Judge tells moms in custody cases to learn English
 

A Wilson County child-court judge has been ordering foreign-born women to learn English for the good of their children — an action that some regard as unconstitutional.

In a case this week, Judge Barry Tatum insisted that an 18-year-old Mexican woman take language classes and consider using birth control.

Tatum said his admonition didn't come out of malice or the urge to Americanize an immigrant. Instead, the judge said he worried that the woman's 2-year-old daughter would miss out on opportunities because of her mother's inability to communicate in English.

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/05/01/64800164.shtml

I know I'm going to come off sounding like a racist here but you need to know that I am an immigrant. When my family came to this country 30 years ago, I did not know how to speak a word of English. My parents encouraged us to speak only English at home so that we would be comfortable communicating with anyone. I'm really against a lot of the bilingual programs we have. There's no incentive to learn the language.

This is America, the language is English. If you love the country enough to want to live here, raise a family and seek a better life........respect the fact that English is the only language, not just the MAIN or first language.

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants have settled here in the past decades, even centuries and they had a much tougher time than anyone could imagine. They learned the language and it was English.

Settling here and learning the language does not mean that the person has to give up their own culture or their langauge.

My mom is a German immigrant who barely spoke English when she arrived. She is more than willing to share her point of view on the modern notion that new immigrants should not be made to learn English. She will readily tell anyone willing to listen that there are simply doors that will never open for those who choose not to learn. Right or wrong, that is just the way it is. We do these good folks a disservice by not insisting. She never gave up her German heritage, and us kids did grow up speaking German with her around the house (drove my Irish dad nuts; he never did learn German). Out in public it was English all the way.

One of the problems here is that there are many people who aren't all that concerned that some doors will never be opened for them. I mean, as long as people on the "inside" are handing "free stuff" such as tax-payer sponsored medical care out the walk-up windows, these people have no reason to have the doors opened.

Just my opinion, YMMV.

Randy

I think it's one thing for companies to cater to Spanish, Russian, etc markets, and quite another for the government to do so. I think this is an extension of the 'politically correct' movement and it's attendant entitlement mentalities; one of the areas where my liberal bretheren and myself part ways.

If I were to pack up and move to Elbonia, I sure as hell wouldn't expect the Elbonian governemnt to provide English-language materials and services - I would learn the Elbonian language as fast as I could.

Easy for you to say Thom. You obviously have the resources available to you to learn Elbonian. What about the poor unwed mother who, by no fault of her own, finds herself in an Elbonian shelter? All she wanted was the unlimited opportunities she had heard that ALL Elbonians were entitled to.
And a rocket launcher.

Shame on you.

funny story: my parents spoke chinese to us all the time. they still do. in first grade, i didnt understand a friggen english word. the teacher thought i was "special" and called my mom in for a conference. teach, offered to put me in special ed! my mom told me, that i had better learn english fast. i did. i was so close to riding in the short yellow bus.

it doesnt bother me a damn bit if someone doesnt know or cant speak english. it is their shortcomings, not mine. i like the flavor it adds to life here in the bay area. i can go from neighborhood to neighborhood and hear different lanquages spoken and eat all types of food. love it. i know lots of people that massacre the english lanquage with borderline skills, and they own million dollar homes. my friends mom, cant speak a lick of english, and she owns two homes! speaking the lanquage or not, doesnt mean you are lazy. not in all cases.

The instructions for the rocket launcher would be in English, or possibly Russian. She's assed out either way.

She can get a job in an Elbonian restaraunt (or massage parlor) to bring in some griffles (slang for the Elbonian currency, the Yakdung) where she can learn English while she goes along.

:D :D :D

I don't think anyone would disagree that learning English is a good idea!

From the article:

I hjave no idea how your immigration requirements work, but we have at least some degree of English testing.