Bilingual education, as an educational program, was first promoted by educators in the 1970s (Memory Hunger 26) and has been the topic of much debate in America ever since. Some argue that bilingual education only serves to detract from American culture. Others argue that bilingual education is beneficial to those who come to live in America and want to become part of the culture, but do not have proficiency in the English language. Two authors, who have taken opposite positions in the debate on bilingual education in America, are: Richard Rodriguez and Ariel Dorfman. Richard Rodriguez believes that bilingual education creates a feeling of separation between speakers of a foreign language and American society; therefore, bilingual education delays the formation of a public identity. In contrast, Ariel Dorfman argues that bilingualism in America will be a bridge to better understanding other cultures. I take the position that I am neither, against or totally in favor of bilingual education. I am in favor of bilingual education because it can be an effective transition to learning the English language and I believe that it is very important to stay in touch with our family's language and culture. However, I also recognize the negative feeling of separation from the broader public that bilingual education can have in families who speak a foreign language, which hinders my ability to fully embrace bilingual education. Ariel Dorfman is an Argentine author who has struggled his entire life to find a balance between the Spanish and English languages. As a result of Dorfman's “bilingual journey” (Heading South 25), he argues that bilingual education is beneficial to American society. Dorfman believes that bilingualism will serve as a... medium of paper.......---. Southward, looking north. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. PrintGarcia, Maria E., Ofelia Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove Torres-Guzman. Imagining multilingual schools: Language in education and globalization. Clevdon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, 2006. Web. 17 April 2012. Hadi-Tabassum, Samina. Language, space and power: A critical look at bilingual education. Clevdon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, 2006. Web. 17 April 2012. Rodriguez, Richard. “Air: Memoirs of a Bilingual Childhood.” Conversations: reading to write. Ed. Gack Selzer. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 153-166. Press.---. Memory Hunger: The Education of Richard Rodriguez. New York: Bantam Dell, 1983. Solomon Print, Rosemary C. True American: Language, Identity, and the Education of Immigrant Children. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2010. Web. 17 April. 2012.