Edolphus Towns: “as both a Representative of a highly multicultural district, and as a former educator, I must oppose this amendment…”

“as both a Representative of a highly multicultural district, and as a former educator, I must oppose this amendment offered by my distinguished colleague from Wisconsin. The amendment before us would eliminate the Federal Bilingual Education Program, including funding for materials, staff training, teachers, and aides. It would also prohibit the use of native language instruction. These policies ignore the growing diversity of our student population. New York City is populated with thousands of immigrants who have greatly enriched our economic and social fabric. Our public school system provides educational services, which include bilingual education programs, to a growing immigrant student population. I find it unconscionable that in this land of milk and honey we would seek to eliminate bilingual education programs, services and/or resources for language minority children. I am saddened that we would seek to weaken and ultimately diminish the Bilingual Education Program by prohibiting the use of the native language for instructional purposes. This proposal, clearly, offends those of us who endorse the educational goals of preparing our students for this increasingly multicultural world. If we want to provide an education of enrichment of all our children, then we must oppose this amendment. I strongly urge you to vote ``no.''”