Proponents, of which I am one, applaud the revitalization of languages and cultures through the public schools. We see bilingual education as a natural consequence of the sociocultural realities of a pluralistic society.
We believe that bilingual/bicultural education will be personally satisfying to all students and that it will help them develop the interpersonal skills and attitudes that are essential to a healthy society.
Opponents dispute the use of public funds on bilingual education. It is estimated that approximately one billion dollars has been appropriated for bilingual education since 1968. (New Haven Register 1983: p. 7) Opponents feel that support for bilingual education springs from faith, not from empirical evidence. They fear that the institutionalization of bilingual education in the public schools will further disrupt social cohesion by encouraging youngsters to depend on other languages other than English and follow cultural patterns that may conflict with the mainstream American culture. They argue that such results will hinder upward mobility for students with limited English speaking skills.
Somewhere in the middle are those who believe that students with limited proficiency in English are entitled to schooling in their native language until they can assume the demands of an all English curriculum—but the sooner, the better.