Principal Bans Hispanic Students from Speaking Spanish

[olger]

I disagree. I don't believe people should be punished for speaking their own, native language. I can understand requiring the students to answer questions and do their homework in English, but I can not understand doling out punishment to them when speaking in their own native language.

I don't think people should be punished for speaking their own language either. I also don't think a requirement to learn the language of a country you live in, is punishment. Talk about hyperbole!

Man up America,

the G

[olger]

Nobody is stopping them from speaking it at home. When they are in this country and doing business in this country then one should be doing it in English. That is where we fall down compared to other countries. I say either learn and speak English or leave.

!!!!!

[bonnie]

I don't think people should be punished for speaking their own language either. I also don't think a requirement to learn the language of a country you live in, is punishment. Talk about hyperbole!

Man up America,

the G

Let's punish the teachers and make them learn the numerous languages that may be represented in their classroom.

We have a very large Russian population in MN along with hispanic. Our teachers should be able to speak three languages

[Green Cochoa]

Originally Posted By: cricket

I disagree. I don't believe people should be punished for speaking their own, native language. I can understand requiring the students to answer questions and do their homework in English, but I can not understand doling out punishment to them when speaking in their own native language.

Nobody is stopping them from speaking it at home. When they are in this country and doing business in this country then one should be doing it in English. That is where we fall down compared to other countries. I say either learn and speak English or leave.

How many other countries have you visited or lived in? I'm in a country where at least three languages are represented. Just like in America, some here do not speak the national language. They speak only their native language. Others are fully bilingual. Guess what? It doesn't seem to be a cause of concern nor contention here.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

[Green Cochoa]

Originally Posted By: olger

I don't think people should be punished for speaking their own language either. I also don't think a requirement to learn the language of a country you live in, is punishment. Talk about hyperbole!

Man up America,

the G

Let's punish the teachers and make them learn the numerous languages that may be represented in their classroom.

We have a very large Russian population in MN along with hispanic. Our teachers should be able to speak three languages

I do. And I have taught classes with students of those other languages. It's very nice for the teacher when he or she will understand any student in the class, even when the student speaks another language.

They can't share secrets in their native language during the test!

American education is on the decline. It used to be that people learned other languages in school: frequently Latin, French, German, Greek, and Hebrew. Perhaps nowadays we should be teaching Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

[bonnie]

I do. And I have taught classes with students of those other languages. It's very nice for the teacher when he or she will understand any student in the class, even when the student speaks another language.

They can't share secrets in their native language during the test!

American education is on the decline. It used to be that people learned other languages in school: frequently Latin, French, German, Greek, and Hebrew. Perhaps nowadays we should be teaching Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Good for you.Most people do not speak three languages. American education is not on the decline because our teachers do not speak three languages.

Perhaps when you give students three opportunities to take final exams is they fail the first and second time and then if they fail the third time it is assumed the test was to hard and they pass anyway.

Learning an another language in school was voluntary,not mandatory,nor did every teacher in the school speak all of the languages that were taught.

If the teachers could focus on academics instead of all the silliness,american education would not be on the decline

[Green Cochoa]

American education is on the decline not because of languages but because of laziness. Students simply don't care about learning these days. They don't want to learn a foreign language because they'd rather play computer games and use social media to keep up with their friends. Besides, they hear all the adults' talk about the necessity of others learning English. So why bother learning anything else? Everyone should speak English, right?

Neither teachers nor students should be forced to learn another language. In fact, I suppose no one should be forced to learn anything.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

[bonnie]

American education is on the decline not because of languages but because of laziness. Students simply don't care about learning these days. They don't want to learn a foreign language because they'd rather play computer games and use social media to keep up with their friends. Besides, they hear all the adults' talk about the necessity of others learning English. So why bother learning anything else? Everyone should speak English, right?

Neither teachers nor students should be forced to learn another language. In fact, I suppose no one should be forced to learn anything.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

I would much rather the "force" or attention be focused on math,history etc,than forcing them to learn another language.

When students aren't challenged they lose interest.Being told,don't worry,you have three chances to pass and if that isn't sufficient we will pass you anyway.Learning another language is not going to fix that.

My sons and my grandchildren have all attended our schools.The teachers did not speak a variety of languages but somehow managed to keep their interest.

[ClubV12]

Niihau, a privately owned, by a Christian family, island within easy boating distance of Kaui has the perfect solution. You can't visit them. You can't live or work there. Stay away, go away, private property, NOT welcome, don't even think about landing on the beach.

They speak Hawaiian, the very last remnants of a sizeable group of people who do.

I heard the Irish language is another thats dying out.

"...teaching Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian." Well, Japanese would have been helpful in my work, Pacific and South Pacific areas primarily. But the others would have been a waste of time. Tagalog, Malayo-Polynesian would have helped! To many languages to keep up with!

[lazarus]

Thankfully this person has been put on administrative leave. As demographics change hopefully this kind of heavy-handed ignorance will die out.

[ClubV12]

No problem Lazarus, there are plenty of Spanish speaking McD's and Taco Bell jobs in Texas, they'll be fine. :)

[lazarus]

No problem Lazarus, there are plenty of Spanish speaking McD's and Taco Bell jobs in Texas, they'll be fine.

You make an odd point. What went wrong for all those English speaking McD workers? Did they have Spanish accents?

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

when I went to school in Austria, we English-speaking students were expected to speak German during class time.. It didn't harm me, nor did I feel like my native language was being looked down upon. We understood that in order to communicate with the German-speaking population of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we needed to learn German. The way to do that was NOT to keep speaking English and expect everyone to like it or lump it. And even when we spoke English outside of class, we ALWAYS made certain that any of our European fellow students who might be there would ALSO know what we were saying. It's called "being polite."

[cricket]

I did use English in my response, correct? Odd how so many English-speaking people seemed to have misinterpreted what I wrote.

On another note, can anyone tell me the official language of the United States?

[scott.t]

I can understand wanting the students to speak English while participating in a classroom exersise, but to ban spanish speaking in general while in school seems silly.

For some reason speaking a language other than English to a lot of Americans is looked upon like burning the flag.

Thank goodness most young people seem to find learning a second language a good thing and are not offended by immagrent speaking their native language.

Scott

[ClubV12]

From page one:

"Hispanic students in her school that they would no longer be allowed to speak Spanish while in class." It's OK to speak Hungarian if you like out of class, in the hall or around the corner.

Spanish accent, Boston accent, Southern accent, accents aren't the problem. I bet this Principle is seeing the same problem I saw in Hawaii. An "accent" so "thick" communication is difficult to impossible for to many. In such a case even getting a job at McD's will be difficult.

scott t. comments like yours are WHY Americans can't have this conversation with those who don't speak english. As soon as you bring it up, they get all snooty and defensive and start going on about the arrogant Americans. Their "spanish" rights, their African American rights, their Filipino rights, to talk just the way they want.

Well fine, enjoy that ditch digging job, flip those burgers, stay in that ghetto. For many, that is exactly what will and has happened to the "young people" scott thinks will save the planet.

That Principle should be promoted for trying to HELP those kids, but it's an uphill battle with politically correctness run wild. Common sense,,, aint so common.

[cricket]

There is nothing wrong with requiring that the students speak English when addressing the teacher. Nothing wrong with requiring that they do their written work in English; nothing wrong with requiring that the students speak English when addressing the class when it concerns the school subject. But punishing them for speaking their own native language to their peers (even while in the classroom) is not right.

[ClubV12]

There must be "punishment", of some kind, for violating a school policy set in place by the Principal. Why have any rules, if not? Without punishment, which is CONSEQUENCES for disobediance to the LAW, you have anarchy.

Our American system is a Republic. A Republic is NOT "majority" rule (50%+ Spanish students), it's rule by law. If you don't like the rules/law there are rules/laws to address that. Kicking out the Principal through civil disobediance may be effective, but it's not how a Republic works.

What we have here is no respect for authority, and that goes right to the top. Leadership to afraid to address the issues for fear of an uprising by the populace. Or loosing their job if they speak up. The Republic form of Government has been over thrown by the majority. If the students don't have to obey school rules or recognize the authority of the Principal, why should they obey any civil law? With no consequences, it's every person for themselves.

No, IF you have a rule, you have to find someway to enforce it. The students have effectively taken control of the school, kicked out the Principal and now have their own way.

[cricket]

It is unreasonable to set forth a law that requires punishment for doing something that is harmless in the classroom and unreasonable of any human being. Communication is what sets us apart from animals. To deny any human being their very real and basic need for communication is not right.

There is no official language in these United States.

[lazarus]

There is nothing wrong with requiring that the students speak English when addressing the teacher. Nothing wrong with requiring that they do their written work in English; nothing wrong with requiring that the students speak English when addressing the class when it concerns the school subject.

Agreed.

Quote:

But punishing them for speaking their own native language to their peers (even while in the classroom) is not right.

This is the unsavory part of the whole story. This is heavy handed and speaks to deep disdain some people have for the culture of others.

[Gerr]

How does one learn another language? By using one's native tongue?

My 2 cents, one whose native tongue was not English.

[bonnie]

I can understand wanting the students to speak English while participating in a classroom exersise, but to ban spanish speaking in general while in school seems silly.

For some reason speaking a language other than English to a lot of Americans is looked upon like burning the flag.

Thank goodness most young people seem to find learning a second language a good thing and are not offended by immagrent speaking their native language.

Scott

In the classroom,what is there about that you don't understand.

The classroom is for learning,listening to teacher and instruction.

For some reason speaking a language other than English to a lot of Americans is looked upon like burning the flag.

The above is completely silly. When a child wants to learn another language,he is free to do so.Because a teacher has more than one language represented it is foolish to expect that teacher to learn all to be prepared for them.

[Neil D]

A GP to no one in particular....

My experience has been-

-growing up in the western US of A

-learning various words of Spanish

-taking Spanish to learn more of the culture and how spanish think since words influence culture

-went to college for 10 years learning various subjects, specializing in Respiratory Science eventually

-taught American English to native Koreans [Koreans were NOT interested in learning "English English" but rather American English]

-learned some and forgotten the Japanese that I had learned on the way to Korea

-Learned Korean language as I taught English...and a "new" but hybrid language that I shared with my students-Konglish [since then, I have learned that there are many hybrid languages, Spanglish, Franlish which have been very useful in making transitions to the other language]

-Even my level 9 students only knew 90% of the English language due to their not being submerged in the country and English is a big language that has specialties/subcultures in it[try talking the English medical language or the insurance industry language] ...but they could hold their own on general conversations. [in fact, a level 5 could do that fairly well]

-held English conversations with Korean Doctors who never went to an English medical school. Twas because most of the medical classes were taught/written using English words...

-Learned that English is the predominate language used to

communicate because MOST of the world deals with English speaking countries. So, most of the world, if they want to deal with other countries, will learn English.

-Next language to learn, in order of conversational practices, was Spanish and then french....

-dialects abound in various countries, America is no exception. Consider Southern, Maine,Boston, Western dialects to name a few.

-My Korean English school, set up by the conference of SDA , had 9 levels of learning to speak American English

-Nearly every Asian learned to write English before speaking it. So, if you are traveling in an Asian country, like Japan, or Korea, and you have a question, write it down and hand your question to a businessman, and chances are, he will write an answer for you....

-Oh, yes...language is a "doing" or hand on experience. It is in the speaking of the language that you learn culture, a way of thinking that you are not used to..... Oh, yes, you can learn it by writing it, but you will not communicate it well...That is the need for english language schools and American teachers...

-And American English is a subject verb object syntach. Spanish is much the same way except that thier adjectives come AFTER the noun. Korean is a subject, object, verb syntach AND there are different levels of speech depending who you are talking to...If you are talking to a goverment official, you use a more respectful speech....talking to a child/friend/equal, a more common speech. And this speech is based upon culture.....

[OzarkWoman]

Originally Posted By: OzarkWoman

Nobody is stopping them from speaking it at home. When they are in this country and doing business in this country then one should be doing it in English. That is where we fall down compared to other countries. I say either learn and speak English or leave.

How many other countries have you visited or lived in? I'm in a country where at least three languages are represented. Just like in America, some here do not speak the national language. They speak only their native language. Others are fully bilingual. Guess what? It doesn't seem to be a cause of concern nor contention here.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Oh well, then you are perfect. I have lived in 4 countries and 36 states. Get over yourself and just because any nation does anything does not mean our nation has to follow.

[OzarkWoman]

American education is on the decline. It used to be that people learned other languages in school: frequently Latin, French, German, Greek, and Hebrew. Perhaps nowadays we should be teaching Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

American education has been on the decline for longer than most think. It has nothing to do with speaking more than one language. It has to do with liberal policies in the education system. The Common Core is just an example of their idiocy.