Issues in U.S. Language Policy

Life After 227

June - December 1998
News & Editorial Archives

The Vote
Analysis of the Prop. 227 Campaign
Litigation & Interpretation
Impact
Resistance
Political Fallout
Editorials and Commentaries
Related News

Litigation & Interpretation

• San Jose Schools Ruled Exempt from Prop. 227 – Federal court decision supercedes Prop. 227; other districts won't be affected.
  Contra Costa Times, 18 December 1998
• Teachers Sue to Block Liability in Bilingual Education Law – Vagueness of "overwhelmingly in English" mandate raises free speech and due process concerns.
  Los Angeles Times, 4 December 1998
• Districts Vary Widely in 227 Waiver Bids – Some Orange County schools encourage parents to exercise their rights; others don't.
  Los Angeles Times, 14 October 1998
• Many School Districts Waivering on Prop. 227 – Trend prompts renewed threats of litigation from Unz forces.
  Contra Costa Times, 14 October 1998
• Schools Differ on Prop. 227 – Pattern of parent waiver requests varies depending on messages sent by teachers and administrators.
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 October 1998
• Fight Over Bilingual Ed May Play out in Court – Parents increasingly seek waivers allowing children to continue in bilingual education; Alice Callaghan threatens to sue districts that grant them on a large scale.
  Associated Press, 11 October 1998
• Prop. 227 Guidelines Finalized – State Board gives school districts leeway to determine amount of bilingual instruction; no set percentage of English to be required.
  San Jose Mercury News, 9 October 1998
• State OKs Prop. 227 Rules on English-Only Instruction – Flexible policy draws criticism from Unz camp for offering too much choice to parents who want bilingual programs.
  Associated Press, 9 October 1998
• Prop. 227 Rules Adopted – Districts allowed discretion in granting parental waiver requests.
  Sacramento Bee, 9 October 1998
• Bilingual Classes on the Way Back – After seeing children flounder in English-only classrooms, many parents seek waivers permitting native-language instruction.
  San Jose Mercury News, 8 October 1998
• Word Getting Out on Bilingual Class Waivers – Increasing number of parents use Prop. 227 escape clause; Unz spokesperson protests.
  Los Angeles Times, 8 October 1998
• Berkeley Trustees Deliberate Use of 227 – Despite court ruling that State Board must consider district's waiver request, Berkeley schools face loss of $3 million unless it complies with initiative.
  Contra Costa Times, 7 October 1998
• Many Santa Ana Parents Seeking English-Only Waivers – But pattern varies in other Orange County districts.
  Los Angeles Times, 4 October 1998
• English Limits Baffle Board – Gilroy responds to threats by Unz.
  San Jose Mercury News, 25 September 1998
• School Board Seeks Prop. 227 Exemption for 34 L.A. Campuses – Aim is to spare successful programs from elimination.
  Los Angeles Times, 25 September 1998
• Unz: District Violates Law – Initative sponsor steps up litigation threats against teachers and adminstrators.
  San Jose Mercury News, 21 September 1998
• Supporters of Bilingual Education Lose Ruling – Judge declines to hold State Board in contempt for refusing to consider waivers of Prop. 227, as he had ordered.
  Sacramento Bee, 18 September 1998
• State School Board Delays Vote on Bilingual Waivers – Wilson appointees refuse to obey court order while they appeal.
  Sacramento Bee, 12 September 1998
• State Board Grants Gates' Request for Charter Status – School is the latest of several "dual immersion" programs to win exemption from Prop. 227.
  Orange County Register, 12 September 1998
• 2 Schools Get Prop. 227 Waivers – Dual immersion programs win exemption from California Department of Education.
  Orange County Register, 4 September 1998
• Waiver Requests Will Be Heard – More than 40 districts seek State Board exemption from Prop. 227.
  San Jose Mercury News, 3 September 1998
• Responses to Prop. 227 All Over the Map – Unz threatens to sue teachers and administrators, who could "lose their homes and be forced into bankruptcy" unless they abide by his interpretation of anti-bilingual initiative.
  Los Angeles Times, 2 September 1998
• Schools Can Seek Bilingual Waivers – Judge rules that State Board must consider districts' requests: "mountain of litigation" predicted to determine whether schools must comply with Prop. 227.
  Sacramento Bee, 28 August 1998
• Bilingual Teaching Backers Win Key Court Decision – Ruling may be a serious blow to Prop. 227; in best-case scenario, initiative could become optional, not mandatory for school districts.
  Los Angeles Times, 28 August 1998
• Parents Lobby To Keep Bilingual Ed – Supt. Eastin asked to spare two-way programs in Orange County.
  Associated Press, 25 August 1998
• Bilingual Programs Remain in S.J. for Now – Court mandate supercedes Prop. 227, federal judge rules.
  San Jose Mercury News, 18 August 1998
• City to Support Lawsuit Against Proposition 227 – LA city council plans to file amicus brief in civil rights litigation.
  Los Angeles Times, 5 August 1998
• State Board Gets Crash Course on Implementing Prop. 227 – Pro-phonics, anti-bilingual advocates testify in Sacramento as courts in LA give green light to initiative.
  Los Angeles Times, 1 August 1998
• Court Sustains Calif. Bilingual Ban – Last appeals denied by federal judges; 227 will take effect next week as scheduled.
  Associated Press, 31 July 1998
• 11th-Hour Lawsuit Filed Against Prop. 227 – LA schools are unprepared to make curriculum work, MALDEF argues.
  Los Angeles Times, 31 July 1998
• Loophole Delays English-Only Classes at Some O.C. Schools – Districts buy time by opening schools before Aug. 2, official effective date of Prop. 227.
  Los Angeles Times, 30 July 1998
• Proposition 227 Speaks the Language of Uncertainty – Extensive analysis of State Board of Education "emergency regulations" interpreting Prop. 227.
  Los Angeles Times, 29 July 1998
• Bilingual Education Schools May Sneak Past Prop. 227 – Little-known law authorizing "alternative" and "magnet" schools may offer safe haven for some bilingual education; two-way programs most likely to benefit.
  Associated Press, 29 July 1998
• Charter Schools Exempt From Prop. 227, State Says – Impact will be limited, given the small number of qualifying schools.
  Los Angeles Times, 28 July 1998
• Riverside Plan Irks Prop. 227's Unz – 60% instruction in English isn't "overwhelming" enough for initiative sponsor; Unz threatens litigation if Riverside Unified refuses to modify its curriculum.
  Riverside Press-Enterprise, 25 July 1998
• Appeals Court Urged To Quash Proposition 227 – Legal move is last chance to keep initiative from taking effect on Aug. 2.
  Associated Press, 25 July 1998
• Battle Intensifies on Compliance With Prop. 227 – Initiative backers threaten litigation to enforce strict interpretation; Unz wants at least 90% English in classrooms.
  Los Angeles Times, 25 July 1998
• School Districts Sue Over Bilingual Law – Oakland, Berkeley, and Hayward demand waivers of 227 from State Board of Education.
  San Jose Mercury News, 22 July 1998
• Judge Refuses to Stand in Way of Prop. 227 – No children harmed thus far, court rules; therefore no constitutional or civil rights basis to stay initiative's effective date. LA teachers, parents, and students continue protest against English-only mandate.
  Los Angeles Times, 16 July 1998
• Prop. 227 Court Challenge Fails – Judge refuses to intervene: ``This court is not a Supreme Board of Education.''
  San Jose Mercury News, 16 July 1998
• Judge Gives Green Light to Prop. 227 – Forecasts of dire consequences for minority children "terribly over-stated," court rules.
  Sacramento Bee, 16 July 1998
• Prop. 227 Upheld by U.S. Judge – Bay Area districts plan various forms of resistance.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 1998
       Letter to the Editor, by Waldemar Rojas – San Francisco will not comply with Prop. 227 because the school district remains bound by consent decree in the 1974 Lau v. Nichols decision.
       San Francisco Chronicle, 17 July 1998
• U.S. Judge Backs Prop. 227 – Judge Legge had already made up his mind; 48-page decision was written before opponents got their day in court.
  Contra Costa Times, 16 June 1998
• Judge Refuses to Block Measure Ending Bilingual Education in California – Bilingual education advocates vow to take injunction request to 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
  New York Times, 16 July 1998
• 227 Leaves Wiggle Room for Districts – "State regulations on the measure leave room for interpretation."
  Orange County Register, 15 July 1998
• State Board Issues 'Flexible' Rules on Bilingual Education – Emergency regulations appear to put burden on schools to prove that bilingual programs would not benefit students; otherwise waivers of Prop. 227 must be granted when parents request them.
  Associated Press, 11 July 1998
• State Starts Putting Proposition 227 in Place – Board of Education guidelines call for flexibility, but no waivers for districts. End results: confusion and dissension.
  Sacramento Bee, 10 July 1998
• Prop. 227 Rules Offer Flexibility – Board issues expansive interpretation of parental right to choose bilingual programs.
  San Jose Mercury News, 10 July 1998
• Judge's Decision Could Block Charter Schools – Ruling may close escape route for two-way bilingual programs.
  Los Angeles Times, 10 July 1998
• District Fights for Bilingual Program – Stressing benefits of bilingualism, Capistrano Unified continues to press State Board and Supt. Eastin to spare dual immersion school.
  Orange County Register, 7 July 1998
• Schools Told to Obey Prop. 227 by This Fall – State Board of Education rejects request to postpone the effective date of Prop. 227 for districts with year-round schools.
  Los Angeles Times, 2 July 1998
• Bilingual Education Waivers Are Ruled Out – State board claims "the people have spoken" and it lacks authority to exempt districts from Prop. 227 mandate.
  Sacramento Bee, 27 June 1998
• Hold Your Fire, Prop. 227 Backers Tell Court – Pacific Legal Foundation argues that "sequential instruction" – English first, then academics – would not violate students' civil rights.
  Sacramento Bee, 25 June 1998
• State Vows Swift Implementation of Prop. 227 – State Supt. Eastin and Wilson-appointed State Board battle over who will interpret initiative for school districts.
  Los Angeles Times, 13 June 1998
• Bilingual Issue Sparks Clash at State Board – Eastin: 'You will not muzzle this superintendent.'
  Sacramento Bee, 13 June 1998
• Hearing Set on Prop. 227 Suit – Arguments for a preliminary injunction will be heard on July 15.
  Associated Press, 12 June 1998
• Schools Chief Weighs Waiver to English-Only Classes – Eastin mulls options on Prop. 227.
  San Jose Mercury News, 10 June 1998
• Foes File Suit To Halt Prop. 227 – Eastin and Lungren pledge to uphold law; State Board spokesman promises a "reasonable" and workable interpretation.
  Sacramento Bee, 4 June 1998
• Foes Take Prop. 227 to Court – Legal arguments to stress constitutional violations of "equal protection" and initiative's failure to embody "sound educational theory."
  Contra Costa Times, 4 June 1998
• Prop. 227 Challenged In Lawsuit – Civil rights groups cite threat to equal opporrtunity.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 4 June 1998
• Prop. 227 Foes Vow to Block It Despite Wide Vote Margin – Districts join litigation, but State Board of Education takes a dim view of their waiver requests.
  Los Angeles Times, 4 June 1998
• Bilingual Education's Supporters Sue to Block Ban – Schools chancellor Rudy Crew vows to fight attacks on program in New York.
  New York Times, 4 June 1998

Impact

• Vietnamese Bilingual Plan Lauded – Native-language instruction offered after school and on Saturday to comply with Prop. 227.
  San Jose Mercury News, 13 December 1998
• School Districts Far Apart on Prop. 227 – "You see in (California's) 8,000 schools as many varieties of Proposition 227 programs as there were bilingual programs before."
  Sacramento Bee, 6 December 1998
• Choice of a New Generation – Santa Ana encourages parents to apply for waivers of the English-only mandate.
  Orange County Weekly, 20 November 1998
• Fresno Unified Grants 2,400 Prop. 227 Waivers – Most LEP students remain in bilingual classrooms.
  Fresno Bee, 20 November 1998
• Bilingual Battle Still Rages in Classrooms – Prop. 227 creates disruption, confusion, fears, litigation threats.
  USA Today, 13 November 1998
• Structured English Immersion in California – Educators' interpretations of initiative vary widely; some resistance continues, while Unz threatens to sue and "force them into bankruptcy."
  National Public Radio, 12 November 1998
  (requires RealAudio)
• A Classroom View of Prop. 227 – English learners still receive native-language "support," but Spanish literacy is out, holding children back in learning to read.
  Glendale News-Press, 7 November 1998
• Hundreds Wait for Bilingual Education – Schools with fewer than 20 waiver requests are failing to provide native-language instruction.
  Los Angeles Times, 23 October 1998
• Bilingual Classes Still Thriving in Wake of Prop. 227 – Waiver requests vary, but Ron Unz gloats that he has reduced bilingual enrollments by 90% in Los Angeles.
  Los Angeles Times, 22 October 1998
• Groups Say Parents Intimidated When Seeking Bilingual Waivers – L.A. civil rights advocates cite threats, harassment, and failure to provide information.
  Associated Press, 16 October 1998
• Prop. 227 Delays Reading Lessons in English in L.A. – District recognizes that children need to understand the words before they can decode them on the page; Unz calls this "outrageous."
  Los Angeles Times, 9 October 1998
• California Still Debates Bilingual Education – Struggle against Prop. 227 continues, as educators seek to preserve parental choice; Unz forces threaten that lawsuits are imminent.
  New York Times, 3 October 1998
• 2-Way Language Programs Under Attack – Unique opportunity to become bilingual among the casualties of Prop. 227.
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 October 1998
• A California Measure Ties Some Teachers' Tongues – Bilingual educators recruited from Spain are restricted to English-only instruction.
  Wall Street Journal, 28 September 1998
• Parents Overwhelmingly Request Bilingual Classes – 30 days of English-only instruction shows need for bilingual education in Hueneme; Unz aide claims district is circumventing the law.
  Los Angeles Times, 26 September 1998
• Bilingualism Thrives at This School – Two-way program, recently exempted from Prop. 227, is popular with parents and students.
  How Gates Kept Dual Languages
  Trends of Kids' Scores Differing
  Orange County Register, 24 September 1998
• Study: Switch to English Immersion Is Successful – Citing dubious research results, Orange Unified officials say they were right to dismantle bilingual education.
  Los Angeles Times, 22 September 1998
• Prop. 227 Has Schools Scrambling – Teachers and students struggle to cope in Santa Ana.
  Orange County Register, 19 September 1998
• Students Cope Without Bilingual Teaching – Young English learners struggle to understand their teachers under a strict interpretation of Prop. 227.
  Riverside Press-Enterprise, 17 September 1998
• Schools Set for New Era of English-Only – Orange County districts vary in plans to implement Prop. 227.
  Los Angeles Times, 8 September 1998
• No Habla Espanol – Prop. 227 brings chaos to Ventura County classrooms.
  Los Angeles Times, 6 September 1998
• Few Bilingual Teachers Take Texas' Offer – Recruitment drive falls short in Southern California.
  Los Angeles Times, 23 August 1998
• School To Seek New Status – River Glen hopes to save two-way bilingual program by becoming "alternative school."
  San Jose Mercury News, 21 August 1998
• Schools Await Bilingual Waivers – Pleasant Valley district plans to honor parents' wishes.
  Ventura County Star, 14 August 1998
• School District To Emphasize Waiver Option – Santa Ana will go out of its way to inform parents of their rights.
  Orange County Register, 11 August 1998
• Oxnard District Tests Proposition 227 – More than 1,700 parents of LEP students – a majority in some schools – have signed waivers to keep their children in bilingual education.
  Ventura County Star, 11 August 1998
• California Educators Struggle With End of Bilingual Education – Parents' role seen as problematic and uncertain, but crucial.
  Christian Science Monitor, 10 August 1998
• 'Gag Order' on Prop. 227 Appears to Be Softening – Supt. Zacarias had told teachers not to advise parents on waiver requests, but appears to back down after First Amendment concerns are raised.
  Los Angeles Times, 8 August 1998
• Largely Latino School Is Closely Watched for Reaction to Immersion – Teachers in East L.A. struggle to provide English-only classes without materials or training, told to "do the best you can."
  Los Angeles Times, 8 August 1998
• Schools Gear Up As Bilingual Ed. Law Takes Effect – Confusion and apprehension persist among officials, teachers, and parents.
  Education Week, 5 August 1998
• With Gestures, but Not Chaos, Prop. 227 Begins – After one day of the initiative, one newspaper prononounces it a success: "L.A. teachers improvise on first day of English-only instruction, and students seem to catch on."
  Los Angeles Times, 4 August 1998
       Letter to the Editor, by Ana-Maria Greene
• In Calif. Classrooms, a Troubled Transition – A different view: "Confusion reigned in many California school districts and defiance in others as teachers struggled to switch from Korean, Armenian and Spanish to all-English, all the time, often without the help of textbooks or lesson plans."
  Washington Post, 4 August 1998
• On 1st Day Back, Teachers, Pupils Get Lesson in Prop. 227 – "Feelings of doubt, confusion and hope were shared by many parents and teachers."
  Los Angeles Daily News, 4 August 1998
• Bilingual Teachers Still in Demand Despite Prop. 227 – "District officials say language skills are still viewed as a plus" for new teachers.
  San Jose Mercury News, 4 August 1998
• Prop. 227 Jitters Hit Teachers – Lack of guidance on how to implement initiative creates confusion, consternation.
  Associated Press, 2 August 1998
• Educators Working Around Prop. 227 – Bilingual programs will survive this fall in Bay Area.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 31 July 1998
• Uncertainty Precedes Prop. 227 – Confusion, anxiety reign in Central Valley.
  Fresno Bee, 27 July 1998
• Anxiety Grows in Implementing Prop. 227 – With effective date of Unz law less than two weeks away, LA administrators express frustration and confusion; Supt. Zacarias says it would be "unprofessional" to advise parents to seek waivers of English-only rule.
  Los Angeles Times, 24 July 1998
• Prop. 227's 'Bumpy Ride' – Los Angeles plan to include native-language support, bilingual instructors; initiative organizer Alice Callaghan threatens litigation.
  Los Angeles Times, 22 July 1998
• Schools Draw Up Plans to Implement Prop. 227 – District responses range from acceptance to defiance.
  Los Angeles Times, 21 July 1998
• Schools in Quandary over Implementation – In wake of federal judge's ruling, districts face enormous challenges in teacher training, curriculum, materials; some plan to preserve the option of bilingual instruction.
  San Jose Mercury News, 16 July 1998
• Behind on Prop. 227 – Santa Ana Unified sees no chance of implementing initiative on time.
  Orange County Register, 15 July 1998
• District May Sue to Save Program – Saddleback considers ligitation among options for continuing two-way bilingual education.
  Orange County Register, 15 July 1998
• Bilingual School Braces for 'the Big One' – Classroom chaos, community protests foreseen if initiative is implemented as scheduled in Huntington Park.
  Los Angeles Times, 13 July 1998
• Districts Faced with Catch-227 – Citing federal civil rights law, some districts plan to ignore Prop. 227 even if it takes effect on Aug. 2; others await court ruling before moving to dismantle bilingual education.
  Bakersfield Californian, 13 July 1998
• School District Pushes Forward with Revamped Bilingual Program – Newport-Mesa moves to comply with requirements of Prop. 227.
  Daily Pilot (Costa Mesa), 7 July 1998
• Teachers Brace for Life after Prop. 227 – State training requirements still in effect for those who instruct English learners.
  Orange County Register, 6 July 1998
• Prop. 227 Mandate Rouses Concern – "No guidelines, regulations, textbooks, classroom materials, curriculum or lesson plans exist on how to translate the initiative from the ballot box to the state's 9,000 public schools."
  Associated Press, 27 June 1998
• Santa Ana Trustees May Fight Prop. 227 – School board considers interventing in court case.
  Los Angeles Times, 27 June 1998
• Fremont Seeking Bilingual Waiver – Nine school districts ask state board for exemptions from Prop. 227.
  San Jose Mercury News, 26 June 1998
• Fighting for Dual Immersion – Officials consider "charter school" option to save popular two-way bilingual program.
  Los Angeles Times, 23 June 1998
• Area Districts Seek Ways To Conform to 227 – Without state guidance, local school systems develop their own interpretations.
  Ventura County Star, 21 June 1998
• Parents Find Way Around Prop. 227 – Dual immersion advocates look for loopholes.
  Orange County Register, 18 June 1998
• Uncertainty Follows Vote on Prop. 227 – Districts ponder diverse strategies for compliance, exemption, resistance.
  Education Week, 10 June 1998
• Santa Ana District Won't Commit to Prop. 227 Suit – School board cites high cost of litigation.
  Orange County Register, 10 June 1998
• Capistrano Unified To Seek Waiver for Bilingual Program – Popular "dual immersion" approach would be banned without waiver by State Board of Ed.
  Orange County Register, 9 June 1998
• Stockton Schools Grapple with 227 – Some districts plan to continue native-language support; others remain "in limbo."
  Stockton Record, 9 June 1998

Resistance

• Group Presses Plea To Restore Bilingual Classes – Parents take direct action in Oceanside.
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 November 1998
• The Faces of Protest – Prop. 227 turns high school students into political activists.
  Los Angeles Times, 19 June 1998
• 500 Students March Against Prop. 227 – Los Angeles protest is largest yet against anti-bilingual law.
  Los Angeles Times, 12 June 1998
• Zacarias Urges End to Prop. 227 Protests – LA superintendent tells students to "stay in school."
  Los Angeles Times, 11 June 1998
• Oxnard Students Leave Class for 2nd Day in 227 Protest – Latino youths denounce initiative as racist.
  Los Angeles Times, 9 June 1998
• Union Tells Teachers in State to Obey Prop. 227 – CTA President Lois Tinson undercuts resistance efforts by union members.
  Los Angeles Times, 7 June 1998
• High School Students Protest at City Hall Over Prop. 227 – Graduates of bilingual education seek to preserve the option for their brothers and sisters.
  Los Angeles Times, 6 June 1998
• Estancia Students Protest Proposition 227 – Latino students block traffic in Orange County.
  Daily Pilot (Costa Mesa), 6 June 1998
• Schools Try to Resist Bilingual Law – Tools include litigation, waivers, and civil disobedience.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 6 June 1998
• Voters' Will Saddens Teacher – The day after: dejection and confusion at a Santa Ana school.
  Orange County Register, 4 June 1998

Political Fallout

• Teachers Wait To See If Davis Will Affect Bilingualism – In considering policy on Prop. 227, governor-elect eyes growing Hispanic political clout.
  Associated Press, 20 December 1998
• Defeated in State Race, Tuchman Clings to School Goals – Bitter loser refuses to contratulate Eastin, pledges to continue fighting "subversion" of Prop. 227.
  Orange County Register, 5 November 1998
• Education Challenge for Davis, Eastin – Better collaboration expected between new governor and state schools superintendent on 227 and other education policies.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 5 November 1998
• Eastin Is Re-Elected State Schools Chief – 227 cosponsor Tuchman loses despite huge contributions from millionaires and a $5,000 gift from Ron Unz.
  Orange County Register, 4 November 1998
• Tuchman, Eastin Debate Bilingual Education, Arts – Incumbent schools chief knocks 227: "No country in the world teaches their language in a year. We really don't know how we can do it.''
  Associated Press, 30 October 1998
• House OKs Bilingual Education Limit – Riggs bill would gut the Bilingual Education Act, eliminate teacher training and civil rights protections, and impose a nationwide time limit on all special programs for English learners; yet the measure is likely to die in the Senate.
  Associated Press, 10 September 1998
• Statewide Push To Kill Bilingual Education Gains – 227 virus spreads to Arizona; Unz says he's likely to provide financial backing.
  Arizona Daily Star, 2 August 1998
• Hillary Clinton Well Received at Latino Summit – First Lady defends bilingual education, bilingualism at National Council of La Raza conference.
  Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 July 1998
• Bilingual Wars Escalate – Linda Chavez and her "Center for Equal Opportunity" sponsor lawsuit to end bilingual education in Albuquerque; parents recruited as plaintiffs with promise of "$10,000 for damages."
  Universal Press Syndicate, 17 July 1998
• Tucson Group Seeks To End Bilingual Education – "English for the Children of Arizona" plans to organize California-style initiative.
  Arizona Republic, 17 July 1998
• Democrats Woo Hispanics – At LULAC convention, Gephardt denounces English-only, backs bilingual education and affirmative action.
  Dallas Morning News, 3 July 1998
• Gov. Bush Praises Bilingual Ed. – Texas governor endorses "English Plus."
  Associated Press, 2 July 1998
• Gingrich Courts Hispanics, Rips English-Only Drive – House Speaker born again as English Plus advocate.
  San Antonio Express-News, 29 June 1998
• In Bilingual Programs, a New System – Two-way programs grow in popularity.
  New York Times, 29 June 1998
• Texas Poll: 72% Believe Bilingual Education Important – No rush to follow California's example.
  Dallas Morning News, 28 June 1998
• Texans Corral Few Spanish-Speaking Teachers from Area – Not many bilingual teachers ready to desert desert their students in California.
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 1998
• Latino Leaders Give Bilingual Ed Enthusiastic Support – Sec. Riley tells NALEO conference pledges Clinton administration will stand by program.
  Albuquerque Journal, 20 June 1998
• Will Calif.'s Bellwether Reputation Ring True? – Prop. 227 victory will encourage enemies of bilingual ed. elsewhere, but extreme restrictions seem unlikely.
  Education Week, 17 June 1998
• In Northeast, Bilingual Education Is Still Going Strong – "As California prepares to dismantle bilingual education for immigrant children, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are moving in the opposite direction."
  New York Times, 15 June 1998
• Clinton Hails Benefits of Immigration to America – President also says Americans should "do whatever it takes to make sure [immigrants learn English] as quickly as they can" – suggesting a willingness to compromise with bilingual education foes.
  Los Angeles Times, 14 June 1998
• Bilingual Classes Are Hit in Texas – But opponents remain a minority; state officials foresee no shift to English-only programs.
  Philadelphia Inquirer, 8 June 1998
• Bilingual Education Backers Fear Spread of California Measure – Florida educators work to head off Unz-like attacks.
  Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 7 June 1998
• Kids Learn English But Stick with Native Tongues, Too – 227 likely to have no ripple effects in Minnesota, educators say.
  Minneapolis Star Tribune, 7 June 1998
• Texas Tries to Lure Away Teachers – Despite lower salaries, district sees opportunity to recruit bilingual educators in California.
  Los Angeles Times, 5 June 1998
• Texas Officials Not Aiming To Follow California – Bilingual education receives vote of confidence from Gov. Bush.
  Associated Press, 4 June 1998
• Panel Overhauls Bilingual Ed. Aid – H.R. 3892 would effectively repeal the Bilingual Education Act.
  Associated Press, 4 June 1998
• Bilingual Classes Expected To Be Hot Issue Here – Massachusetts legislature likely to consider Unz-like measures in 1999.
  Boston Globe, 4 June 1998
• California Bilingual Ban Reverberates in Kansas – Legislative opponents of bilingual education encouraged by Unz victory in California.
  Wichita Eagle, 4 June 1998

The Vote

• Questions Follow Disparity in Public Opinion Polls – Pollsters stunned by failure to gauge Latino vote.
  Associated Press, 22 June 1998
• Prop. 227 Win Gives Unz Clout for Next Move – Unz ponders other issues, other initiatives.
  Sacramento Bee, 21 June 1998
• The Ideologue Who 'Fixed' Bilingual Education – Ron Unz: "It's nice to be able to fix broken things, and there are a lot of broken things in California. I certainly fixed bilingual education. I fixed it but good."
  New York Times, 14 June 1998
• The Poverty of the Polls – "Due to their sloppiness, [the pollsters] functioned as accomplices to Ron Unz and the pro-227 forces."
  LA Weekly, 12-18 June 1998
• In Bilingual Schooling Setback, Educators See Another Swing of the Pendulum – "Experts" recycle the conventional wisdom: bilingual approach was a good idea "taken to extremes."
  New York Times, 10 June 1998
• Bilingual Education's Poor Reputation, Immigration Anxiety Ensured 227's Win – Opposition failed to formulate or communicate an effective message.
  San Jose Mercury News, 7 June 1998
• Prop. 227 Got Few Latino Votes – Pre-election polls predicting Latino proved extremely inaccurate.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 5 June 1998
• O.C.'s Latino Precincts Voted Strongly Against Proposition 227 – Hispanic pattern a mirror image of Anglo vote.
  Los Angeles Times, 5 June 1998
• Faces of East Bay Reflected in Prop. 227 Voting – Nonwhites soundly rejected initiative, according to analysis of diverse precincts.
  Contra Costa Times, 5 June 1998
• Latino Voter Participation Doubled Since '94 Primary – Massive Latino turnout voted 63% against Prop. 227.
  LA Times - CNN exit poll
  Los Angeles Times, 4 June 1998
• California Votes to Terminate Its Bilingual Education Classes
  Wall Street Journal, 4 June 1998
• State's Voters Speak Strongly against Teaching in 2 Languages
  San Jose Mercury News, 3 June 1998
• Big Victory for Measure To End Bilingual Education
  San Francisco Chronicle, 3 June 1998
• Bilingual Education Measure Posts Easy Victory
  Sacramento Bee, 3 June 1998

Analysis of the Prop. 227 Campaign

• Bilingualism Supporters Told To Work Media – Journalists' role in Prop. 227 campaign criticized.
  Tucson Citizen, 21 September 1998
• Bilingual Education and Proposition 227: What Really Happened? by Max J. Castro – Passage of Unz initiative symptomatic of the nation's growing rift over language.
  Vista Magazine, August 1998
• Bilingual Educators Guilty of Destroying Bilingual Education, by Roger Hernandez – "Bilingual theorists ruined bilingual education."
  King Features, 7 June 1998
• With the Whipping Boy of Bilingual Ed Out, Heat Is Now on the System, by Harry P. Pachon –"The bilingual education establishment" failed to get out its message or even promote its own success stories, thus ensuring passage of Prop. 227.
  Los Angeles Times, 5 June 1998
• Lessons of 227, by Jim Shultz – Opposition mistakes ensured Unz's victory.
  San Jose Mercury News, 5 June 1998

Editorials

• Let's Not Say Adios to Bilingual Education, by Lourdes Rovira – Passage of Prop. 227 was "a sad day for our country because we allowed ill-informed politicians and xenophobic voters to dictate educational policy."
  U.S. Catholic, 1 November 1998
• Law Hasn't Weakened Desire for Bilingualism, by Joe Rodriguez – "In California, the ballot has replaced the classroom paddle as cultural enforcer."
  San Jose Mercury News, 27 October 1998
• California's English Immersion Will Not Work, by Juan R. Palomo – Monolingual approach has history of failure for Latinos.
  USA Today, 20 October 1998
• The Battle Over Prop. 227 Is Far From Over . . ., by Douglas Lasken – Teachers and administrators give overt signs of compliance while covertly undermining the measure.
  . . . but the Measure's Flaws Make It Hard to Implement, by Harry P. Pachon – Contrary to what proponents believe, there's no plot to undermine the law, just a lot of difficulties.
  Los Angeles Times, 15 October 1998
• Chapters to Go..., by Jill Kerper Mora – "Proposition 227 is a test of the political will of conservative cultural ideologies in a time of growing numbers and influence of California's ethnic minorities."
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 September 1998
• Some Bilingual Programs Deserve to Be Saved – Editorial cites the injustice of denying the "dual immersion" option to Anglo students, who "by all rights" should not have been affected by Prop. 227. Yet it features a curious blindspot: no mention whatsoever of the rights of language-minority students. And it (unintentionally) raises a troubling question: will bilingual education in California be reduced to a gifted and talented program tailored to the needs of English-speaking children?
  San Francisco Chronicle, 16 August 1998
• Bilingual Education an Asset That Can Offer Global Rewards, by Jeff MacSwan – Ron Unz takes his Big Lie campaign to Arizona; an educator responds.
  Arizona Republic, 6 August 1998
• Encouraging Debut for Prop. 227 – Times editorial board becomes a cheerleader for English-only law, ridiculing opponents for predicting "Armageddon" on the first day of school.
  Los Angeles Times, 5 August 1998
• What's Wrong With Bilingual Education? Is It 'Lingual,' or Is It 'Education'? – by Raul Yzaguirre – Research should have laid to rest the issue of classroom effectiveness. Opposition has deeper, political roots.
  Education Week, 5 August 1998
• Post-227 Options – Editorial: "Give parental choice on bilingual ed a chance."
  Sacramento Bee, 2 August 1998
• Scrambling Toward 227 – "Despite the short preparation time and its long-standing opposition to Proposition 227, the LAUSD has conscientiously developed a framework to implement the switch from long-term bilingual classes to one short year of intense English-language immersion."
  Los Angeles Times, 28 July 1998
• The Damage of Bilingual Education, by Bill Goodling and Frank Riggs – Influential House Republicans explain why they support H.R. 3892, a bill to gut the federal Title VII program.
  Washington Times, 20 July 1998
• Prop. 227 Stands: And Now the Real Confusion Begins – New law unlikely to improve schools any time soon.
  Sacramento Bee, 21 July 1998
• Stanford 9 Scores Show Bilingual Program Success, by Jacquelyn Pinson – Gradual transition allows students to keep up in other subjects while learning English, usually by 4th grade.
  Los Angeles Times (Ventura County), 19 July 1998
• Time for Educators To Heed Prop. 227 – Despite the benefits of bilingualism, "the clear message of the 61 percent support for Proposition 227 was that California voters give top priority to learning English."
  San Francisco Chronicle, 17 July 1998
• In Any Language, Time To Start – Despite unrealistic provisions of Prop. 227, following judge's decision "a good faith effort is now called for to make this work."
  Riverside Press-Enterprise, 17 July 1998
• The 227 Train – "There will be no last-minute judicial rescue. ... It's past time to focus on educating students in English."
  San Jose Mercury News, 16 July 1998
• In Any Language, STAR Results Are Inconclusive, by Joanne Jacobs – More data needed to draw conclusions about what works for English learners.
  San Jose Mercury News, 13 July 1998
• Bilingual Science – Conservative judge is unlikely to block Prop. 227 because arguments for bilingual education defy common sense.
  Wall Street Journal, 29 June 1998
• Bilingual Education's Goal – The day after California outlawed the program, New Jersey expanded it.
  Bergen Record, 10 June 1998
• When Voters Handcuff Educators – Other states should reject California's example of "mob rule."
  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10 June 1998
• Prop 227 Underscored Our Yearning for Common Culture, by William Murchison – And now for an openly racist view: "California's diversity culture has been propelling growing numbers of white Californians to Utah, Nevada and Colorado."
  Dallas Morning News, 10 June 1998
• After Prop. 227: Now the Focus Should Be on Measuring Results – Legislature should ensure school accountability so English learners won't be left behind.
  Sacramento Bee, 10 June 1998
• Superintendent as Jailbird – Rojas should try to make 227 work rather than threaten civil disobedience.
  San Francisco Examiner, 9 June 1998
• High Road for Teachers Union – By counseling members not to resist 227, "the CTA leadership is a voice of reason."
  Los Angeles Times, 9 June 1998
• Added to English, Not Instead of It – English-only measure signals a "foolish" rejection of other languages; by politicizing the schools, "California is descending [into a] know-nothing hell."
  Philadelphia Daily News, 9 June 1998
• Save What Works – Success of bilingual education in upstate New York shows California is foolish to mandate English-only approach.
  Syracuse Post-Standard, 9 June 1998
• Diversity Efforts Aside, Gender and Ethnicity Do Not Matter in All Cases, by Joanne Jacobs – Columnist doesn't believe the exit polls, claims that Latinos were "split" on Prop. 227.
  San Jose Mercury News, 8 June 1998
• If Schools Flout Prop. 227, There Will Be a Backlash, by Joanne Jacobs – Bilingual educators must make the English-only experiment work; if it fails, they will be responsible.
  San Jose Mercury News, 4 June 1998
• American Hispanics – "The 227 vote should tell Republicans they can appeal to Hispanic voters even on controversial subjects if that appeal is rooted in substance and principle."
  Wall Street Journal, 4 June 1998

Related News

• English-Only: Key to Fluency? – Orange Unified's rosy results are disputed by experts; English-only approach signals trouble ahead under Prop. 227.
  Orange County Register, 22 August 1998
• State School Test Scores Released – Judge allows all results, including LEP student scores, to be posted on California Department of Education web site.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 22 July 1998
• Success in Any Language – Skeptics of bilingual education are baffled by Stanford 9 scores showing the superior performance of many children who learn English in California schools.
  Los Angeles Times, 22 July 1998
• Hooked on Politics – More shameless puffery about Ron Unz, "grandson of immigrants" and public policy wonk, now "savoring his victory" and planning his next political move.
  Los Angeles Times, 16 July 1998
• English as 2nd Tongue Often Not Hindrance – Students reclassified as fluent in English do well on Stanford 9.
  San Jose Mercury News, 8 July 1998
• Bilingual Surprise in State Testing – Graduates of bilingual education (along with other students reclassified as fluent in English) outscore native English speakers in San Francisco, San Jose.
  San Francisco Chronicle, 7 July 1998
• County's Student Test Scores Are Victim of Language Barrier – As predicted, English learners fare poorly on Stanford 9.
  San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 1998
• Suit Blocks Test Details on the Net – Judge declines to lift injunction forbidding release of English learners' scores.
  San Jose Mercury News, 30 June 1998
• It's Hard to Get Straight Answers on Standard Tests – Limited-English students fare poorly on Stanford 9, but after learning the language often outscore native-English peers.
  Los Angeles Times, 28 June 1998
• Ruling That Delays Release of State Test Scores Will Be Appealed – Unless restraining order is overturned, districts must disaggregate scores for LEP students; LA Unified plans to publish comparison from previous year scores on Stanford 9.
  Los Angeles Times, 27 June 1998
• Judge Blocks Release of State Test Scores – English-only tests called inappropriate and discriminatory.
  Los Angeles Times, 26 June 1998
• English Mastery Reflected in Scores – Formerly LEP students in Orange County often outscore native English speakers on state-mandated tests.
  Orange County Register, 13 June 1998

Prop. 227 Campaign News Clips
Prop. 227 Campaign Editorials