A Spanish-speaking woman was recently barred from running for city
council in Arizona, sparking a national debate about the role of
language skills for office holders
Alejandrina Cabrera meets all the requirements for serving on the San
Luis, Ariz., city council — except one. Cabrera, whose first language is
Spanish, speaks limited English — too little, it turns out, to legally
run for elected office in Arizona. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled last
week that Cabrera did not meet the state’s requirement that elected
officials must be proficient in English. It is rare for a city-council
candidate to make national news, but Cabrera’s story has made headlines
across the country — and prompted a fevered debate over what role
English should play in American democracy.
