A Case of Blaming the Victim: The Dunn Monograph on Bilingual Hispanic Children on the U.S. Mainland

Abstract

This article challenges Dunn's arguments and the logic used to arrive at them. It is argued here that IQ scores for different groups can be influenced by the way they use vocabulary; that the decline in U.S. mainland Hispanic students' vocabulary scores coincides with the onset of classroom instruction; and that SES is not controlled for in the studies presented by Dunn. Further, genetic components of scores on IQ tests for U.S. -born Hispanics cannot be determined from intelligence tests heavily loaded with a language component, since such tests measure language facility rather than intelligence. Also, Dunn's discussion of the role of heredity and familial factors in academic achievement and intelligence test scores is meaningless when children have not been placed in optimal educational environments. It is argued, contrary to Dunn's position, that native language instruction can result in the elimination of problems discussed by Dunn. Finally, comments on the ethical and moral implications of Dunn's monograph are presented.