Hold Your Tongue: Bilingualism and the Politics of English Only

This incisive, entertaining analysis dismantles the premises of the English Only movement, which supports a constitutional amendment that would make English the U.S.'s official language. Stoutly defending the efficacy of bilingual education, Crawford, author of Bilingual Education and Washington editor of Education Week , chronicles the importance of bilingualism throughout U.S. history. Early American schools, he finds, did not operate solely in English. Also, many municipalities translated minutes of meetings into other languages. He suggests that current ordinances such as the one passed in largely Hispanic Miami--which prohibits the use of Spanish in government offices--are fueled by prejudice and irrational fear. Declaring that immigrants are learning English more quickly than ever, he presents a strong case for bilingualism in this thoughtful, well-researched study. (Aug.)