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This paper uses ethnographic observation and in-depth interview to look at the ways in which an English-dominant school in California, USA inhibits the fulfilment of the goals of its dual immersion ‘strand’ programme. Taking a Bakhtinian perspective on discourses, and leaning on Bourdieu's concept of ‘linguistic capital’, the paper examines discourses around language, race and power, and discusses the implications of these discourses for the construction of a biliterate, bilingual, equitable academic programme for Latino language minority students in an American context. The dominance of English, the prevalence of mainstream dominant discourses of race and power, and the English-speaking staff's deficit framing of the Latino and African American communities at the school all manifest as obstacles to the dual language programme's ability to fulfill its mission. The paper raises questions about the subtle forms of ‘benevolent’ racism that can invade schools, undermining the ability of students of colour to construct positive identities as learners and find routes to school success.
