Senate and House override Romney on bilingual education Lawmakers preserve 'two-way' language programs
By
Ken Maguire, Associated Press,
"Two-way" bilingual programs would be exempted from the new law, which
replaced multi-year bilingual programs with one-year, all-English classes
intended to quickly move non-English speaking students into regular classes.
The programs teach students in two languages. Supporters of the programs say
they help immigrant students to learn English and help English speakers to learn
a second language.
"Two-way immersion wasn't what that ballot question was about," said
Sen. Jarrett Barrios, D-Cambridge. "The highest scoring children who are
English language learners ... are those children in two-way immersion
programs."
Romney had vetoed exemptions in the state budget, arguing that voters last fall
overwhelmingly approved the English immersion ballot question, which ended all
of the state's bilingual education programs.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Lees, R-East Longmeadow, said that by voting to
override the vetoes, senators are saying voters "aren't smart enough to
make a decision for themselves."
"They have been privately running around this building saying that,"
Lees said. "That is disgusting."
About 2,000 students in 12 districts are enrolled in two-way bilingual programs,
such the Amigos program, a K-8 school in the Cambridge Public Schools where more
than 300 students study in English and Spanish, alternating languages each week.
Five vetoes -- preserving two-way bilingual programs and related parental rights
and program accountability -- passed the Senate on 28-9 votes.
Massachusetts Bilingual Debate