In Opposition to Official English Legislation and Policy

As educators working to assist students of all ages and language backgrounds in the acquisition of English, the members of NYS TESOL are concerned about the growing movement to make English the only official language in American life. In recent years, well-funded, highly organized groups such as US English, a Washington-based lobbying organization which claims more than 600,000 members, have worked to promote the adoption of legislation and policies declaring English the official language of the United States. At present, 18 states have official English laws on the books. As of the spring of 1995, no fewer than seven pieces of legislation had been introduced in the 104th Congress which propose to make English the only official language of the United States. By implication or by direct mandate, such policies would aim to eliminate both multilingualism and bilingual education from American society. Ironically, this restriction of social, economic and educational opportunity is being proposed at a time when multilingualism is highly valued in the world marketplace.

Our Position:
As teachers of English to speakers of other languages, we do not advocate the silencing of any languages in the name of English. NYS TESOL opposes all measures which seek to declare English the only official language of the United States. At best, these measures are unnecessary; neither history nor recent research justifies such an extraordinary intrusion into the private life of the individual or such governmental restriction of valuable linguistic and cultural resources. At their worst, however, we find official English proposals to be exclusionary, divisive, and based on erroneous assumptions.

• Policies declaring English the only official language of the United States would deny a vast array of social, economic, political and educational opportunities to citizens and others simply because of their language status. For example, under HR 1005, sponsored by Rep. Peter King (R) of Seaford, NY, adults who are learning English would be effectively barred from participation in the electoral process through a repeal of the bilingual assistance requirements of the Voting Rights Act. The same proposed legislation would also probably reduce funding for programs which teach English to speakers of other languages. These reductions would effectively limit language minority children to learning only that which is immediately comprehensible to them in English, while directing them away from the proven cognitive and practical advantages of bilingualism.
  
• While many of the proponents of English-only policies cite the economic advantages of learning English, restricting the use of other languages in the social, cultural, and educational life of US citizens and residents would ultimately result in unintended and unfortunate consequences for the US economy. It makes little sense to promote monolingualism at a time when multilingualism is becoming an economic imperative. Trade agreements such as NAFTA and GATT formalize the growing trend toward export-driven economies, and the ability to communicate in the global marketplace is a skill US business can ill-afford to neglect. Speakers of languages other than English represent a valuable economic resource that would be wasted or even destroyed by policies promoting English only.
  
• Official English measures devalue the use of all languages other than English. Such an attack on the diverse languages and cultures which have always been present in American society serves to fuel division among us; to diminish pride of origin and of self; and, ultimately, to leave our nation deprived of the many valuable linguistic, economic, and cultural resources which a multilingual, English-speaking citizenry represents. We believe, along with TESOL, in the "right of all individuals to preserve and foster their linguistic and cultural origins" (TESOL Resolution on Language Rights, 1987). As an organizational member of the State Council on Languages (SCOL), NYS TESOL supports the notion that both education and public policy should encourage "two languages for everyone." For students who are learning English, it only makes sense that their native language be maintained during and after their acquisition of English.
  
• Much of the thinking used to support the establishment of English as the only official language of the United States is misinformed. For example, many "English only" arguments are based on an assumption that the maintenance of native languages decreases motivation and opportunity to learn English. Statistics refute this assumption. In New York State in 1990, for example, 69,000 adults were enrolled in ESOL classes with thousands more on waiting lists. Unfortunately, most official English proposals do very little to support the acquisition of English by those who want to learn; instead, they promote a return to the "sink or swim" mentality, or recommend a "transitional" program of English instruction which would fall woefully short of realistically addressing students' language learning needs.
  
• Similarly, proponents of official English rely heavily on attacks on bilingual education to make their case. They establish a misleading distinction between programs which promote the acquisition of English by speakers of other languages and the development and maintenance of two languages (one of which is English) through bilingual education. Bilingual programs, by definition, include ESOL as an essential component. Although the official English movement often dismisses all research showing the positive cognitive and academic results of bilingual education, much of this research demonstrates that students who have a strong academic and linguistic foundation in their native language have many advantages in the acquisition of English.

Recommendations
NYS TESOL recommends that all educators, policy-makers, and legislators join us in our work to learn more about the issues surrounding language education, language use, and language rights. We support all measures and policies which will contribute to multilingualism through the learning of English and other languages for everyone. We recommend that our members, affiliate organizations, and elected official speak out against official English and English-only legislation and policies. As a positive alternative to language restrictionism, we support an English Plus policy which encourages the mastery of English plus other languages for all.

Adopted June, 1995