Georgia Senate: English Only Driving Exams are Discriminatory
Currently making its way through the Georgia State Legislature is Senate Bill 67, or the English-Only for Driver’s License Exams bill. The bill’s proponents argue that the bill will work to keep the roads safe and that it is “tough on illegal immigration.” However, many human rights groups and religious organizations in Atlanta, such as the Georgia Refugee Policy Initiative, the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), and the First Iconium Baptist Church, among others, argue that it is a fallacy to claim that the same language level is needed to take a written exam as to follow clearly marked street signs and warnings. Such a bill, they assert, would make roads less safe by preventing people from taking the exam in their native language, and thus increasing the likelihood that they may not fully understand the rules of the road. Moreover, the bill targets “lawful, documented immigrants who are trying to make a living in the state of Georgia, but whose English may not have yet reached the level of proficiency needed for a full license exam,” as Teodoro Maus, President of GLAHR, points out. Because the bill makes exceptions for illiterate Georgians, many claim the bill is discriminatory against newly arrived Americans, and is reminiscent of the Jim Crow literacy tests of the past. For New Americans unable to pass a full English-only driver’s license exam, the bill would take away their ability to fully participate in their new community- with mounting cuts in public transportation, how do the bill’s sponsors propose that these Americans get to their English classes or buy groceries to feed their families?
Groups such as the Refugee Women’s Network have argued that the bill would be especially detrimental to refugee and immigrant women by keeping them isolated and unable to access jobs or health services, attend domestic violence prevention programs, or engage in parent-teacher conferences or their children’s after school activities. Many of these women are also active entrepreneurs who contribute greatly to the economy by opening up restaurants, day care centers, beauty salons, etc. Such driving restrictions would prevent them from providing for their families and helping to strengthen Georgia’s economy. The test is currently offered in 13 languages, and not only are there no data that prove that people who pass the translated tests are less safe drivers than those who take the test in English, but Americans who travel or live abroad are overwhelmingly given the opportunity to take their driver’s exam in English. For a state that is trying to become an “international destination,” it is hard to understand why it would impose restrictions on people of international origin.
April 21st, 2010 at 9:08 am
wow, this makes no sense. are the folks on the other side of this bill claiming it will save money to not offer the test in other languages? i don’t understand how this keeps the roads safer and what about legal immigrants? preventing people from driving inhibits their ability to work and can lead to a lot larger problems.
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For goodness sake, why is it so difficult for us to expect people who wish to live here to learn the English language? For our ancestors it was expected that they adapt to their new life in this wonderful contry and they were proud to do so without complaining, If you go to any other country you would be expected to do the same thing! If you don’t want to be able to read English, why come here in the first place? The Money? Oh yea,, they learn very fast how to read the value of the money..
Many of our ancestors came to this country and had to overcome many difficult situations in order to remain here.. There was no such thing as “Welfare” of “Food Stamps”.. How did they survive? They came here legally, learned the language, got a job and worked hard to feed their families and survive. We give billions of our tax dollars to help under developed countries and that id OK.. But I wouldn’t go as far as inviting people into my home, eat my food, pay no rent or utilities and insist that I speak their language to makle life easier for them. The United States is our home. If immigrants are to be welcomed then we should expect them to come in legally, obey our laws, work hard to support themselves (thet includes learning english) and respect the people who offer them shelter in this great country.
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