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English-Only Organizations

English-only organizations are composed of supporters who believe that English alone should be the “official” language of the United States. Most of these organizations are active in lobbying for state and federal legislation in support of English-only laws. The laws promoted by these groups usually require that English be the only medium of instruction in schools and typically require that all government and official documents be published exclusively in English. Advocates of English-only organizations believe that learning and speaking English are essential in order for immigrants to succeed and achieve the “American dream” in the United States. Although many groups are interested in English-only policies, the most notable are U.S. English, English First, the Research on English Acquisition and Development Institute (READ), the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO), ProEnglish, and English for the Children.

Opponents of English-only organizations believe that these groups fail to recognize the linguistic, cultural, social, and ethnic experiences and resources that immigrants bring to the United States; that the contributions of immigrants and English language learners (ELLs) should not be ignored; and that by emphasizing assimilation and Americanization, the cultural heritage of immigrants is devalued. Critics who oppose English-only organizations also believe that such organizations ultimately marginalize ethnic and linguistic minorities from mainstream involvement in the United States and that in order to make English the sole official language of the country, these practices would harm rather than help immigrants. They further argue that it is the diversity of its people and cultures that makes the United States strong and that this society is best served when everyone has equal access to the rights and opportunities that are guaranteed to its members.

Historical Background

In 1911, the newly formed Immigration Commission announced findings that showed little concern over immigrants' English language knowledge upon their arrival in the United States. A few years later, however, on September 1,1917, the National Americanization Committee—a group aimed at “Americanizing” immigrants—launched a campaign called “English First.” Its purpose was to teach English to all of the nation's immigrants. The ideological distinction between the findings of the Immigration Commission in 1911 and the aim of the National Americanization Committee 6 years later speaks of the social forces that led to the dissemination of English-only ideology. Pressure for English-only is evident throughout American history, but significant shifts toward language restrictions, aimed at immigrant communities, is most notable during and after World War I. Although World War I ended in 1918, xenophobic sentiments against German immigrants and German Americans created anti-German language movements in communities in which German immigrants had settled. During this period, communities enacted laws that prohibited the use of the German language in schools, on public documents, during community meetings, and on other civic occasions. In one town, inhabitants were threatened with fines for speaking German on the street. In 1923, Meyer v. Nebraska was an important Supreme Court case related to anti-German restrictionism. In this court case, the state of Nebraska fined Robert T. Meyer for reading verses from the Bible in German to one of his students. Under Nebraska law, Meyer was initially found guilty; the case, however, was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found the original ruling unconstitutional.

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