Spanish at school translates to suspension

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I have no idea where to come down on this, but found it very interesting. I mean, what if you were practicing before going into Spanish Class. or German...

KS seems whacked if nothing else.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10372148/

control-C, control-P


Spanish at school translates to suspension
Controversy caused by Kansas City incident reflects national debate
By T.R. Reid
The Washington Post
Updated: 12:31 p.m. ET Dec. 9, 2005

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Most of the time, 16-year-old Zach Rubio converses in clear, unaccented American teen-speak, a form of English in which the three most common words are "like," "whatever" and "totally." But Zach is also fluent in his dad's native language, Spanish -- and that's what got him suspended from school.

"It was, like, totally not in the classroom," the high school junior said, recalling the infraction. "We were in the, like, hall or whatever, on restroom break. This kid I know, he's like, 'Me prestas un dolar?' ['Will you lend me a dollar?'] Well, he asked in Spanish; it just seemed natural to answer that way. So I'm like, 'No problema.' "

But that conversation turned out to be a big problem for the staff at the Endeavor Alternative School, a small public high school in an ethnically mixed blue-collar neighborhood. A teacher who overheard the two boys sent Zach to the office, where Principal Jennifer Watts ordered him to call his father and leave the school.

Watts, whom students describe as a disciplinarian, said she can't discuss the case. But in a written "discipline referral" explaining her decision to suspend Zach for 1 1/2 days, she noted: "This is not the first time we have [asked] Zach and others to not speak Spanish at school."

Since then, the suspension of Zach Rubio has become the talk of the town in both English and Spanish newspapers and radio shows. The school district has officially rescinded his punishment and said that speaking a foreign language is not grounds for suspension. Meanwhile, the Rubio family has retained a lawyer, who says a civil rights lawsuit may be in the offing.

National debate
The tension here surrounding that brief exchange in a high school hall reflects a broader national debate over the language Americans should speak amid a wave of Hispanic immigration.

The National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group, says that 20 percent of the U.S. school-age population is Latino. For half of those Latino students, the native language is Spanish.

Conflicts are bursting out nationwide over bilingual education, "English-only" laws, Spanish-language publications and advertising, and other linguistic collisions. Language concerns have been a key aspect of the growing political movement to reduce immigration.

"There's a lot of backlash against the increasing Hispanic population," said D.C. school board member Victor A. Reinoso. "We've seen some of it in the D.C. schools. You see it in some cities, where people complain that their tax money shouldn't be used to print public notices in Spanish. And there have been cases where schools want to ban foreign languages."

Some advocates of an English-only policy in U.S. schools say that it is particularly important for students from immigrant families to use the nation's dominant language.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) made that point this summer when he vetoed a bill authorizing various academic subjects to be tested in Spanish in the state's public schools. "As an immigrant," the Austrian-born governor said, "I know the importance of mastering English as quickly and as comprehensively as possible."

Hispanic groups generally agree with that, but they emphasize the value of a multilingual citizenry. "A fully bilingual young man like Zach Rubio should be considered an asset to the community," said Janet Murguia, national president of La Raza.

Broad influence
The influx of immigrants has reached every corner of the country -- even here in Kansas City, which is about as far as a U.S. town can be from a border. Along Southwest Boulevard, a main street through some of the older neighborhoods, there are blocks where almost every shop and restaurant has signs written in Spanish.

"Most people, they don't care where you're from," said Zach's father, Lorenzo Rubio, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, who has lived in Kansas City for a quarter-century. "But sometimes, when they hear my accent, I get this, sort of, 'Why don't you go back home?' "

Rubio, a U.S. citizen, credits U.S. immigration law for his decision to fight his son's suspension.

"You can't just walk in and become a citizen," he said. "They make you take this government test. I studied for that test, and I learned that in America, they can't punish you unless you violate a written policy."

Rubio said he remembered that lesson on Nov. 28, when he received a call from Endeavor Alternative saying his son had been suspended.

"So I went to the principal and said, 'My son, he's not suspended for fighting, right? He's not suspended for disrespecting anyone. He's suspended for speaking Spanish in the hall?' So I asked her to show me the written policy about that. But they didn't have" one.

Rubio then called the superintendent of the Turner Unified School District, which operates the school. The district immediately rescinded Zach's suspension, local media reported. The superintendent did not respond to several requests to comment for this article.

Since then, the issue of speaking Spanish in the hall has not been raised at the school, Zach said. "I know it would be, like, disruptive if I answered in Spanish in the classroom. I totally don't do that. But outside of class now, the teachers are like, 'Whatever.' "

For Zach's father, and for the Hispanic organizations that have expressed concern, the suspension is not a closed case. "Obviously they've violated his civil rights," said Chuck Chionuma, a lawyer in Kansas City, Mo., who is representing the Rubio family. "We're studying what form of legal redress will correct the situation."

Said Rubio: "I'm mainly doing this for other Mexican families, where the legal status is kind of shaky and they are afraid to speak up. Punished for speaking Spanish? Somebody has to stand up and say: This is wrong."

[gaijindabe]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa

......incident reflects national debate.....

The Washington Post
Updated: 12:31 p.m. ET Dec. 9, 2005

This reflects nothing more than another reason why 99% of us were so glad to get out of public school and dont look back on the experience with much fondness. Idiots were running the schools back then and apparently many still are..

[Moses]

Originally posted by gaijindabe
Idiots were running the schools back then and apparently many still are..

No kidding. Wonder if he would get suspended for speaking french...hell, they might expel him if he spoke latin. Morons.

[EdT82SC]

And whatever you do, please don't express an opinion unless it is the same as your teacher's.

[Joeaksa]

This is sad to see. Most Americans, English and French seem to think that theirs is the only language in the world and refuse to learn another.

Every kid in the country should know at least two languages and practice them. This principal needs to have an "attitude adjustment" by losing her job for a month or two and going to a language school of her choice, and she foots the bill...

JoeA

[Flatbutt1]

but what if the kid was discussing intelligent design in spanish? what then huh? would that have been cool?

[Moses]

Originally posted by EdT82SC
And whatever you do, please don't express an opinion unless it is the same as your teacher's.

I've already taught my 15 year old son that lesson. He was recently asked to write a critical book review about a book that the teacher once said was so profound that it "changed her life" and motivated her to become a teacher.

I asked my son how he liked the book. His sarcastic reply? "Dad, I was moved to tears and I want to be a teacher."... Good boy.

[Jims5543]

That would never fly in Miami. LOL!!!

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Unless maybe he said "Feliz Navidad."

I think I met him is he from Cuba?

[Tobra]

Interesting they chose La Raza, a group that advocates violent removal of all non-hispanics from western and southwestern US.

Yet another case of a pubic employee being stupid and costing a mint in legal costs.

[Deschodt]

>This is sad to see. Most Americans, English and French seem to think that theirs is the only language in the world and refuse to learn another

Not true... I know for a fact that "the French" require 2 foreign languages be taught at school. Most high school grads leave with at least 7 years of english (or german) and 6 years of spanish (or english or german) as second language, plus 3 years of latin or greek... That's just high school.

Whether they wish to use it with visiting murkin tourists is a whole 'nother issue, but I've found that things have change a bunch in that respect and it might be time to re-examine stereotypes ;-)

[jorian]

Quebec has all sorts of oppressive language laws in a vain effort to remain distinct. They actually have a "Language Police."

[Moses]

Originally posted by Tobra
Interesting they chose La Raza, a group that advocates violent removal of all non-hispanics from western and southwestern US.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe La Raza is going mainstream.

[Deschodt]

Quebec is a whole differnt story. They are trying to keep their language alive while surrounded by english. If tables were turned to that extent most americans would do the same, and try to ban spanish in the country... ooh wait, that's what that thread was about ;-)

[masraum]

This world is Fuched up.

[FrayAdjacent911]

That's totally, like, not fair or whatever.