American Identity and Attitudes Toward English Language Policy Initiatives

Authors

Carlos Garcia, San Jose State University
Loretta E. Bass, University of Oklahoma

Keywords

Language policy, immigrants, attitudes, English classes

Abstract

Relatively little is known about what individual-level factors drive Americans' attitudes toward offering services to immigrants. Using national-level data and logistic regressions, we examine what factors co-vary with whether respondents agree or disagree with specific policy initiatives regarding support for English language use for immigrants. We then examine what factors are related to whether respondents agree that tax money should be used to fund English classes for immigrant children and adults. We find that age, race, and general warmth toward undocumented immigrants predict English-only attitudes, and that marital status, education, and warmth toward undocumented immigrants predict attitudes toward the use of public funds to teach English.

Recommended Citation

Garcia, Carlos and Bass, Loretta E. (2007) "American Identity and Attitudes Toward English Language Policy Initiatives," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 34: Iss. 1, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3228
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol34/iss1/5