New York Times

August 20, 1997

Bilingual Education Makes an Easy Scapegoat

To the Editor:

Re "Desperate to Learn English" by Alice Callaghan (Op-Ed, Aug. 15): It has become fashionable for opponents of bilingual education to use Hispanic parents who are legitimately concerned about their children's education to bash bilingual education rather than enter into a discussion about educational reform.

Although no supporter of bilingual education would advocate that Hispanic immigrants not learn English, a 1992 survey showed that nationally, Hispanic Americans overwhelmingly support bilingual education. Hispanic children are in the worst performing, most segregated schools in the country. Whenever bilingual programs are available, they are marginalized within the school system and, contrary to Ms. Callaghan's figures, underfinanced.

It would be better to stop scapegoating bilingual education for the failures of public education and start using bilingual education as the basis for community empowerment and greater school reform. Then the dropout rate might begin to decrease.

JUAN A. FIGUEROA
Pres. & Gen. Counsel, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund
New York, Aug. 18, 1997