Should I Speak Up?

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

So my niece, which I am a primary guardian of, goes an to elementary school, which is predominately Hispanic. Whenever there are assemblies, whoever is speaking will repeat whatever was said in spanish.
A few months ago, she was coming home with worksheets in spanish, and no it wasn't spanish class either
And just last week, at her spelling bee, yep you guessed it, 85% of the words were in spanish!!!
holy ****!!!! I thought this was america?!
I mean, Ive been sitting back, keeping cool, but should I speak up? Or would it be a waste because of the area we live in.
Idk, Im just pissed. When I can even order at my local burger king because the drive thru girl doesnt speak english!!! wtf!?! just frustrates me.

......aaahhh whatever

[Ajc330]

your community is mainly hispanic so i can see why they are coping with their language, but then again this is America and english is the primary language so i would talk to the principle if it's effecting your niece's learning

[RA]

I would have a conversation with the principal and if I wasnt satisfied that he was going to take care of the problem I would go to the super and then the school board.

[scaramouche]

id say something, but ur likely to be labelled the local nazi, we have similar problems in areas of the uk, if anyone says anything about it they r somehow racist scum

[soccer#3]

we dont have an official language in the us, unless they've changed it recently. english is the primary yes but as we all know spanish is the second due to our broad hispanic population. honestly if it was my kid, i wouldnt mind her learning some spanish. she cant do nothing but benefit from it. but seeing the way u feel, yeah i'd say something

[qualityclrk1]

yeh i'd say something only if.. the spanish they're teaching is beyond her ability and shes behind...or the "english" class was slacking compared to other schools because they're so focused on the majority of students speaking spanish.....i wouldn't want her to be behind in english for damn sure.....but honestly, learning a second language when they're that young is a good thing....thats a great thing to put on a resume'

[StoneGRMI]

Go straight to the superintendent. Going to the principle could alienate your niece because then the principle could tell the teachers and then they may treat your niece different in class. If you're worried about the superintendent doing the same thing write a letter anonymously.

[paulzane]

we dont have an official language in the us, unless they've changed it recently. english is the primary yes but as we all know spanish is the second due to our broad hispanic population. honestly if it was my kid, i wouldnt mind her learning some spanish. she cant do nothing but benefit from it. but seeing the way u feel, yeah i'd say something

Is English your first language?

[scaramouche]

jeez theres a difference between learning another language and having ur homework in a foriegn language u cant understand, some of u in this thread r the very reason there is so much pc bs in advanced countries, best not get into it here

when in rome...

unsubscribed

[goodcents]

Don't have kids, don't raise kids, yep that's how I solve the school problem

[scaramouche]

Don't have kids, don't raise kids, yep that's how I solve the school problem

goodcents for president... of the world



right now im really unsubscribed

[sorel_C]

[QUOTE=xlxBigSexyxlx;3802881]So my niece, which I am a primary guardian of, goes an to elementary school, which is predominately Hispanic. Whenever there are assemblies, whoever is speaking will repeat whatever was said in spanish.
A few months ago, she was coming home with worksheets in spanish, and no it wasn't spanish class either
And just last week, at her spelling bee, yep you guessed it, 85% of the words were in spanish!!!

Damn right you better say something this is your niece's education your talking about..... but on the plus side and not just because im spanish, everything does sound better in spanish

[legobricks]

I personally would love to learn spanish and wish it was offered as much as it is now when i was younger. BUT i feel since this is america and english is our first language that we should focus on the english language and have it taught so that the children know it. Im definately for adding spanish classes in schools (if i had kids) but i think they should be taught seperatly, not mixed together like what is going on in your kids school.

[domeyeahaigh]

maybe its good for her to learn spanish..if you have a problem with it though, consider discussing it with the teacher, and/or principal..not aggresively, just ask a few questions as to why they are going about that? how long it will continue..etc etc..should your niece go somewhere else..? questions like that. good luck mate.

[peteroy01]

start the revolution!!!!!!!!!

[soccer#3]

Is English your first language?

yes. im also fluent in swedish and speak a tiny bit of spanish, i always wanted to learn spanish but its hard. how about urself?

[PEWN]

is this you xlxBigSexyxlx

[im83931]

So my niece, which I am a primary guardian of, goes an to elementary school, which is predominately Hispanic. Whenever there are assemblies, whoever is speaking will repeat whatever was said in spanish.
......aaahhh whatever

I have elementary kids in the Houston area too. It seems to be a little better on the west and northwest suburbs.

You think it pisses you off. You guys should see my wife. She goes nuts over the whole spanish thing.

[peteroy01]

im staying out of this one. i dont want to get banned. but hell yeah you should say something!

[gixxerboy1]

Go straight to the superintendent. Going to the principle could alienate your niece because then the principle could tell the teachers and then they may treat your niece different in class. If you're worried about the superintendent doing the same thing write a letter anonymously.

I agree skip the principle

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

is this you xlxBigSexyxlx

lmao!! that was a cool movie though.

I think Im just gonna write an anonymous letter to the superint.

Im really not racist, it just doesnt make sense. Just cuz little Jose cant speak/understand english cuz his parents cant, he does bad in school. So the school starts printing crap out in spanish to try to get the kids to do better. just covering up that their all a bunch of illiterates.
The school doesnt even teach spanish, it isnt a class there. Its the fact that my niece cant do homework cuz she doesnt understand spanish. its interfering with education and thats not cool.

[Lexed]

ya big I can already see a news head line racist man dosnt want kids learning spanish. and you know how the media will twist a story

[goodcents]

Where does racism even come into play? Spanish should be learned because it is needed but not forced upon us because they want to reclaim texas, btw they owned it first I have no answer to the mexico/america problem since I love latina chics and feel for the people but we can't go into the hole and help every country out, so don't know ?

[bazerk]

It definatly has to be addressed. I bet there are more parents/gaurdians like you in your area. Get involved and make the change.

[Pooks]

It definatly has to be addressed. I bet there are more parents/gaurdians like you in your area. Get involved and make the change.

nope, he's the only one. The rest are spanish.

[Rotary]

spanish is the second due to our broad hispanic population.

Illegal Immigrants, get it right.

Dump that PC nonsense out of the window, English is the official language of the United States.

[wantmoremass]

Illegal Immigrants, get it right.

Dump that PC nonsense out of the window, English is the official language of the United States.

There actually is no federal official language for the United States, although English is the de facto standard. A large number of states have designated official languages. New Mexico appears to be the only state where both English and Spanish are official languages.

I would talk to the school principal or superintendent. Unless the School Board has designated that your niece's school is a Spanish immersion school, they can't expect her to do schoolwork in Spanish.

I always wished I had access to an immersion school to learn another language, but you have to start that up front. Can't expect someone to learn it just by being thrown in later on.

[Rotary]

There actually is no federal official language for the United States, although English is the de facto standard. A large number of states have designated official languages. New Mexico appears to be the only state where both English and Spanish are official languages.

I know it's not "Official". That's why I mentioned "PC". "PC" is the only thing not making it official. We sure wouldn't want to hurt anyones feelings, would we ?

[gixxerboy1]

There actually is no federal official language for the United States, although English is the de facto standard. A large number of states have designated official languages. New Mexico appears to be the only state where both English and Spanish are official languages.

I would talk to the school principal or superintendent. Unless the School Board has designated that your niece's school is a Spanish immersion school, they can't expect her to do schoolwork in Spanish.

I always wished I had access to an immersion school to learn another language, but you have to start that up front. Can't expect someone to learn it just by being thrown in later on.

There isnt anything wrong with learning a foriegn language. In classes designed for that.

She shouldnt have to in math class answering how much is quatro x ocho.

[goodcents]

trenta dos

[LawMan018]

So my niece, which I am a primary guardian of, goes an to elementary school, which is predominately Hispanic. Whenever there are assemblies, whoever is speaking will repeat whatever was said in spanish.
A few months ago, she was coming home with worksheets in spanish, and no it wasn't spanish class either
And just last week, at her spelling bee, yep you guessed it, 85% of the words were in spanish!!!
holy ****!!!! I thought this was america?!
I mean, Ive been sitting back, keeping cool, but should I speak up? Or would it be a waste because of the area we live in.
Idk, Im just pissed. When I can even order at my local burger king because the drive thru girl doesnt speak english!!! wtf!?! just frustrates me.

......aaahhh whatever

You should speak up. If you can't speak english fluently in this country your less likely to succeed. People with hispanic accents (or any foreign) are statistically not as well off as those who do not have one. You can't baby a different culture and expect them to live in ours... It's just not going to happen.

[gixxerboy1]

You should speak up. If you can't speak english fluently in this country your less likely to succeed. People with hispanic accents (or any foreign) are statistically not as well off as those who do not have one. You can't baby a different culture and expect them to live in ours... It's just not going to happen.

Where did you get that statistic?

[LawMan018]

Where did you get that statistic?

Haha I knew someone was going to ask that. I personally didn't but my professor at college told me. Now he was unlike any professor I've ever had (this was last semester) he said shit that would get him canned, but he was rich and just wanted to inform students on reality and such. He gave one example of how a student of his (hispanic) had a sister. In their country she decided to take the rigorous course in english whilst her sister took one not so hard and still incorporated a lot of spanish. She was able to speak it fluently with no accent however her sister was not. Her sister is not doing as well as she is doing because of this accent she told him. And I think it's true. I'm sure I can find some statistical evidence but it's pretty evident. And again, this doesn't go for every person with an accent, but take a look at the high school level. The classes they give students with english as a second language pale in comparison to the intensity other courses are taught, and they come out not as educated or driven.

[gixxerboy1]

Haha I knew someone was going to ask that. I personally didn't but my professor at college told me. Now he was unlike any professor I've ever had (this was last semester) he said shit that would get him canned, but he was rich and just wanted to inform students on reality and such. He gave one example of how a student of his (hispanic) had a sister. In their country she decided to take the rigorous course in english whilst her sister took one not so hard and still incorporated a lot of spanish. She was able to speak it fluently with no accent however her sister was not. Her sister is not doing as well as she is doing because of this accent she told him. And I think it's true. I'm sure I can find some statistical evidence but it's pretty evident. And again, this doesn't go for every person with an accent, but take a look at the high school level. The classes they give students with english as a second language pale in comparison to the intensity other courses are taught, and they come out not as educated or driven.

Just for future reference i would take about half of what prof. say as fact. So 2 dif girls took 2 dif clases and 1 isnt doing as well as the other. In what school? The job market? An accent is an accent. You cant learn or unlearn an accent. So i dont see how the class effected that. If one didn't learn the language as well then that could be effecting it. Hell people from different part of the country have accents. So does that mean a person from NY will not do well on the west coast? Or it only effect foriegn accents? and his poor sister because it cant be her fault

[firmechicano831]

That's a good questions you asked bigsexy. It's really up to her and her parents to see if they would like to speak to her teacher or principle. I'm a mexican american and I know both spanish and english. Spanish has really opened the doors for me alot where It had been closed to other people that were more educated then I, but since I could work with more diverse groups I would get the job. Currently I have nieces that know alot of english since that's the primary language here. I always tell my sister to make sure to teach them spanish at home because it's going to be very important for them once they get older.
Ex: one of my sisters just got a job and since she knew spanish she got a $2.00 raise. Now if it was up to me I would let her learn spanish, Imagine how much more educated and powerful she will be with two languages instead of one. But if it bothers you speak up.
Currently I make about 200k a year and the people in my office that speak one language make about 120k. That's because I can communicate with more people and they loose alot of business.

[soccer#3]

Illegal Immigrants, get it right.

Dump that PC nonsense out of the window, English is the official language of the United States.

illegals or legals, they are here. i dont like it more than u do (the illegals).

u get it right, we dont have an official language in this country. thats fact. u wanna talk about pc, im not the person u should complain to.

[PEWN]

Just for future reference i would take about half of what prof. say as fact. So 2 dif girls took 2 dif clases and 1 isnt doing as well as the other. In what school? The job market? An accent is an accent. You cant learn or unlearn an accent. So i dont see how the class effected that. If one didn't learn the language as well then that could be effecting it. Hell people from different part of the country have accents. So does that mean a person from NY will not do well on the west coast? Or it only effect foriegn accents? and his poor sister because it cant be her fault

wow .... you wrote something that i can read for once ... and its a good point.... good for you man ....

[Panzerfaust]

That's all I can do anymore!

[taiboxa]

dont speak up.. you will so get knifed.

[gixxerboy1]

wow .... you wrote something that i can read for once ... and its a good point.... good for you man ....

lol. Thats my one for they year. More to come in '09