Thread: Mexico school program blocks assimilation

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Article published May 7, 2007
Mexico school program blocks assimilation

Remember the "Hymie Kaplan" short stories in which Leo Rosten during the 1950s chronicled the efforts of a generation of immigrants to learn English and assimilate into American life?

If Mexico has its way, there will be no such effort from the largest current wave of immigrants to America.

For more than two dozen public school districts around California that run adult education programs are allowing, even encouraging, the Mexican government to provide education for Mexican immigrants - legal and illegal.

Does anybody see something amiss here?

The so-called Plaza Communitari project is part of Mexico's policy of trying to prevent its expatriates in the United States from losing ties to their homeland. Other tactics Mexico has tried: a failed attempt at getting most Mexican immigrants to vote in that country's last presidential election and issuing of consular identification cards to illegal immigrants.

The Mexican moves are a concerted effort to prevent their expatriates from achieving the kind of assimilation that allowed previous waves of immigrants to become part of the American mainstream.

When Mexican teachers paid by their government are instructing Mexican expatriates both in live classes held in Spanish and via Spanish-language teaching sessions offered on the Internet, they are not required to teach American values of democracy, tolerance and equal rights. Nor are they promoting loyalty to America in this country's newest large immigrant group.

The immediate aim is not, as some anti-immigrant groups maintain, to stage some kind of reconquista, Spanish for legitimate owners retaking land from conquerors, but rather a hope that many current immigrants to America will return to their home country and not stay here.

Meanwhile, school districts in California and other parts of America say they hope that when schoolchildren see their parents take studying seriously, they will too.

Most of the instruction is done in local public schools where the highly successful 1998 Proposition 227 ban on bilingual education in public schools, except where a majority of parents sign waivers to bring it back, does not apply to adult classes.

Because they also try to teach immigrants some English, Mexican consular officials who supervise the classes bill them as a way to help the migrants get along better in America.

But the subtext is clearly spelled out in several online statements about Plaza Communitari: Educate immigrants so they can return to Mexico with the knowledge and skills to find good jobs. Nothing there about helping them assimilate and build better lives in America.

Anything that causes these immigrants to renew links to their old homes and discourages them from participating fully in American political life does them a disservice, whether they know it or not.

American history plainly shows that the more active an ethnic group becomes in American politics and the quicker its members learn English, the sooner members of that group begin to advance in society. At the same time, the more active any ethnic group becomes in politics, the more government services will come its way.

Which means that while Plaza Communitari may provide a temporary boost to some of its students, on the whole it will likely have a negative impact on Mexican immigrants who want to stay in America.

Yes, it's convenient and cheap for public school districts to embrace this Mexican government program. But in the long run, this is something that can do more harm than good - while at the same time deepening the resentment many American citizens feel toward Mexican immigrants.

Which means that the fewer school districts allow this program and the more that replace it soon with classes in English-as-a-second-language and other skills instruction, the better.

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http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 70326/1014

Most of the instruction is done in local public schools where the highly successful 1998 Proposition 227 ban on bilingual education in public schools, except where a majority of parents sign waivers to bring it back, does not apply to adult classes.

Highly successful ban on bilingual education? They must be joking. Here in San Diego County, bilingual education has been replaced by what the school districts call "Migrant Education". This is bilingual teaching with an emphasis on Spanish. One report I read indicated that 90% of the lessons are in Spanish for the first few grades, then dropping to 50% Spanish by the time they enter high achool. In fact, some schools allow students to graduate elementary and middle school without ever having to know how to speak English at all. They even have separate graduation ceremonies held in Spanish.

They claim the goal of Migrant Education is to teach the children of migrant farm workers.

From the San Diego County Office of Education website:

The Migrant Education Program provides special services to school districts to help the children of migrant workers. Working closely with parents, each school district designs their own plan of services to provide the best program possible for students.

Agriculture is critical to the economies of Orange and San Diego Counties, and it depends on a skilled, mobile work force. Interruptions in the schooling of migrant children, caused by frequent crop-driven movement, pose a serious challenge to migrant children's academic achievement. Many are below grade level in reading, math and language skills; prime candidates to drop out of school. Others have dropped out already. Combined with the limited economic resources of most migrant families, these factors can easily become insurmountable without the services of the migrant education staff.

Migrant Education programs administered by the San Diego County Office of Education serve more than 8,200 students, ages 3-22, in 34 school districts. These programs use strategies in five areas to help migrant students meet the state's challenging content and performance standards.

Nor are they promoting loyalty to America in this country's newest large immigrant group.

Anyone who has watched the videos of the illegal marches in California for the past two years is well aware of this lack of loyalty or respect towards America.

Nor are they promoting loyalty to America in this country's newest large immigrant group.

Also, note the reference to "immigrant group". No indication that they are all here illegally.

If the Mexican government really wanted it's people to return to Mexico they would have made changes already.
This is just more OBL propaganda.

8,200 students - ages 3 -22?????????????

In most states, the state is NOT responsible for the schooling of 22 year olds!!!! Is this another one of the Governators projects?

Wait until the taxpayers have to pay for the heathcare costs he is giving out..........which includes all illegals.

The Mexican moves are a concerted effort to prevent their expatriates from achieving the kind of assimilation that allowed previous waves of immigrants to become part of the American mainstream.
Of course they are trying to keep Mexicans tied to the homeland. That tie is what keeps Mexicans sending billions of dollars back to Mexico, a drain on our economy, every year.

Mexicans who speak English, become citizens, get jobs, pay taxes, buy homes, have families and go to college, have little money to send back to "the old country".

Follow the money. The stench will lead you right back to the Mexican elite!

Originally Posted by girlygirl369

8,200 students - ages 3 -22?????????????

In most states, the state is NOT responsible for the schooling of 22 year olds!!!! Is this another one of the Governators projects?

Wait until the taxpayers have to pay for the heathcare costs he is giving out..........which includes all illegals.

Ya have to give the 22 year old a chance to finish 6th grade, as long as their in school {attend once a month} the free food stamps and welfare
money and healthcare continue