"ENGLISH FOR THE CHILDREN": RHETORICAL TRANSCENDENCE AND LANGUAGE IDEOLOGY IN CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSITION 227

摘要: Proposition 227, or “English for the Children” was a California ballot initiative created with purpose of eliminating state’s bilingual education programs and replacing them English-only instruction. Although many observers construed law as simply one in series efforts to roll back immigrants’ language access rights, measure diverged from previous restrictive legislation its rhetorical embrace immigrants. Its author, Ron Unz, constructed his campaign around notion that government support preventing immigrant children learning English, thereby denying opportunities and, broader sense, undermining societal unity by fostering linguistic divisiveness. This approach proved effective; on June 2, 1998, voters approved 227 margin sixty thirty nine percent. By explaining historical political factors animating Children,” this thesis argues California’s debate not merely disagreement over teaching methodologies, but reflected deeper, longstanding ideological conflict between competing visions ‘national identity’ how fits into scheme. The study is descriptive well analytical. Via narration main events forces shaping ideology U.S., it will first