In my blog over the upcoming weeks, I will provide small updates about the work my policy paper group is doing.
Please watch the following video clip before proceeding with the blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdsBIRQVAVE
In the video, which took place in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives on September 22, 2015, Representative Leslie Acosta speaks out against a proposed “English-Only” bill. She begins speaking in Spanish to make a statement, but is quickly interrupted by the chairman of the current House Government Committee, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe. Towards the end of the video, he even shuts off Acosta’s microphone, cutting off all further discussion.
The proposed “English-Only” Law, whose official title is the “Official Language Act,” would establish English as the state’s official language, and it would require all “official acts of government” be recorded only in English. Such official acts include all official documents maintained by the state (licenses, deeds, wills, etc.) and recordings of the proceedings of the state government. However, the act fails to mention exactly which official acts of government this policy would impact, leaving a wide gap for liberal interpretation in the future. For example, state voting ballots are currently available in English, Spanish, and several other languages. The act fails to mention any changes that would be brought to voting policies, and were this bill to become law, the voting rights of citizens who cannot speak English may be violated.
After learning about and watching the aforementioned video, our group finally found the direction for our policy paper—to present a political action plan against the proposed House bill and to promote greater bilingual education. We believe that this bill is not only a violation of the rights of citizens who cannot understand English, but it also shows immigrants that their immense contributions to Pennsylvania are not valued by the government. It also discourages people from becoming bilingual and learning about another culture because it sends the message that English is the only useful language to know. We have been able to narrow our argument to several specific points, including psycholinguistic research and cultural isolation.
First, psycholinguistic research on bilinguals has shown that being able to speak multiple languages at once increases brain plasticity. Research has shown that a multilingual brain is nimbler and quicker, and it may even be able to resist Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia for longer. Secondly, for those who can speak multiple languages, two languages are continually active in their brains. When they use one, they need to consciously inhibit the other, and the process of doing this improves executive control and increases their higher-order problem solving abilities. Thus, by not providing adequate opportunities for students to learn a language besides English, we are limiting their ability to reap the physical and mental benefits of bilingualism.
Furthermore, many people (especially proponents of “English-Only” policies) believe such laws will encourage immigrants to assimilate into American culture and become more involved in American society. However, such policies tend to have the opposite results. Immigrants may feel as if their culture and way of life is coming under attack, which would lead them to further remove themselves from American culture in order to preserve their own beliefs and values. Additionally, historical precedence is very negative when it comes to establishing official languages. “English-Only” policies were very common in the World War I era, but this led to violence and backlash by immigrant communities of European origin.
Although we have formed our general goal for this semester and a mission we want to accomplish, I think future meetings will surely help us refine our topic. We have yet to decide whether we should work towards a policy that promotes bilingualism, a policy that calls for early language education, or a mix of both. Additionally, moving forward, I want to keep encouraging my fellow group members to voice any concerns they have about our ideas so we can resolve them before getting into the midst of our project. The more I think about the impact our project could have, the more excited I become about taking full advantage of this rare opportunity.
Articles Referenced / Further Reading:
http://www.phillyvoice.com/latino-lawmaker-cut-arguing-against-english-bill/
http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/may2012/05072012bilingual.htm
http://science.time.com/2013/07/18/how-the-brain-benefits-from-being-bilingual/
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