Thread: Dallas Requires School Admin. to Learn Spanish or else

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=52166

Dallas County Requires School Administrators to Learn Spanish -- or Else; Texas Plan Gives Principals Three Years, Makes No Request of Parents

8/26/2005 1:32:00 PM


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To: National Desk

Contact: Rob Toonkel of U.S. English, 202-833-0100

WASHINGTON, August 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Late Thursday night, a 5-4 vote of the Dallas school board made this Texas county the first in the nation to require administrators to learn Spanish or lose their jobs. The controversial measure, proposed in order to help principals better communicate with immigrant parents, is the latest episode in a growing movement of misguided language outreach.

"The Dallas school board's extreme approach sends the unmistakable message that English is optional in the area," explained Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of the Board of U.S. English, Inc. "This is part of a frightening trend where English-speaking Americans are being asked to learn a foreign language, while nothing is expected out of non-English speaking immigrants to America. Instead of forcing their administrators to learn the language of immigrants, the district should open its facilities to programs that teach immigrant parents English."

Dallas' proposal is noteworthy for who it excludes. While Dallas County ranks 138th in the nation in the percentage of residents who speak Spanish at home, it is ninth in the concentration of Vietnamese speakers, eighth in the concentration of Urdu speakers, and 14th in the concentration of Korean speakers. In all, 123,000, or six percent of Dallas County residents, speak a language other than English or Spanish at home. The "outreach" program makes no attempt to reach other immigrant families.

"Critics of official language policies continually point out that it takes adults extra time to learn a foreign language," continued Mujica. "In this case, the school district is forcing full-time working adults to become proficient in Spanish in three years or lose their jobs. But the policy makes not even the gentlest demands that immigrant parents learn the language of this country."

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U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non- partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (http://www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members nationwide.

This is so dumb. That's what happens when a state is a big home for illegals. Basically, it's very simple, they start running the state. Wow, Texas, aren't there ANY cowboys left there?? Boy, this is a move in the wrong direction.

Is this what they mean by the dumbing down of America? I think the Principals have a considerable amount of education behind them. WHY NOT give the "illegal immigrants" a piece of paper with the nights and times ENGLISH courses will be held at each school??????

I'd like to see the names of the people who voted this in.

the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based upon "national origin" -- these principals are being discriminated against because they are "American."

if these principals are being forced to learn Spanish or "else" for the benefit of "illegal aliens" - the school district doesn't have a leg to stand on because the Civil Rights Act are laws under the United States and aliens are under the law of nations --- aliens do not have the right to sue in the courts of the United States.

the Civil Rights Acts protect American citizens based on "national origin" NOT the nationality of aliens

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http://www.alipac.us/article661.html

WHOA! I thought these people were Texans! Where is the rioting in the streets? Are there any Texans on this board who's kids go to school in this district and what sort of reaction is this getting from the parents? I used to live there (Dallas) and want desperately to return and thank God I don't have a kid or I would be up-in-arms about this. What is going on? The Bush administration and the media have most of Americans so worried that Islam wants to take over but look what's going on right under our noses. Can't people see this war in Iraq is a scapegoat for their real agenda? Is America blind? Jeez, this gets me so pissed that I can barely see straight let alone type. Where am I going to live when they officially declare the southwest Mexican land? Why is Senior Jorge doing this to us?

Well, if they are going to do this. The people that speak other languages should complain to the school board. When they don't accommodate them and have the principals, learn Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian and all the other languages of the world. Then file a discrimination charges against the school board.

Tell me this CANNOT be legal!
I think it's time for those of us who are English speaking American citizens to start applying for these jobs which are advertised as "bilingual preferred" (which is PC for "if you don't also speak Spanish you won't get the job) and then when we don't get hired because we don't speak Spanish, we file lawsuits for being discriminated against based on our national origin. Start hitting these people where they live!

Save California!

http://www.cafepress.com/savecalifornia

Originally Posted by savecalifornia

Tell me this CANNOT be legal!
I think it's time for those of us who are English speaking American citizens to start applying for these jobs which are advertised as "bilingual preferred" (which is PC for "if you don't also speak Spanish you won't get the job) and then when we don't get hired because we don't speak Spanish, we file lawsuits for being discriminated against based on our national origin. Start hitting these people where they live!

Save California!

http://www.cafepress.com/savecalifornia

They are getting away with it so far, but I have a feeling the issue will come to a head when the first principal gets fired because they didn't learn enough Spanish in 3 years. It should really get heated if it effects someone black since there is already a lot of tension between blacks and Mexicans. I wonder which side the ACLU will decide to support.