Final answer:
In the 1950s, the Worcester, Mass., school system handled the education of non-English speakers differently based on their ethnic background. Greek, Italian, Irish, Jewish, and Slavic immigrants were eligible to attend public schools regardless of their English proficiency. Native American and Hispanic children, however, faced segregation and assimilation efforts through separate schools and English-only education.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1950s, the Worcester, Mass., school system handled the education of non-English speakers differently based on their ethnic background. Greek, Italian, Irish, Jewish, and Slavic immigrants, who were considered white, were eligible to attend public schools regardless of their English proficiency. However, many immigrant communities opted to establish their own schools to preserve their language and culture. On the other hand, Native American children were sent to boarding schools with the aim of assimilating them into Euro-American culture by discouraging their native languages and traditions.
Similarly, in areas with large Mexican American communities, separate public schools were maintained for Hispanic children, using language deficiency as a justification. The education of Mexican American children and children of other Latin American descent was also segregated in Texas, Arizona, California, and some Midwest industrial cities.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs enforced English-only education in government-run schools for Native American children, focusing on vocational skills and discouraging tribal languages and culture. The practices of separate schools based on national origins and English-only education were eventually challenged and ruled as violations of civil rights.