The observations of educators and educational research have shown that academic outcomes for minority groups exposed to the same educational programs are different. The phenomenon does not seem to be due to superior intelligence, social class, or length of time in the country. Documented since the mid-1960s, this should be taken into account when developing policies and programs for minority students. Bilingual education is one educational strategy which attempts to do this, but many educators do not understand theories of language learning and linguistics and how they relate to academic failure. This book attempts to give educators the skills they need to provide appropriate guidance to minority students with problems in language proficiency. The following chapters are included: (1) Introduction; (2) Historical and Political Context; (3) The Two Faces of Language Proficiency; (4) Double-Talk and Double-Think: Bilingualism and Children's Development in School; (5) Towards Anti-Racist Education: Empowering Minority Students; (6) Implementing Change: Challenging the Disabling Structure; (7) Disinformation in the Information Age: The Academic Critics of Bilingual Education; and (8) "Against American Concepts": Patriotism and the Subversive Power of Bilingual Education. A list of 150 references is included. (VM)