Political Quotes

“I rise in opposition to the amendments offered by Representative Roth which would restrict or eliminate federally funded bilingual education programs. One of the amendments would deny thousands of disadvantaged students of the essential services they need to succeed educationally. The other amendment would eliminate badly needed funding to schools which are legally required to provide special services to students with limited English proficiency. Bilingual programs aid students who do not speak English to develop competency in English, and they aim to ensure that these students maintain good academic progress in other academic areas. Eliminating the bilingual programs would deprive bilingual children of an essential part of their education. The consequences to this are devastating--not only to these children and their families, but to the country as a whole, when these children reach adulthood. I learned English through a bilingual program when I came to this country as a child and therefore, I witnessed firsthand the invaluable service this program provides. As a certified teacher, I have seen how students in bilingual programs succeed in school, and tackle challenging situations. Bilingual programs address the different needs experienced by students who are learning a second language.”