School tells teachers to speak English only

Arizona Republic ^ | August 19, 2002 | Maggie Galehouse

[4America]

Teachers at PT Coe Elementary are shocked by Principal Lesa Thomas' request to keep Spanish out of their playground, cafeteria and hallways.

The K-5 school is part of the Isaac Elementary School District, where the student population is 95 percent Hispanic.

[Myrean]

This is super!

They aren't saying the children can't speak Spanish on the playground, only that the teachers must reply in THIS country's native language! This should be the rule across America!

[lawdude]

Damn dem socialists. Immersion is the best and fastest way to teach a language. Especially to children. And english speaking hispanics are far better prepared to go into the American society and be productive CITIZENS. When will they ever learn...when will they ever learn!

[RonF]

Funny thing. Talk to some old-timers in the northern part of the American Midwest, where there were a lot of German and Swedish immigrants. Public schools up there before the turn of the century often taught students using German or Swedish, yet they all seem to have acculturized just fine. Wonder why?

[Minutes]

shocked by Principal Lesa Thomas' request to keep Spanish out of their playground, cafeteria and hallways

Gee, I wonder why that request even has to be made. Last I checked, there was only one official in the US. If parents want their kids to speak some other language... go ahead, teach it to them.... tax dollars should be used to teach in English

[Wurlitzer]

"Public schools up there before the turn of the century often taught students using German or Swedish, yet they all seem to have acculturized just fine. Wonder why?

Because they wanted to be part of the USA not try to bring the USA down to their level. Keep the Spanish language; lose the country to the trash heap of balkanized countries.

[4America]

"They aren't saying the children can't speak Spanish on the playground, only that the teachers must reply in THIS country's native language! This should be the rule across America!"

I agree. Hopefully we can get this type of deal going in California.

[hgro]

Finally, some common sense is being used in trying to assimilate other cultures into American life. Hispanics for some reason think they are exempt from learning English.

[Arkinsaw]

Funny thing. Talk to some old-timers in the northern part of the American Midwest, where there were a lot of German and Swedish immigrants. Public schools up there before the turn of the century often taught students using German or Swedish, yet they all seem to have acculturized just fine. Wonder why?

My family came over from Germany in 1835. They spoke German in the home and lived in a German enclave. When WWI broke out they stopped speaking German and made the kids speak English. Thank goodness they did. English is the common language. We don't need enclaves.

[Let's Roll]

Don't want 'em productive - just dependent.

[Balding_Eagle]

Funny thing. Talk to some old-timers in the northern part of the American Midwest, where there were a lot of German and Swedish immigrants. Public schools up there before the turn of the century often taught students using German or Swedish, yet they all seem to have acculturized just fine. Wonder why?

That would include my family, who came over in the late 1800's, so I can speak with some authority on the subject.

Even my parents spoke the Low German dialect at home when I was a kid, in the 50's. They also spoke Low German almost exclusively to my grandparents, who were in their 70's at the time.

HOWEVER, when it came time to do business in the community, English was always spoken. Why? Because that's how people who wanted to be successful communicated with each other. It was expected. And my parents wanted to be, and were, successful. I know many others in the same community who tried to conduct business in German, and even though it was a primaryly German community, they weren't nearly as successful as my family or others who spoke English. BTW, I can barely understand German anymore.

[Illbay]

...keep Spanish out of their playground, cafeteria and hallways.

Sorry, but this is STILL, for now at least, a free country. You cannot tell someone they can't speak Spanish, I don't care what role they are playing at the time.

This is simply not a proper use of the principal's authority.

[PRND21]

Here's the great news...

The K-5 school is part of the Isaac Elementary School District, where the student population is 95 percent Hispanic...

"While the majority of our kids may speak English...

[steve-b]

We can't praise students in Spanish, either.

So what? Even kids who don't speak any other English should be able to pick up "good" and "bad" -- my cat can manage that much.

[steve-b]

Sorry, but this is STILL, for now at least, a free country. You cannot tell someone they can't speak Spanish, I don't care what role they are playing at the time.

They can speak Klingon, for all I care -- just not while they are conducting official business for their employers.

[RonF]

I got breakfast at McDonald's this morning. I asked the non-Hispanic woman at the counter for an egg-and-sausage Crossanwich with no cheese. She turned and told the kitchen staff what I wanted. "Egg-and-sausage" was in English, "no cheese" was in Spanish. I commented, "Guess your Spanish has improved after taking this job, eh?". She quite enthustically talked about how she's learned Spanish in school and had used it because she was a big fan of Ricky Martin when he was in Menudo, etc. So apparently she didn't learn Spanish just so she could communicate with the help. But I was wondering just how hard it would be for the kitchen staff to learn the English word for "cheese". God knows I wouldn't try to get a job in Mexico and expect my boss to speak English.

[RonF]

"Sorry, but this is STILL, for now at least, a free country. You cannot tell someone they can't speak Spanish, I don't care what role they are playing at the time."

Sure I can. If you work for me and you're on the job I can absolutely tell you what language you can use, especially if you're talking to the public or to a customer.

Now, I'd support teachers speaking any language to a child if it was a safety issue, either telling the kids about a dangerous situation, or trying to get some information about an injury or illness or hazard. But otherwise, I agree that anytime a teacher is talking to a student, it's instructional.

[7thson]

I have to call you on this. My wife's mother came from Germany in the early 1900's and for awhile they lived in the midwest - the family of my wife's mother. My wife's mother told her that they did not speak German in class nor any other language other than English. It was sink or swim. How effective was this? She grew up and became Sports Promotional Director at the United States Naval Academy during the 1970's.

[MacDorcha]

agreeing to the law isnt proper use of a priciples authority? what tree did you fall from?

people, i dont know about you guys, but i get frustrated with people who dont understand english. i dont go to stores or reseraunts if they dont understand my order. teach the kids to be bilingual if anything, but dont allow them to not have a clue whats going on and why "that man" is yelling about being allergic to the spices he asked you not to put in his food!

if the dems want "understanding" between everyone, why dont they advocate a common language? sounds like more bs to me

[MacDorcha]

agreeing to the law isnt proper use of a priciples authority? what tree did you fall from?

people, i dont know about you guys, but i get frustrated with people who dont understand english. i dont go to stores or reseraunts if they dont understand my order. teach the kids to be bilingual if anything, but dont allow them to not have a clue whats going on and why "that man" is yelling about being allergic to the spices he asked you not to put in his food!

if the dems want "understanding" between everyone, why dont they advocate a common language? sounds like more bs to me