Lawmakers in Louisiana are pushing a bill that would let local governments erect signs in two languages — English and what they’re dubbing “Louisiana French.”
Democrat Stephen Ortego said that he sponsored the bill as a means of preserving the historical aspects of the state, which was founded by French settlers.
“My grandparents used to speak French in the school yard, hidden behind trees, because they didn’t want the teachers to hear,” Mr. Ortego told Agence France-Presse. “But we are at a moment where it’s becoming a right for children to have a bilingual education.”
He said he stumbled on the idea for the bill when he visited Canada, and noticed signs there were posted in both French and English.
The bill, AFP noted, is not a mandate but rather an option for localities.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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