am i a racist for not wanted my kids to learn Spanish(read detail before answering)?
We live in a large Hispanic populated state and we are told my kids have to learn Spanish, yet this is America and we speak English, we were born English/ German/ Indian/ Hungarian/ basically. I am a Heinz 57 (which means many nationalities) honestly none in Spanish. We teach our kids sign language because of family and German because I lived there at one time and have German aunt. But we are told we have to teach them Spanish. We are also followers of Christ and teach them Hebrew, yet none of what we teach them is considered a 2nd language that can be used in the work place. Where is that right either. i shouldn't have to learn Spanish either just to understand what my children are learning in school and speaking with their Spanish- English speaking friends in my presents, where is that fair for the parents either. When I lived in Germany in the military we had to learn German. Why should we as Americans have to learn Spanish to live in our own state?
That word bilingual, my kids speak other languages. To the state being bilingual is Spanish-and English. But they speak Hebrew and German too, but that’s not bilingual by the states definition. I called that being selective to what they claim as bilingual. I call that racist to only claim Spanish as the only bilingual language for a job. Where is that fair either. I have Spanish friends who agree with me. I also have an Italian friend who was forced to learn English to even get any help from the state, so why should that be any different from the Spanish issue. Schools don’t offer as many language classes as they used too. My brother, a teacher doesn't think its fair to only have limited language classes to offer. My oldest speaks and understands some Spanish by choice, but I have a younger child who is mentally handicap where communication is a hard thing to do. She is also the reason we had to learn sign language. Spanish makes it harder on her own mind.
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Filed under: Spanish Lessons
Spanish is one of the most popular languages used in this country, alongside English (as the first) and A.S.L. The U.S. doesn’t have an ‘official language’, although some states do as their official language of the state. The U.S. Census predicts that by the year 2050, people of hispanic origin will become a majority in this country. Anyways, it is just a good idea to learn another language that is rapidly growing and popular in your region, so you will understand many of those who don’t know how to speak English and vice-versa. People who speak just Spanish, should also learn English, so this point also applies to them as well. Everyone should become or at least attempt at being bilingual, especially in the most popular languages of their region.
Taking a foreign language is currently a requirement in publichigh schools, I wouldn’t say your a racist… don’t they give you any other choices? My school has Spanish, French, Italian, Latin and a bunch of others… However I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want them to take spanish as it is the most useful in this day and age…
no i dont think you are a racist. i think its a shame that we dont have a national language.
I am not racist… I don’t want my kids learning it… before they learn that.. they better learn German and Cherokee because that is their ancestory.. they are not hispanic. My kids will be yanked out of any school that forces them to learn spanish.
On that note.. IF my kids want to learn it.. they are free to do so.
If you are in America, they do not need to tell you to learn Spanish, they need to learn English.
Don’t you think that your kids might find it handy? And why would you need to understand them? iT’s not like a Spanish class would make them speak Spanish as a first language in the home. Learning is a good thing.
well, i don’t think u are but it is always got to at least have a second language because u never know when u might need it especially since u live where u do
you shouldn’t ‘have’ to learn any language unless you want to.
i live in canada and if you live in ontario/quebec and you don’t speak french…you’re toast!
but if you want to make it further in your residing area, and spanish is the only way…then ya gotta learn it!
i learned french, didn’t want to, but had to…and it’s not bad learning languages, it’s a great thing to be knowledgable!
you should not have to learn anything you don’t want to and in fact i would tell my children’s school not no but hell no they can teach them any other language but that’s me
I agree. If anyone that speaks a different language comes to america, why should we be the ones learning their language? they should at least learn our language. I mean, how many spanish people have to learn english IN THEIR COUNTRY? They should seriously just learn. Of course you’re not racist!
No, you are not racist, just uncomfortable with others changing your enviorment, which is perfectly warranted.
And to the last part of your question, we shouldn’t, but it fits our image of welcoming everyone with open arms.
Why should you *have* to do anything? I’m sorry but I feel that we have a problem when the government tells us what we have to do because it’s good for us. I can see the benefits of knowing more than one language, but if Spanish is so important, why doesn’t the government force us to learn it and use it all of our lives. Most adults I know took Spanish when they were young and never used it. They just wasted time and effort. So, no, I don’t think your racist.
While being multi-lingual is great, I agree with you! This is the USA and here the national language is English. I do not feel that we should be forced to learn a language just to accommodate those that are living here and choose not to learn our language. We should have the right to decide what alternate languages, if any, we wish to learn…not to have one forced down our throats.
Ok. But the Spanish kids speak Spanish, English and probably another language. If you start learning foreign languanges now you will be in demand when you are an adult and will be considered 1st for jobs.
Don’t hold your kids back!! It is even silly to think about not letting them learn Spanish.
I understand where you are coming from but times are changing. More and more hispanics are coming into the US. And you know what? I honestly have to give Hispanics and Asians props because they came to the US and they learned English..if even a little bit. I agree with you that this is the US and we speak English, and I agree that if Hispanics are going to live here they should learn English. But, I think that we should learn at least basic Spanish to help them. How else are they gonna learn English if we can’t help them? And how can we help them if we don’t know even a little bit of Spanish? I think some Americans are really closed-minded when it comes to other nationalities. I’m not saying you guys should be fluent in Spanish, but it would be helpful to know at least the basics. The prejudice needs to stop.
I fully understand you. My home has english, french and arabic. My husband is fluent in spanish and my children and I know some, but I do not treasure the spanish language, nor do I intend to keep my kids in the US for long, so I do not want to bother with a language that I quite frankly have no need for. I would rather work on our french than spanish. Oh, and not to mention that not many Americans move to Mexico to make alot of cash. I teach according to OUR needs, not the needs of imagrints.
Yes, we have been abroad, yes we will be in Europoe and Africa in the next 6 months, No, I will NEVER take my children to Mexico. (God willing)
It is not racism, it is practicality.
Well you have to adapt to your environment. If you need to learn Spanish, learn. Quit complaining. Life isn’t always fair. How is it fair that a cancer patient needs chemo to survive or a diabetic needs insulin? If all you have to do is learn something new, consider yourself lucky. Learning another language is stimulating and beneficial in a number of ways. "Fairness" is never a convincing argument for anything. Life isn’t always fair. They teach that in preschool for Christ’s sake.
No you are not a racist….anyone who says you are, are full of it!! If you are teaching them German AND Hebrew that is plenty and for the school to tell you otherwise is ridiculous. Learning a second language is a choice should not be forced and their school should have other selections NOT just Spanish.
for
~RYAN~ adapt to your environment!?!? She is living in an ENGLISH speaking country, the immigrants that come here should be the ones to learn the language NOT the other way around….geez get some common sense.
You don’t have to learn Spanish or any other language.I’m Hispanic but don’t force anyone to speak the lingo.So please relax and enjoy this great nation of ours.
You are not racist for thinking that. My child learns spanish because she wants to and my dad can speak it. She also learns the other languages he knows as do my nieces and nephews. However, it is not shoved down their throats to assimilate or learn those languages. That is ridiculous. I would complain.
No, you are not a racist. As for people on here that answered ‘well it could do them good because that’s what a lot of people nowdays speak’ is bullcrap! Do you see immigrants from other countries coming over here demanding that we speak their language, or put their language on our products? It’s ridiculous and I will continue petitioning Washington about this!
No you are not a racist. This is America and we speak English. Period.
If you were in Mexico, would you expect them to know fluent Engish? I bet nobody would ask them if they were racist because they don’t know English over there.
Spanish is the language of bull fighters and drug dealers.
There is no academic reason for learning Spanish.
French is the language of diplomacy and finance.
Latin is still the language of law and medicine
German and Russian are good languages for engineering.
Greek is the language of biblical scholars.
I guess spanish would be helpful if you
plan to only eat fast food,
or supervise coolie labor,
or work with spanish speakers.
English has replaced French in almost every venue
except romance.
In every Asian country –
ENGLISH is what they learn after their native language.
Learning Spanish in China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and on and on just doesn’t happen.
English is the language of International Business and Aviation.
English is used in nearly every International Business transaction
to negotiate the deal.
International flight crews speak English
because the control towers are operated in ENGLISH.
Any butthole Mexican who comes to the U.S.
and doesn’t learn English
is just being an @$$.
When you say you "have to teach them Spanish" I assume you meanit is required in their schools. With a large Hispanic population this makes a great deal of sense, and it’s puzzling why, when you seem open to teaching others languages, you would object so much to Spanish.
You may be answering your own question, since having knowledge of Spanish where you live would be an advantage to your family. You might want to think about what your own real reasons are.
You, of course, don’t have to learn Spanish. There is no law that a parent must speak every language their children speak. One of mine speaks Russian, French, Portuguese and Polish, and signs some. I speak Spanish and sign pretty well, but don’t speak the other languages my child does. I also know some Hebrew and Greek which the child does not. The other child speaks Spanish and a little French and also signs.
To me, having another language offered to children should be a reason to celebrate, not an imposition.
I say force em to learn Japanese out of spite.
No you are not racist and 2 they cannot make your kids learn Spanish!
It is cool you have taught them German.Thast is a secong language.
I do think it will hinder them down the road if they don’t learn it because of the foreigners they will be forced to work with.
I also know they are now offering Japanese because of all the business we do with them. that is a good idea.
I am sick and tired of them expecting us to conform to them.If they want to do business in USA learn English or stay away!
The US has no official language, so we do not just speak english because it is America. Not wanting your children to speak Spanish is not racist, but the reasoning behind it has many "white power" traces. They don’t have to learn Spanish, it would be great for them in the long run because most employers will pay more but it is great that they have learned German and Hebrew. Those are extremely difficult languages to master. Why not have them learn Spanish too? In most other countries people that are multiligual are highly regarded. It should be that way in this country too. A large percentage of the population in the US are immigrants from Spanish speaking countries, and the US has a commenwealth (Puerto Rico) that is Spanish-speaking. No one is forcing you to do anything but you have to realize that it would be a great asset.
Your children could always learn Japanese if you are worried about them in the business world…
No. I live in a city where it is largely hispanic also. I would like to learn it as a second language because I am in the healthcare
field, however I don’t feel there is a need for my children to learn it.
If they decide to later on in life that is fine. I also am from a german,
polish,norweigen, and sweedish backround . My immediate family
came over here from those countries. (grandparents) Once they
arrived they learned English and no longer taught us their native
tongues because English is the Language of the United States.
I don’t know why all of a sudden people think that it should now
be spanish? We never made any exceptions before. When we
go to other countries we learn to speak their language. Not spanish. It doesn’t make any sense. It is all so political I think.
I think that Mexicans are not educated enough before they come
here so it is hard for them to learn english and that some people
would rather get their vote because there are so many of them
here now than push them to learn English like everyone else.
I hate politics!
It is good to know spanish, there are many spanish speaking people that can not speak english, how would you or your family communicate with them if you needed to? Spanish is a fun language to learn anyway!
I don’t think you are racist. I refuse for my kids to learn Spanish too. This is America and I will NEVER convert for a Mexican, and my kids shouldn’t have to neither. I am sick of having to bend over backwards for the Mexicans when 90% of them shouldn’t even be here.
I’m Mexican and I do not think your a racist, I,m marry to a White girl have 6 kids no own speak Spanish i was more worry to l;earn English that to teach my kids Spanish after all we live in the USA English is the official language and everybody who lives here needs to lean English if you go to Mexico they don’t give shi…..if you speak English or not if you do not speak Spanish you are out of luck
Ask your children , if they want to learn. Knowing Spanish is very helpful these days.
I think you should get a good lawyer and sue the school district.
I mean it…when the money starts flowing the other way, things will change.
Our schools have spiraled down in what they teach our children. Because of the ridiculous "No child left behind" program, teachers are teaching a class at the lowest level. Children who want to learn are being overlooked while teachers are having to teach Spanish as well as the curriculum.
This is the dumbing down of America. This is a prime example of pandering….pandering to illegals and the elected officials who support them in hopes of bagging their votes..that they cast…using drivers licences…gotten by stolen SS#.
In Utah, Illegals are handed drivers licenses and while there have the opportunity to register to vote!
well ur not them,ur kids can learn what they want.do ur kids want to learn spanish?and if its for school,and learning a second language,and theyll know whats going on if u live in a hispanic environment.and if ur german or whatever who cares,i dont see no german anywhere, sorry to my german/german speaking freiend…but shes also half mexican and knows BOTH languages.and if dont like ur kids speaking spanish then homeschool them.im not saying ur a racist.just a little prejudice.
I understand your argument. But instead of worrying if your a racist you should fair for your kids future. Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in this country. Many places will only hire you if your bilingual, and many high schools require taking a foreign language. BUT no one should ever force your kids to take a specific language!
i wouldnt kal u racist because u dont want them learning spanish. i also do think in that case itd b unfair to make hispanic people learn english to live in their state too. but then again its not completely manditory that u learn spanish also its more ur choice because YOU want to no what ur kids r saying. no1 is forcing u 2 learn it too.
I have a problem very much like yours. My first language is Spanish. I don’t live in USA, but I was forced to learn English at school, and I hated it with a passion. 12 years later, here I am, I survived it. I speak English, I write in English. I conjugate perfectly, as you can very well see. I LOVE English irregular verbs.
In college, I wanted to learn more languages, so I chose French, Portuguese and Latin. If I were to choose another, it would be Italian. I don’t really like German.
If I had to learn English to live and work in my Spanish speaking country, why shouldn’t you learn Spanish? You would use it every day. But I warn you, it’s hard to learn, and harder if you resist learning it.
No way, dont give in to the spanish!
I think learning a second, or third language, is a choice, and the State should not impose it on you and your kids.
I speak three languages, Spanish, English and German. Spanish is my native tounge, but I speak English just as fluently. In my case, those three languages opened many doors for me when the time came to start my career; however, I learned them by happenstance, it did not feel like an imposition, and I had no reason to resent it.
I might be wrong, but I think that your issue is not against Spanish per se, but against the imposition and lack of choices, and your question is very valid, because why should you have to learn Spanish to live in your own state? Whatever happen to the choices there used to be in highschool? I mean, I did one year of highschool in the US in the 80s, and there were other language choices. We could learn French, Spanish, or German. Is it that the schools in your state are so badly under budgeted that they’re cutting out language education? if so, that’s just a damn shame.
I have always believed that the ability to speak several languages is something that makes the individual all the more richer in knowledge and skill, and that it opens doors. I’m glad I can read the great works of American literature in English, and not settle for a Spanish translation, and I’m glad that even with my rusty German I can read Gunther Grass in the original. I think your children will thank you for the effort you and your family put into teaching them other languages.
Being told your children have to learn spanish is wrong. To accommodate another culture is no good reason. The other culture should try to assimilate to accommodate their host country. I would like to know spanish ,but on my own terms..
I don’t think you are a racist, I don’t think an American should be forced to learn anything more than English if they don’t want to it shouldn’t be forced but a choice. I do think it is an advantage to learn other languages for more than obvious reasons. Not just to understand those around you but also to understand the world, history, literature, politics and so on because translation is just an interpretation and not necessarily reliable.
First of all: You can barely even write proper ENGLISH and you’re complaining about your children learning Spanish? If English is the main and “only important language” of this country, than maybe you should go back to grammer school and stop giving the Hispanics a hard time.
I KNOW YOUR ILLITERATE BUT JUST TRY TO SOUND OUT THE BIG WORDS.
Second: German and Hebrew, though beautiful languages, are essentially useless in the USA. You read correctly. USELESS. If people of Hispanic origin are going to be a majority by 2050 than you better damn well learn some Spanish. No, not all Spanish speakers are illegal immigrants and labor workers, and even if they are you better learn to comminicate with them (I’d like to see you get lost and ask a Mexican for directions- good luck with that).
Third: To answer your question, yes, you are indeed a racist. It is racist to refuse to allow your children to comform to a language that is quickly developing and highly in demand. It is racist to say that Mexicans (this is the main focus, no?) should learn English or go back to their own countries. All immigrants HAVE to learn a little English to just get by and they cause little to no trouble with the law. As for the drug-dealers: guess who generally buys the drugs? That’s right. Americans. White, black, all races buy drugs. You would rather teach your children German and Hebrew (languages they might use twice in their lifetime), rather than Spanish which they would need if they walk through any neighborhood. Nice.
Hopefully your children will have slightly more brains than their parent. I think it’s good that the state is making it mandatory to learn Spanish- it protects the children from idiots like you.
Oh, and I am both Mexican and a Spanish speaker. Notice I used proper grammar throughout this post? I am sorry to have insulted you many times over right now. But I find your query very insulting. I have no respect for the people who agree with you.
Hi,
I live in a town in california where more than 75% of the envirnment is of hispanic culture. However, spanish is not really required. The reason is because everyone pretty much speaks english. Even the native spanish speakers talk to each other in english when their are no english speakers around. I took spanish when I was younger, but never had to use it. Spanish speakers won’t really speak spanish to people who learned it in high school in my town, but communicate in english.
Whoever made up that theory that people must/should learn spanish because the hipanic culture is growing rapildly? Even the hispanic people don’t speak a word of spanish in Salinas, Ca.
Wait….. spanish is usefull in the fields. My Grandparents worked in the fields =). If you plan to work in the fields, then yes spanish is required in that work envirnment!
Just off the record, spanish is pretty hard to learn as a 2nd language. I guess it’s unfair to people who feel they are obligated to learn it because:
1) You must learn the mas/femm rules
2) Learn to conjugate