Calvin Dooley: “I rise today in opposition to the Roth amendment because I believe that bilingual education is an important link in our…”

“I rise today in opposition to the Roth amendment because I believe that bilingual education is an important link in our Nation's public education system. The Bilingual Education Act is the only Federal education program specifically designed to assist State and local education agencies in meeting the needs of limited-English-proficient students. In California there are more than 1 million limited-English-proficient students attending our schools. The research on bilingual education is clear. Use of both English and the child's native language serves to promote the learning of English, and allows students to achieve in other subjects such as math and science--raising prospects for overall success in school. I have seen over and over again in my congressional district, the benefits of bilingual education. We merely cripple children's prospects for success and assimilation if we are not willing to acknowledge a language barrier and assist in overcoming it. Bilingual education gives thousands of children in my--and all over the country--the tools to succeed, and the ability to become productive, law-abiding citizens. For 25 years, we have watched as kids have assimilated into our society with aid of bilingual education. We must not destroy the most important citizenship program that we have in this country today.”