Language Policy
- Submitted by: amurcia95
- Views: 843
- Category: Politics
- Date Submitted: 02/18/2011 05:56 AM
- Pages: 2
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KANSAS CITY, Kan., Dec. 8 -- 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."
Should we by law not speak our native language?
Every country has its own native language. Each language originated from its own culture and possibly means more to others. If by law we were forced to only speak one language there would be many people who would not agree of such law. Not only would it cause conflict it would un constitutional and would void our first amendment freedom of speech.
My conclusion is language plays a big role in how we communicate to each other. When talking about Education and the use of language it is best to communicate without the use of bad language or racism to promote peace. When language isnt used properly and instead used to say negative things it can produce a problem...
"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."
Should we by law not speak our native language?
Every country has its own native language. Each language originated from its own culture and possibly means more to others. If by law we were forced to only speak one language there would be many people who would not agree of such law. Not only would it cause conflict it would un constitutional and would void our first amendment freedom of speech.
My conclusion is language plays a big role in how we communicate to each other. When talking about Education and the use of language it is best to communicate without the use of bad language or racism to promote peace. When language isnt used properly and instead used to say negative things it can produce a problem...