School course curriculums, will those learning bilingual education need to miss other classes to do it or will students who don't want bilingual education be forced to learn it! This is where it gets tricky and the administration of bilingual education will need to be worked out but I think it is a plus if done correctly.

[michellem99-2009]

It is true that the children do need to taught in both and once they have mastered english then move on the english only. I think it is wonderful that they will beable to talk in both but we are an english speaking nation and english is spoken thru out the world as USA and other nations do use it.What I am saying here is in the company of english speaking people and in a nation that uses english.The person wishes to live here.It make common sense that he/she learn english as they learn to become American. I know english is hard for some people. They try and that a step for them as they met people who speak english only so therefore they must use english.

[whatithink-2009]

Realpatriot1,

Also to mention that the NEOCONS like using inflammatory race baiting language when speaking to their constituents. I assume because most of their constituents are inflammatory racists.

[realpatriot1]

tbweb,

I totally agree with you that English should be on the menu and be the primary Language. I know there are plenty of cases where Spanish only becomes the norm. If we need to make improvements in how Bilingual Ed is being implemented that's one thing. For Gingrich to advocate eliminating it is another. Calling Spanish the language of the ghetto is just plain rascist and ignorant.

My problem isn't with you or others raising concerns about how biligualism is working and wanting people to learn English. My problem is ambitious politicans who prey on those concerns and lead us down a path of intolerence.

Spanish-speaking kids need to learn English before they can learn any other subject taught in English. How does Gingrich expect them to learn other subjects while learning English if they aren't taught bilingually? Since when are extensive course offerings and educational choice a bad thing?