An immigrant from El Salvador, Miguel Alvarado wants his four
children to learn English and fulfill the American dream. So
far, the biggest obstacle has been the local public school.
Although the Alvarado family speaks English at home, the
children were placed in bilingual classrooms where nearly all
instruction is in Spanish. "I want my kids to concentrate on
learning to read and write in English," protests Mr. Alvarado.
His voice is being added to a growing chorus of complaints from
immigrant parents. Although criticism of bilingual education
dates back to its early days in the late 1960s, the latest
bilingual backlash is coming from those it is designed to serve.
As the number of "limited English proficient" students in
American schools soars to nearly 3 million, the debate about how
best to educate them is reaching new heights. In February,
parents of 100 students kept their children home from the Ninth
Street Elementary School in Los Angeles to protest its bilingual
program, where children are taught rea