Top California GOP senator backs bilingual education

By James Poulos | Cal Watchdog

A notable Golden State Republican just made a U-turn on 16 years of education policy.

Sens. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, joined majority Democrats in a vote of the California Senate Education Committee to recommended adding an initiative to the 2016 ballot that would restore bilingual education to the state public school system.

Though unable to dictate the votes of Sacramento’s Republican lawmakers, Huff is the Senate Republican Leader.

Bilingual education has been a point of contention in California politics for decades. A GOP switch on the issue would reflect perceived electoral and demographic pressure to woo more Hispanic votes.

But, ironically, one of the Republican Party’s most powerful unofficial leaders on Hispanic-friendly issues is the leading voice opposed to bilingual education.

at Cal Watchdog.