The Campaign Against Proposition 227: A Post Mortem

The so-called “English for the Children” initiative signals a new phase of English-only activism, broader in its appeal and more direct in its assault on educational programs. Its lopsided victory in California shows that advocates for language-minority students have yet to develop an effective response. As the campaign to dismantle bilingual programs moves to other states, there is an opportunity to learn from mistakes made in opposing Proposition 227–in particular, the decision not to defend bilingual education or to explain its pedagogical rationale. Changing public attitudes and mobilizing grassroots support must be part of any successful strategy.