A Study of the Official Language Movement

"Citizenship requires passing a test on American History in English. If that's true we do not have to create ballots in any other language except English". United States former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a possible Presidential Candidate for the 2008 election stated to a group of more than 100. He obviously used this statement and another similar statement to help gain political support from potential voters. Mr. Gingrich also stated "English is the America's language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto". The Bilingualism issue can be seen in political views as well as personal views and educational views.

The issue is strong in education as well. Many immigrants and Americans that have children attending public schools have different views and organizations to support those feeling and beliefs.

Many associations like the International School of Peninsula established in 1979 for French Americans support the use of bilingual education. They promote the side of the controversy of bilingualism by stating that it embraces differences in people, keeps people open minded to other cultures, and one organization even believes that people who practice bilingualism have stronger problem solving skills.

In California, San Hose lawmakers drafted an amendment from dictating uniform methods of teaching. The draft was prepared and presented in effort to bar an amendment proposal to replace bilingual teaching in California with English immersion programs for proficient English students.

There are other states, cities and neighborhoods that battle and deal with the issue of the bilingual movement. Through out America's history the issues have changed from Spanish and , French to name a few.

In 1968, the Congress passed an act called the Bilingual Education Act, which provided for a growing number in lingual diverse students.