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I was appalled by some of Rick Hickey's false statements and was on hold for an hour during the show trying to get on to clarify some of the fallacies he's promoting!
First of all, he completely discredited the experiences of the two courageous students who told of their experiences in learning English while also learning rigorous academic content. There are those who have posted blogs who perhaps learned academic English faster, but why impose a time limit if we know that each child learns at a different rate and that language acquisition depends on a complex set of variables such as age of arrival, literacy in the first language, parents' schooling, and also of course QUALTIY OF ESL program?

Yes, there is room for improvement in ESL programs, so why don't we focus on improving those programs instead of completely pulling the rug out from under studetnts and offering NO support which is what Measure 58 would result in.
Hickey mentioned that parents from Portland Public Schools are mounting a civil rights case, but as usual he completely twisted the truth--these parents are requesting greater ESL support for their students so that in fact they can have a fair equal access to education (Supreme Court LAU v. Nichols, 1974).

Hickey also kept confusing his terms and calling all programs "bilingual' when in fact very few programs are bilingual in Oregon (and those that are are wildly popular with long waiting lists). He also kept describing ESL programs as "sink or swim" but he again was twisting facts, Actually, English immersion as proposed by Measure 58 would be the sink or swim method. ESL program on the contrary, are designed to help support students as they transition to mainstream classes. When a student transitions is dependent on a case by case basis. He also falsely claimed that districts keep students in "bilingual" programs (actually ESL programs) so they can keep money. This is totally false, in fact districts are pressured to move students out of ESL programs quickly because they are required to help students make "one years growth in one years time" in English and content areas as mandated by the Oregon Department of Education and the federal government.
Lastly, I have to coments on his false statements regarding his claim about "the failure of "bilingual education". He is basing this comment on ONE book written by Rosalie Porter called "Forked Tongue " which was published in 1997. This book is always promoted as "research" by the English Only/Anti-Immigarnt agenda, but it in fact it has no credibility outside of this group. Keith Baker, prior US Department of Education Secretary has said that Porter's claim of superiority of English-only programs adminsitered in Massachussets had not a "shred of evidence."
Hickey also mentioned that English only mandates had worked in the other three states that have passed similar measures (Masachussets, Califormia, Arizona). However, a recent report, again by the US Department of Education just released their preliminary finding on the effects of these three states, and it found that "there is no visual evidence that these three states are doing any better in educatin their ELLs."" (English Language Learners)
Moreover, the drop-out (push out?) rate for ELLs has increased since the passage of these measure in these stares.
But then again, that may be exactly what Hickey ad Sizemore want--to push out ELL students by letting them sink through their misguided and rigid proposal???

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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As an English Learner, and education professor, I agree we need to teach Oregon
students English. However, Measure 58 is yet another bad idea by Sizemore.
Under his plan, most students would only have one year before being placed in
English ?immersion? (sink or swim) programs. Is Sizemore not aware that
English-only classrooms are already the norm for the vast majority of Oregon?s
English learners? Some student may be able to learn enough English to ?get by?
on the playground or in the early grades in one or two years, but countless
studies have shown that the type of English required for more challenging
schoolwork such as chemistry takes on average 4-7 years to acquire. Parents and
teachers know that every child is different and some may need extra support such as strong ESL methods in order to catch up to their native English peers. Mr. Sizemore is probably also not aware that Oregon already has a set of rigorous English Language Proficiency Standards and numerous assessment measures which hold schools accountable for the progress of their English Learners. The Oregon Department of Education and the US
Department of Education monitor these students closely and requires schools to
make ?adequate yearly progress? in meeting their needs. Of course there is room
for improvement, but Measure 58 will only make things worse. Sizemore?s arbitrary one
or two year rule has nothing to do with research, and will only hurt students
and take away control from the teachers and districts who know their students
best.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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