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Dear friends and neighbors, I realize politics are a divisive issue, so I limit my comments here to raising your attention to a language-related ballot measure in Oregon. As I opened my ballot and voter pamphlets last night, I was shocked to discover Measure 58 promotes the English-only movement.

Measure 58 sets specific and finite limits on the amount of language support available to non-English speaking students.
Elementary students must spend no more than 1 year receiving ESL type support/classes.
Middle schoolers are limited to 1.5 years.
High schoolers are limited to 2 years.
Otherwise students are constrained to English immersion classes, regardless of any other considerations.

Here are my thoughts:
Foremost: Absolutely nothing in Federal or Oregon law mandates that English is the "official language."

As a parent exploring options for my young child, I have been amazed and thrilled at the enthusiasm for bilingual education I sense in the Oregon community - especially amongst monolingual parents realizing that their lack of foreign language abilities limited their own potential. There are a growing number of foreign language and bilingual immersion programs. This applies not just in Portland Metro, even McMinnville established a public, bilingual immersion school when I was a student at Linfield 14+ years ago. Given the well-documented studies on how important it is to start learning languages as early as possible, I think this increase in foreign language exposure at schools is wonderful. Increased interest in languages by young students will foster a new generation of culturally aware youth and build bridges that translators and interpreters often have to force open in the current climate.

I think Measure 58 is a contradiction of this healthy language learning. To me it says, "It is well and good for Anglophone Oregonians to send their children to specialty bilingual school (public and private), but do not dare let an immigrant provide his child with a bilingual education opportunity." Furthermore, Beaverton School District currently mandates 3 years of foreign language education before graduating from high school. So what message are we sending here? "You may not speak Spanish/Russian/Japanese in elementary school, but now you must study three years of it in high school!" How is that logical?

We all know the phrase, "Use it or lose it" and how this applies to language use. I have seen it happen that first-generation children are deliberately discouraged from speaking Spanish at home and in public, and they grow up being completely disassociated from their family heritage. I feel that is a sad, lost opportunity. These youth could have become great translators and interpreters and cultural bridges.

I do not deny the value of immersion education (having been through 2 such university programs myself). But Measure 58 is not flexible enough to allow families and students to chose their own path based on special circumstances - a path based on positive personal ambitions nor developmental needs. Currently, schools employ Independent Education Plans (IEPs) for educators and families to work together to develop special curricular exceptions based on special developmental needs. From my reading of the voter pamphlet, it seems that Measure 58 overrides the possibilities of applying IEPs in favor of mainstreaming all students regardless of circumstances.

Specific example of what Measure 58 undermines:
My clients include an older couple adopting two teenagers from a Mexican orphanage. The adoptive parents are starting to learn Spanish; the girls speak no English yet. The older girl has Down Syndrome. Nobody yet knows if it is even possible for her to learn English. Because the family lives in a relatively rural area of Oregon, the girls will attend public high school. Measure 58 would permit the girls only 1 year of ESL instruction. After that - English only - no exceptions. I worry what will become of this girl if this measure should pass...

I would be happy to entertain your thoughtful opinions.