Those supporting bilingual education argue that the state's 162, 000 Spanish-speaking pupils achieve more if taught through their first language and that attending an all-English schools would put Spanish-speakers at an immediate disadvantage.

BBC: US vote on bilingual schools

The owner of another supply teachers' agency said schools might have legitimate concerns about English language skills - and that this might be misinterpreted as racism.

BBC: Supply teachers face racism from schools, says agency

Many of the black elite, who send their children to English-speaking private schools or former white state schools, may accept English emerging as the sole national language.

ECONOMIST: English is dangerously dominant

How much is down to low priority that the language has in some English-medium schools, despite being a compulsory part of the curriculum?

BBC: Census 2011: Number of Welsh speakers falling

Somali is a close second to English as the most-spoken first language in Moss Side schools.

ECONOMIST: Urban living

Statehood or no, there are plans for English-language science and mathematics classes in the island's schools.

ECONOMIST: Empire in the Americas