Bill Number: S 651

Bill Sponsor(s): Senator A. Siakam, Representative Dwen

A bill to increase the number of bilingual Americans by requiring students to start learning a
second language in 4
th
grade.
Whereas students will be fluent in the second language by high school graduation. Whereas
students will have a better understanding of a foreign culture. Whereas students will effectively
communicate when conducting business with a foreign party.
Therefore, be it enacted that in three years every elementary school has the teachers and supplies
to offer at least two languages.
The penalty of this law is $1000 per elementary school and two-thirds of students of said school
should be advance in reading English and writing in English.

Bill Narrative
I introduced S 651 to my fellow Senators on November 10, 2013 (1). After a quick read
through by the Head Senator Gowd, S 651 was assigned to the Committee of Education (5).
Before becoming a Senator, I worked on my states Board of Education. Many of the other
Senators in the Committee of Education are familiar with the criteria set for schools nationwide.
Senator Radley was the only person on the Committee who voted against S 651. His flawed
argument against the bill was that everyone in business learns English therefore Americans do
not need to learn other languages. Radley and others also argued that we were treading upon the
rights of the states. My argument to state power crowd is that if the state is doing an inadequate
job then the government has the right fix education policies. All the other sensible senators
approved the bill and sent it to the Floor of the Senate for a debate and vote (6). There were a
few more senators like Radley who shared their limited white privilege with the other senators,
but ultimately S 651 was approved without amendments.
I sent the bill to my friend, Representative Dwen. After S651s introduction, the Head of
the House assigns the bill to the Committee of Education. Representative Dwen was on the
committee because he was a part of Maines Board of Education before switching to a business
oriented career. We meet and became friends at a National Teacher Conference.
I was surprised when the representatives in the committee amended the S651 by making
it more progressive with harsher penalties. They want to introduce a second language to students
in 3
rd
grade and limit state aid by $10000 for school districts that fail to comply with the law. The
new S651 is sent to the Floor of the House for a debate and vote (3). Dwen told me that some
bigots argued that American should remain America and increasing foreign language
requirements is un-American. Their statements contradict the core of American history. A nation
founded and influenced by immigrants would be greater if the descendants were interested in the
world beyond the states. S 651 was approved but because of the changes added by the House,
S651 will be further debated in a Conference Committee.
Dwen and I are on the Conference Committee because we cosponsored S 651 (7). The
members of the Conference Committee range from people who used to work in education to ex-
ambassadors. My other friend on the committee is Representative Aowm. She was the
Ambassador to Brazil for five years before running for office. Aowm suggested keeping the
starting year but changing the penalty to $5000, indexed to inflation, per month per school.
Elementary schools that want to offer an education program, but do not have the funds, will
receive an extra $50,000 a month of federal aid. S651 is sent back to the House. A majority of
the committee approved the bill reasoning that the pros outweigh the cons. Within three years
every elementary school will have an education program or face the penalties. The new S651 is
sent back to the Senate and House (8). Both branches of Congress approve the changes and now
S651 needs the approval of the president. S651 is sent to President Mieum, who signs the bill (9).
Since President Mieum signed the S651, there is no need for a veto override (10).
Narrative is 502 words.