Suspended for speaking Spanish in the hallway at school?

[Rocky]

"Preferably in Spanish... "

haha

[Texmaster]

Originally posted by: lightprocess

If anything, being multi-lingual is where we should be heading.

And who decides the languages?

Why is Spanish the acception?   What about Chinese?  German?  French?   where does it end?

[Texmaster]

Originally posted by: Rocky

I am from a border state. And we have a school here K-12 that is strictly Spanish.



And limited learning of new things because the teachers are to old or to underqualified to learn it, isnt helping anything.

HAHAHHAHAHA   You're in Minnisota and before that DC from your own postings! LOL

Canada starting to speak Spanish Rocky?  LOL

[Reflex]

I'd say that necessity decides the languages.  Here in WA state, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese are all becoming quite common, and schools offer programs to learn them.  There is little point to learning German, its not a common language outside of Germany and their schools teach English alongside it.  French however is very valuable if you intend to deal with anyone in Africa or southeast Asia, its a top 5 language last I heard.

Most common languages currently would be(in no particular order) Spanish, English, French, Mandarin Chinese(followed closely by Cantonese).  I'd say any child would do well to pick up at least one of those in addition to their native language.  Depending on your region and goals would determine which is most important to you.

[Rocky]

Im not in MInnesota, but good try.  Where I live actually does have a big speaking spanish population. As I said, we have a schooling system thats completely spanish speaking from K-12.  But you ignore that and try to make up something else.  Nice try.

[Texmaster]

Originally posted by: Rocky

Im not in MInnesota, but good try.  Where I live actually does have a big speaking spanish population. As I said, we have a schooling system thats completely spanish speaking from K-12.  But you ignore that and try to make up something else.  Nice try.

Really!   From your profile.

First Name: Rocky
 

Username: Rocky
 
City: Minneapolis
 
Province/State: Minnesota
 
Country:  U.S.Minor Outlying Islands
Website: http://www.Sudhian.com

Now isn't that interesting! LOL

So are you lying here or in your profile?

[Texmaster]

Originally posted by: Reflex

I'd say that necessity decides the languages.  Here in WA state, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese are all becoming quite common, and schools offer programs to learn them.  There is little point to learning German, its not a common language outside of Germany and their schools teach English alongside it.  French however is very valuable if you intend to deal with anyone in Africa or southeast Asia, its a top 5 language last I heard.



Most common languages currently would be(in no particular order) Spanish, English, French, Mandarin Chinese(followed closely by Cantonese).  I'd say any child would do well to pick up at least one of those in addition to their native language.  Depending on your region and goals would determine which is most important to you.

You are making my point for me.

There are plenty of languages around that exist in different parts of the country however, we all speak english as a common language for the most part.

German is very big in Milwaukee FYI with a heavy German population.  

The point is Spanish deserves no special status to be on the same level as English in this country.   It is a second language just like the ones you mentioned earlier like Chinese, French and others.

[Reflex]

Why do you think English deserves 'special status' or is on a level above others?  Because you speak it?  For many people(estimates are as high as 40%, and higher in some areas) its actually their secondary language, not thier primary.  Here in Seattle you see it all the time, and there are entire communities that do not even speak English at all(International District in Seattle for instance).  In California the Chinese and Mexican immigrants and natives make English just one of a hodge podge of languages, and from what I saw at the airport(not a representative sample I know) in Fort Worth last month, its not much different in Texas.

I think the better question is: What makes English deserve any sort of special status above Spanish, French, Chinese and other more globally common languages?  Sure most people in the US can speak it, however a growing number speak it as a secondary language and we have no 'official' tongue.  Given current trends, its entirely possible that in the next century or two Spanish becomes the most common language in this nation.

I see no reason to favor any language over any other in this country.

[Intuit]

Originally posted by: fall-apart

Originally posted by: Rocky
Thats ridiculous. Teachers are like most professions, they try to use their power to make up for the deficiencies.

Thanks, Rocky...

Anyway, since I'm a foreign-language teacher, this seems especially ludicrous...  teacher needs to be slapped upside the head for sending the kid to the principal (and failing to learn at least some rudimentary Spanish, if kids in that school routinely speak it), and the principal should've known better than to send a kid home for something as minor as that.  I can see if the kid was swearing at the teacher in another language, but chatting with friends? Come on...

Everyone... well, almost everyone seems to be on the same page with this one.  This just sounds so rediculous that there must be another side to this.  I mean, was the kid cursing the teacher out in a foreign language or what ?

I've often been on the observing side of this and on a few occassions, the recieving side of this type of situation.  The class refuses to be 100% quiet for more than five minutes at a time.  (kids being kids) The teacher gets highly irritated with having to take repeated actions to quiet the classroom.  A child commits a very minor infraction such as talking out-of-turn.  Teacher targets the surprised child and blows the entire situation way out of proportion... I mean she just "goes off" like a bomb.  She accompanies kid to office.  Presumably she vents to the Principal who listens with every intention of helping.  The Principal attuned to the emotion in the frustrated instructor's voice, basically thinks something HORRIBLE just happened.   The kid, already frustrated by the experience of being singled-out and disproportionately punished, receives unwarranted disrespect from the Principal and pops-off at the Principal.  Kid gets suspended.  As a kid in a classroom environment, I was usually pretty quiet so on that rare occassion when I was singled-out this way, I felt as though I had every right to fire back when disrespected... wasn't a repeat or habitual offender, so why should I have to take this?

But anyway, teachers are human too... so there must be another side to this story.

[Texmaster]

Originally posted by: Reflex

Why do you think English deserves 'special status' or is on a level above others?  Because you speak it?  For many people(estimates are as high as 40%, and higher in some areas) its actually their secondary language, not thier primary.  Here in Seattle you see it all the time, and there are entire communities that do not even speak English at all(International District in Seattle for instance).  In California the Chinese and Mexican immigrants and natives make English just one of a hodge podge of languages, and from what I saw at the airport(not a representative sample I know) in Fort Worth last month, its not much different in Texas.

Which areas would that be where is it 40%?   And where are you facts to back that up?

Or am I using another "strawman" arguement when I ask you to back up your own BS?

To pretend that this country wasn't founded in the language of English is to ignore every single docuement written to found it.

I think the better question is: What makes English deserve any sort of special status above Spanish, French, Chinese and other more globally common languages?  Sure most people in the US can speak it, however a growing number speak it as a secondary language and we have no 'official' tongue.  Given current trends, its entirely possible that in the next century or two Spanish becomes the most common language in this nation.

Once again, read the language used in every single docuement that founded this country and every law that came after its founding.

To ignore the English language is the main language of the country makes you look extremly foolish.

I see no reason to favor any language over any other in this country.

Then you would have to ignore all laws written in this country and the language in which it was founded.

How someone can do this really is the hight of ignorance.

[Intuit]

Having an "official" language for Government documents and *forcing* people to speak this language on their own time are two different things.

The kid has the right to speak whatever language he wishes, whenever he wishes.  Of course, when he chooses to speak Spanish to a Government worker who doesn't know it, much progress and service is not to be expected.  He should NEVER be punished or evicted simply for speaking a foreign language however.  Many local Governments will provide Spanish translators as apart of many of their services such as inside Motorvehicle Bureaus and Courtrooms; as well as providing translated documents.  This is a great service to the community (which IS the Government's job) and should be continued.

As a business or government, you absolutely cannot deny a person access to the service, simply for communicating in a foreign language.   You don't have to cater to that language, whatever it is... even english... but you cannot deny that individual physical access simply based on what language he/she chooses to employ.

EDIT: If tomorrow, most people began speaking Arabic, it would be the Governments' job to then make the necessary adjustments to cater to that language.  Why ?  Because the government could then no longer perform it's duty of "serving the people" to the best of it's ability, if it never made the change.

[Rocky]

Tex, Sorry I dont update my profiled everytime my life changes.  And Im glad you see that you dont apologize when you are wrong either.

[Reflex]

Texmaster - Yes, the founding fathers spoke English and French(most spoke both).  The communities I mention are mostly in border areas as well as some large areas like San Diego.  Remember, just because someone can speak English does not mean its thier primary language, only that they can speak it.

At the founding of this nation having a national language was discussed.  The language that was considered strongly was German as we had more German speakers than any other.  As long as your looking for historical precedence, then perhaps we should all speak German since apparantly that was the only language considered acceptable to the founding fathers for consideration as our national language.  However they decided NOT to put a national language in intentionally, feeling that it interfered with the principles of the Bill of Rights.  Thus we do not have one.  Since we are going with the traditional interpretation, we should continue with the traditional decision, correct?

What you have yet to do however is provide any reason why English should be favored above any other language.  Just because some documents are written in it(some are written in French as well, btw) does not negate the fact that in the end the founding fathers chose not to have a national tongue.   Show me why we should disregard their decision in this day and age.

[Babar]

Don't forget that many Fathers also knew Latin.

[Timster]

Tex, migrant workers drive all the way up here into Michigan to pick fruit and grapes, and some work year long.  One of my cousins from New York brought his girlfriend out with him.  She's of Cuban descent, and was amazed how much Spanish she heard when going to a supermarket or other public place.  She's asking me, "these people, they're all Mexican?"  I replied yeah, and there's some Guatemalans thrown in there too.  She then asked me, "aren't they a little bit far from Mexico?"  Apparently not.