Dual Language, Dual Purposes

Dual language bilingual education (DLBE) has tremendous potential to create inclusive learning environments for students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. However, creating and sustaining high-quality programs can be difficult due to many organizational and cultural factors. One key challenge principals may confront in two-way programs is community conflict. Unequal power dynamics between families in a racially and economically segregated community can create equity issues and disrupt the collaboration and family engagement necessary for students to thrive as they learn in two languages. This case is located within a large urban community experiencing rapid gentrification. For the past thirty years, Haynes Elementary School served a mostly Latinx immigrant community and was considered to be a “second home” for many students given its family-like atmosphere and emphasis on Mexican American culture. However, new families moving into the community are primarily White and affluent. Mrs. Reveles is the principal of Haynes and was herself classified as an English learner (EL) student. She is now experiencing significant tension between different family groups, particularly about curricular content. The newer families tend to support dual language primarily for the economic value they believe it transfers to their child. However, the well-established Latino/a community views dual language as critical to their child’s identity development and as a way to sustain and deepen the connection to their family and culture. This case study requires the principal to balance unequal power dynamics among families.