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2016 Election: Yes on Proposition 58

(Kelly Brennan/Daily Bruin senior staff)

By Editorial Board

Nov. 3, 2016 3:08 a.m.

While one out of five American students did not grow up speaking English, most students in the U.S. are expected to exclusively communicate in English in a classroom setting. Proposition 58 would repeal this mandate and give schools the freedom to pursue bilingual programs without explicit waivers.

If passed, Proposition 58 would repeal Proposition 227, which was passed by in the 1998 California statewide ballot and mandated the use of English in classrooms, essentially barring bilingual classrooms from operating without the use of waivers.

Proposition 227 is an injustice to local communities and needs to be repealed. For many non-native English speakers, it forces students to practice and develop their English skills without being able to use their native language in the process. While this may have worked for some students, Proposition 227 isn’t a universal solution for teaching English to non-native English speakers. Many students that immigrate to the United States later in their life are less adept at learning English. Such students can struggle in an English-only learning environment.

Moreover, the benefits of Proposition 227 have not been directly supported by any research. A study in 2006 found no conclusive evidence that one method of teaching English was more effective than the other. While some cite that the percentage of English-learners scoring above average in reading and writing doubled between 2003 and 2009, the improvement can arguably be attributed to legislation such as the “No Child Left Behind” Act.

Voting yes on Proposition 58 and repealing Proposition 227 is necessary to give schools the authority to decide how they can best serve their English-learning students, and this board therefore endorses Proposition 58.

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