Teacher Under Fire For Telling Student to Speak English

[Unkotare]

If I moved to Japan, China, France, Germany or any other country, would I lecture the population there for not knowing my Mother tongue? .....

In all those countries you would find a great many people who DO speak your mother tongue.

 

[Unkotare]

.....The only difficult scenarios are the older citizens for which learning a new language is very difficult.

Older people can learn languages as well.

 

[toobfreak]

English is, and will remain, the dominant language in the US, but the First Amendment will also remain in effect.

The 1A has nothing to do with delineating English or any other language, it has to do with the government not censoring/restricting freedom of thought, expression and communication, but that doesn't mean anything goes in standardized speaking and communication neither. What would happen if kids started showing up for school wanting to speak Klingon? Or Breton? Tibetan or Belarusian?

It is one thing to speak a native foreign language or learn others where appropriate, but quite a different thing trying to force teachers and schools to cope with multiple languages all at the same time in a haphazard way all in the same class. That is Chaos.

Much like a computer trying to work in hex, octal, binary and denary all at the same time.

 

[Unkotare]

... What I wonder is how does a school admit a student who can't even speak the native tongue? ....

A public school CAN'T turn a student away.

 

[Unkotare]

..... I mean, what if she spoke Swahili? How does that work for the teacher and the rest of the class?
.....

The teacher would teach that student as well.

 

[Unkotare]

...

Seems to me that if nothing else, the student should have to attend a class to learn basic English first---- ...

In most schools, the student would attend regular subject-area classes as well as at least one dedicated ESL class during the class day.

 

[Unkotare]

....

HOW DOES A PERSON GET THIS FAR INTO OUR SYSTEM without even the basic skill to speak the native language?

Learning a language is not an "on/off" switch. It is a process.

 

[Unkotare]

Worse form to put a Spanish-only speaking foreigner in a classroom with an English-speaking teacher and classroom and not even tell or prepare them or her. ...

The teacher knew ahead of time, of course. The teacher was almost certainly SEI certified by now as well.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

It really isn't difficult. It is very easy for non English speakers to look you right in the eye and refuse to even learn English. They aren't even embarrassed. Tell them, "I don't speak Spanish. I don't understand you." Quite often I tell people that and they only have a slight accent.

 

[toobfreak]

We have been functioning as a nation of many languages for centuries.

Every country functions as a country of many languages, but they still agree to one as their dominant, primary or standard language and America is the most English-speaking nation in the world.

 

[toobfreak]

Learn Spanish...

I took Spanish and German in school. I even know some sign language.

the rest of the continent speaks Spanish or Portuguese.

Don't know what that means or where you are going but I don't care what the REST of the continent does, America is a leader, not a follower.

 

[Unkotare]

Then this was a good teacher: she rightly told the girl to get off her ass and lean the native english [sic]...

Yeah, 'cause that's how it works. Insistence just magically imparts fluency.

 

[toobfreak]

A public school CAN'T turn a student away.

Then they need to prepare them so they can function within their system. Not drop them on teacher's heads and say SURPRISE! Now you have a kid to teach that doesn't understand you! Only a government-run bureaucratic mess like the PS system would pull a bonehead maneuver like this.

 

[Unkotare]

...While you will usually find some that speak other languages, people in America usually only know English ...

More and more Americans are at least bilingual. More and more jobs look for it as a valuable skill.

 

[ActionJackson]

The teacher might have been a little bit harsh with their actions, but actually I agree with them. If you live in an English speaking country, you should be at least speaking English when you're out in public. What you do on your own time is completely up to you though.

Edit: In another article the teacher told the student to leave the classroom as that's the only reason why I said they might have been a bit too harsh.

Virginia teacher suspended for forbidding Spanish in class

A middle school teacher in Virginia has been suspended after being captured on video telling a Hispanic student she was only allowed to speak English in class.

www.google.com

When I was growing up ... almost all of my teachers had a tough side. Most were "no nonsense" which is the way it should be. A teacher does his/her students NO favors if he doesn't push them to learn the language of their host nation. English is the official language of the United States of America, and anyone who comes here (legally or illegally) should learn the language. If they're going to enjoy the benefits and government freebies ... the least they can do is speak the language.

 

[Unkotare]

I honestly cannot believe that there are so many people against the teacher for simply telling a student that this is an English speaking country, she does not speak Spanish, so therefore everybody has to speak English in her classroom. It's got me baffled for sure.

Screaming in someone's face "Speak English!" does not magically make them able to do so to the satisfaction of an ignorant, impatient douche.

 

[toobfreak]

More and more Americans are at least bilingual. More and more jobs look for it as a valuable skill.

True but irrelevant. In any system whether it be a computer, a company or an educational classroom, everyone must agree to a certain standard set of terms and meanings for there to be efficient operation.

The problem with government is that they perennially do everything backwards always trying to force reality to fit their ideals rather than adopting ideals which fit reality!

 

[Unkotare]

Would you say exactly the same thing about France and Mexico?

I would have to check their laws to see if they do in fact have an official language. We do not.

 

[Unkotare]

The 1A has nothing to do with delineating English or any other language, it has to do with the government not censoring/restricting freedom of thought, expression and communication, but that doesn't mean anything goes in standardized speaking and communication neither. ....

Aside from threats and instigating panic, yes it does.

 

[Unkotare]

.... English is the official language of the United States of America, .....

No, it's not.