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SAN FRANCISCO, August 24 -- The San Francisco civil grand jury issued a scathing report
yesterday accusing former schools chief Bill Rojas and his staff of stonewalling its
investigation into the school district's bilingual education programs. The 1998-99 grand
jury blasts school officials for being confrontational and dishonest, failing to hand over
documents pertaining to the district's bilingual programs and refusing to cooperate with
investigators. The report also charges district administrators with creating an atmosphere
of fear and mistrust between teachers and principals on one hand and then-Superintendent
Rojas and his staff on the other. (San Francisco Chronicle)
NEW YORK, August 23 -- After leading the revolt against bilingual education in California,
Palo Alto businessman Ron Unz would like to see one in New York City. Unz, a software
millionaire who successfully promoted Proposition 227 last year, believes that New
Yorkers are even more determined than Californians to see their children educated in
English. ``The poll numbers in New York are stronger than just about any other place I've
looked,'' said Unz, chairman of a group called English for the Children. ``We're seriously
exploring the possibility of putting a measure like Proposition 227 on the ballot in New
York City.'' He is considering sponsoring a petition drive to urge a referendum on an
amendment to the city charter. (New York Times)
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. August 9 -- Popular initiatives in California have a history of
starting national movements. Proposition 13 in 1978 launched a national tax revolt.
Proposition 187 in 1994 sparked a wave of legislation against illegal immigration. By
comparison, Proposition 227's effect is modest ‹ but it's still palpable in Congress,
statehouses and school districts around the nation. In May, Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.,
introduced the Parents Know Best Act, which would require permission of parents before
their children are enrolled in a federally funded bilingual-education program. Current
federal law allows parents to withdraw their children from bilingual programs but does not
require consent before students are placed in those classes. The most organized campaign is
taking place in Arizona, where activists are gathering signatures to place an initiative with
nearly identical wording to 227 on the November 2000 ballot. (Orange County Register)
WASHINGTON, August 4 -- After numerous scoring glitches and weeks of delay, California
late last month released detailed results of student achievement tests. An especially intense
spotlight had been trained on the scores of students whose native language is not English-
largely because of Proposition 227, the ballot initiative passed last year that curtailed
bilingual education in the state's classrooms. Statewide, the test results show a glaring
achievement gap between limited English-proficient students and those who speak English
fluently. Far fewer LEP students performed at or above the national average on the
standardized test. The results also show, on the whole, that LEP students' scores are higher
than they were last year. But the increases by LEP students are comparable to the gains
made by all California students, state officials said. "I honestly think it's hard to glean any
real conclusions about Prop 227 from this first-year score," state schools Superintendent
Delaine Eastin said. LEP students "are not moving up dramatically higher. It's really too
early to celebrate or throw stones." (Education Week)
