Americanization and Education Equality

 

                       Americanization and Education Equality

As far as the purpose of americanization in bilingual education, I am a firm believer that the education system is constructed to make the most "American" versions of aliens coming in from the outside. Americanization is the acculturation into the language, ideals, traditions, and ways of life in the United States. It imposes the perfection of a new language down immigrants throat, and molds them into this foreign idea of "success". I believe that is why it's such a big deal when public figures who came as immigrants and beat the odds placed against them while still being in touch with their foreign roots, are highlighted in articles. They are living proof that the Americanization shadow can only cover an individual as far as that individual allows. In a nutshell, Americanization thrived on conversion of immigrants rather than giving them the option of succeeding within their own means. Education must develop shared values, principles, and political commitments to promote stability, coherence, and justice for free and equal citizenship. In the name of diversity, it must recognize legitimate demands of pluralism and encourage understanding and tolerance,

The price that communities endure essentially ends with the education the children in the area receive. I say this because when analyzing the success or downfall of a community, the ideal that "children are the future", doesn't fall short. If the education in an area is subpar, or the students are expected to do the bare minimum because of their expectation to fail, they are less likely to take professional routes, or proceed onto higher education. In contrast to the areas with regularly-funded schools, success rewarding districts, and extensive extracurriculars to explore likes and dislikes promote a sense of overcoming odds rather than submitting to them. 

To that end, the First Amendment Center claims that “The future of the American republic depends upon instilling in young citizens an abiding commitment to the democratic first principles that sustain our experiment in liberty”. Consequently, the future of the American republic lies in the hands of both native-born and immigrant students who may well prove proficient in reading and math, but fail to actively engage in what Justice Ginsburg said in her interview addressing the importance of "We The People.." in the American constitution. The "people" of the United States in 1787 did not consist of men with no owned property, or women, or the slaves that were held in bondage for decades at a time. In 2021, "We The People.." includes THESE people in great numbers! So does the constitutional rights not continue to apply because this wasn't the audience addressed back then?

Growing up in a home with first generation immigrants, all of the English I came to know was after I began attending school. "speak Spanish at home, here we do not understand you!"

I was forced out of my own normality rather than gently guided to a middle ground between my new reality. I think that it wasn't understood that I wouldn't become an ideal of the American student overnight, but that my tradition had to be done, and be done fast to coincide with the curriculum and essentially my success in this country.