Kendra S. Horn: “as an educator, I have long advocated that foreign languages be taught our students in kindergarten, but that does not…”

“as an educator, I have long advocated that foreign languages be taught our students in kindergarten, but that does not mean they should also be taught English. They should, in kindergarten. We have made major mistakes in our language policy in the schools over the last 20 years. Some have said, ``But in bilingual ballots you are simply fulfilling equal protection of the laws.'' That is absolute nonsense. Let us look at the situation. Ethnic groups in this country are not limited to Chinese, not limited to Hispanics, which was the original Valeo v. Nickles case in California. In the 1970 census there were 96 mother tongues where languages other than English were primary languages in households where many of our fellow citizens were raised; 1980, 387 non-English language possibilities. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach schools there are 70 languages. We cannot pick just one or two languages if we are really going to have equal protection of the laws. The only way to carry out the 14th amendment and its equal protection of the laws is to learn English. That is the access for all students of all backgrounds, rich and poor, when they come to this Nation, when their parents come to this Nation. Such a national policy would not stop a friend or a relative who speaks the primary language of the citizen from writing out instructions, helping them with the ballots, helping them learn English.”