Divide et impera (was: California elections & bilingual ed)

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

At 02:09 PM 6/4/98 -0500, Yoshie wrote:
>My concern as a teacher is to what extent politics of this kind will
>further affect what and how teachers can do in our classrooms. What's next?
>A proposition that pits phonics against a whole language method and bans
>the latter? What of the subject matters of teaching?

Yoshie:

I think this is a perfect example of a pseudo-issue that has practically no
implications in real life (children will still speak Spanish) but drives a
wedge between different segments of the population, while corporate execs
divide the spoils of the cold war.  Call it conspiracy theory if you want,
but it is simply beyond me why would a billionaire businessman want to
throw millions to propmote an issue of little practical consequence --
unless he has some ulterior motives - like the divide and rule strategy to
divert public attention from economic issues.

Regards,

Wojtek Sokolowski