April 10, 2000
Bilingual 'segregation' was frustrating
By Sarah Tully Tapia
Arizona Daily Star
For most of his elementary school years, Pedro Contreras was assigned to the back of the class with his Spanish-speaking classmates, learning their lessons in Spanish.
The English-speakers belonged in the front.
Some years, the teacher spent most of her time with the English speakers, leaving an aide to tend to the Spanish speakers.
“After a while, I felt bad," said Contreras, now 18, of Guadalajara, Mexico. “I was always getting into fights. I think I was taking out the frustration. I wasn't learning anything."
His mother, Griselda Villa, asked the school to take her youngest son out of bilingual education in third grade at Lynn Urquides Elementary School — Contreras' third school after moving to the United States at age 7.
Villa was told, “I was Hispanic. He needed to be in Spanish.”
The school finally moved Contreras to a regular class in sixth grade, after Hector Ayala, who taught Contreras' older brother, went with her to request the transfer. Ayala now is a leader trying to ban bilingual education through a state ballot initiative.
Contreras started getting straight A’s, and his behavior improved.
“I felt much better. I wasn't segregated,” Contreras said. “I had a lot of friends in there. It felt more like at home.”
At Cholla High Magnet School, Contreras took advanced-placement classes and graduated last year with a scholarship to the University of Arizona. He is studying international business.
Contreras said he doesn't think he would have made it if he’d stayed in bilingual education.
“Bilingual education, the way it's being taught, is not working," Contreras said. “If it doesn't work, they should get rid of it."
