English-Only laws in AZ

[Susan Penfield]

Matthew,
Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention. It is particularly
troubling since, in the beginning of the process, Native people were
assured, repeatedly, that they would not be included in the application of
this
poorly crafted and even more poorly implemented (my opinion, put mildly)
proposition.
Susan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Ward" <mward at LUNA.CC.NM.US>
To: <ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 3:55 PM
Subject: English-Only laws in AZ


> Just wanted to mention that I've been in touch with ACLU Arizona about
> the issue of Prop. 203, the English-only law, affecting Native immersion
> programs.  It does indeed seem that Window Rock Public Schools may risk
> losing funding by continuing their immersion programs, and the issue may
> have to go to court.
>
> We all need to be vigilant in letting people know that these
> English-only laws do not just apply to immigrants--they also endanger
> efforts to preserve Native American languages as well.  I suspect that
> if Azizona voters had understood the effect of this law, they wouldn't
> have voted for it in the first place.
>
> Matthew Ward