Review the historical perspectives（bilingual ed legal chart） and highlight ONE influential case in the U.S. legal system and its implications, and evaluate the California Williams Decision. APA format , u can read the sample essay attached
Michelle_Michy
7.20dueNO.1sample.docxBilingual Education and the U.S. Legal System.
In review of this week's reading about Bilingual Education I was surprised that dual language instruction has been available in the United States since the beginning of our nation's history. I was both impressed and discouraged to read how learning a language has been influenced by politics. What stood out most was the statement by Sequoyah, "Enlightenment and civilization of people would progress and develop in proportion as they were able to express themselves and preserve their ideas upon the written and printed page, and exchange these ideas, one with another, by this medium" (Foreman, 1938. p.74). This statement is so powerful and continues to ring true today. I was equally impressed with the frankness of the author in discussing the ambivalence bilingualism in the United States, often viewed with disfavor. "We consider it a worthwhile accomplishment for a college graduate from an English-speaking background to master a second language. But we insist that the children of immigrant families relinquish their first languages as part of their "Americanization." Kjolseth (1983) has suggested that we tend to admire individual bilinguals, such as celebrities, scholars, and diplomats, and to disparage bilinguals, or members of ethnic groups. In the popular view, individual bilingualism is often associated with elevated socioeconomic status; group bilingualism is generally associated with poverty and lack of education. Individual bilinguals acquire their second language through effort and scholarship; group bilinguals acquire their second language at home" (Judith LessowHurley, 2012, p25). I concur that this prejudice still exists in our schools and American society. Knowing this, we as educators must continue to educate our peers and help our students, all students, not just our EL students. Therefore, instead of highlighting one case I would like to highlight a few key cases that shaped the history of our education system.
The Court decisions and powerful historical events that have had the most impact on my life would be Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Civil Right Act (1964), the "Stand at the School House Door (1963), the "Long Walk" Ruby Bridges (1963) and Title IX (1972).
The Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is considered by many as a landmark U. S. Supreme Court case which ended state laws allowing separate public schools for black and white students. The unanimous (9-0) decision ruled that separate education facilities are unequal. As a result of this case racial segregation was not allowed under the Equal Protection Clause of The United States Constitution, specifically the 14th Amendment. I truly believe this decision by the court led to the Civil Rights Act which changed the entire direction of our country and our educational system.
The Civil Right Act (1964) which outlawed segregation in the United States schools and other public places, originally to help African American was amended to protect women and included white people for the first time. The social implications at the time were that not everyone accepted the Brown v. Board of Education decision and it implementation, as segregation beliefs of separate but equal held strong. As a young student, (9 year old,) I can remember the 1963 "Stand at the Schoolhouse Door" incident involving then Governor George Wallace. Governor Wallace blocked the door at the University of Alabama preventing the enrollment of two black students. I remember watching this on television and studying George Wallace's inaugural address where he stated, "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." I can remember the impact of watching Governor Wallace not step aside and how, (buy order of President John F. Kennedy), Henry Graham, the General of the Alabama National Guard, said, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the order of the President of the United States" allowing Vivian Jones and James Hood to enroll in school. Vivian Jones went on to be the first African American to graduate from the University of Alabama. The picture of this event is held in my mind forever and has been hung in every classroom I have taught in since 1976.
I also remember watching and studying the "Long Walk" of Ruby Bridges (1963). Ruby Bridges was the first black child to attend an all white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. She and I were born in the same year, 1954 and I remember watching this on television and studying this historical event in school. I remember thinking that she was just like me and talking with my mom about why she had been denied attending the elementary school close to her house. This picture was the first historical event picture I purchased in my collection and has also hung in every classroom I have taught in.
Title IX (1972) has had the most direct effect on my education and teaching career. It stated, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." This had a major impact on athletic programs in the United States and directly female athletes. I had graduated from high school in 1972 and had experienced the inadequacies of sports opportunities for females in high school. Additionally, in college, I experienced this inequality again as it took time for Title IX to be fully implemented. The college I attended did not have women's athletic scholarships until the year I graduated, 1976. It was a law that never mentioned sports but drastically impacted the landscape of games by forcing schools to provide equal opportunities for both genders. There has been monumental advancement in the participation of girls and women in athletics in the decades since. And even now, 42 years later, many colleges and universities still are not compliant with the law.
In 2012, after 15 years of being an administrator I returned to teaching. When I was hired, the Physical Education Department at Dodson Middle School, (to my surprise), was two separate departments. Men taught boys and the women taught girls, no co-ed instruction for the last 10 years. I was the only teacher who would have 3 classes of all boys and two classes of all girls, (loosely co-ed). After the first two weeks of school I spoke with the principal and inquired how and why this was happening. He, also new, was told that the school had written a "waiver" that had been in place for years. (Waiver and Inclusion=oxymoron. A good example of when a school district gets sooo large it is hard to govern). We both read the waiver, which made no sense and he inquired in a Department Meeting how this was working. Long story short, over the years with several changes of department members the two groups were divided and some arguments had happened. He asked for an explanation of which way the department should be co-ed or separate, with an emphasis on defending your position, as he was being required to explain this to his supervisors. I was the only one who wrote a response, explaining that we were in violation of the law, Title IX (1972) and a list of many reasons why we should be co-ed. He changed the Department to co-ed this year. This change, along with two additional members to the department and the development of the "Dodson Way" has begun to change the face and focus of the P.E. program. I feel that being co-ed, our focus on "No Tolerance for Bullying" and the lessons that go with this in our first year as a united group all working together model inclusion and have begun a positive shift in the focus of our school.
