Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study explores teachers' and bilingual adolescents' views about heritage language (HL) maintenance and bilingualism. Interviews with twelve teachers and twelve students revealed limited value for bilingualism. English dominance overshadowed the importance of bilingualism and HL maintenance. Findings reveal the lack of institutional support for HL and possibilities of cultural and linguistic decimation in Florida, where teacher certification requirements include the ESOL Endorsement. Recommendations for teachers, administrators, and teacher educators are provided.
