Reply #117: since you seem to be an expert in bilingual education [View All]

[reorg]

Could you please point me to studies on the benefits and drawbacks (if any) of teaching in secondary schools and university in other languages than the official language of a country?

What is the legal situation in the US for those schools attended by a majority or significant minority of Hispanics and Blacks (remember Ebonics)?

The quote I provided is from 96, a report mainly concerned with legal provisions on bilingual education. I think it is remarkably liberal.

As to the real situation in 1990, you probably know that following the constitutional changes and the abandonment of the autonomous status of Kosovo, a concerted effort was immediately made by Kosovo Albanians to resist the new Serbian curriculum, and an illegal "parallel system" was introduced. It seems only logical that personnel particpating in these illegal activities were sacked, and that schools were closed that no longer were attented by Albanians who refused to accept the Serbian curriculum.

These measures were certainly repressive, and were meant to be, since they were part of an attempt to reverse the trend of the preceding years throughout which Albanian chauvinism was on the rise and Serbs were leaving Kosovo in increasing numbers. It was an attempt to prevent a violent secession and to reassert the authority of the state.

At about the same time we had a public discussion in Germany on bilingual education for the increasing number of immigrant children. I think the most far-reaching proposals were to allow two hours of extra classes per week in the native language of certain groups, or some such measure. I cannot imagine the outcry of all our Kosovo invasion apologists if the Turks in Berlin would claim a right to speak their native language in school! Or have the curriculum changed in order to comply with Islamic priorities! I think the specter of downfall of the occident would be looming on the horizon.