ABSTRACT
Some may wonder whether the introductory quote for this chapter was selected intentionally with an eye toward irony. After all, Santayana was a Spanish American and the use of his ethnicity, not just his words, to highlight the thematic element of this chapter would certainly qualify as an additional twist to the problem of providing evidence-based interventions for English language learners. But the quote stands on its own merit, irrespective of the author’s heritage, and truly sets the stage for understanding the issues relevant to language minority children being served and educated presently in U.S. public schools. These issues form a clear pattern, one that has repeated itself continuously throughout the history of this country, and is based on assumptions that although wrong, are still pervasive in the schools and society and especially in the minds of policy makers who hold sway over the education of all children, including English language learners.
