Thread: Nevada School District Admin Gets an Idea.. Sort Of

Ya I know hard to believe that a school district administrator could possibly think that speaking a different language could possibly effect graduation rates. In a bold move Esmeralda County School Superintendent Robert Aumaugher decided to..... Prevent students from speaking Spanish on the bus, but wait he is still thinking about it.



Speak only English on the school bus?

Posted: 2/24/2008
advertisement

Emma Sepulveda

Esmeralda County School Superintendent Robert Aumaugher found out a few months ago something that almost everyone else involved in education already knew: There is a "gap" in the high school graduation rates in Nevada. While 75 percent of "white" students graduate, only 55 percent of "Hispanics" cross the finish line.

So what did Mr. Aumaugher decide to do to reduce that disparity? He sent out a letter informing parents of students that their children would not be allowed to speak Spanish on the school bus anymore.

Now the 12 Latino students who ride the bus will have to speak English or be quiet for an hour each way in order to improve the dropout rate of minorities in the Silver State.

In Mr. Aumaugher's letter to the parents, he showed his ignorance about the process of learning another language. He cited his own experience of trying to learn Spanish verbs (which he confessed he had not been able to master in high school or in college) as sound reasoning for the prohibition against students speaking Spanish on the bus.

He said that he does not want those 12 students to speak Spanish because they need to practice English during the bus ride. He was quoted in the Pahrump Valley Times explaining this point: "Since they're obviously not learning English in school, what better place is there to pick it up than on the bus, where they won't be exposed to stuffy academic English or be expected to conjugate verbs?

"On the bus, they'll quickly learn from the other children those short, pithy English idioms without which no one can really be considered fluent."

As a long time educator I would suggest that a bus ride full of teenagers coming home after a day at school may not be the ideal place for doing any serious learning.

The other reason Mr. Aumaugher mentions for his prohibition is the discipline issue. According to him, language use is tied up with behavioral problems. If they only stop speaking in Spanish and switch to English, everything would be fine on the bus and at school. Is he serious?

So, what are the statistics the superintendent is looking at to support his position? Is there any basis, other than his opinion, for the idea that these 12 students speaking in Spanish on the bus home are less likely to graduate from high school or succeed in life?

In the entire county only

44 percent of people have a high school diploma, only

8 percent have a college degree, and only 1.5 percent have graduate and professional degrees. Apparently, the superintendant believes educational obtainment is an issue only for Hispanics, rather than the population in general.

In the same interview with the Pahrump Valley times he said: "I see no reason why the Hispanic population can't be doctors and lawyers and everything else. But to do that they're going to need to make sacrifices."

Of course, we have made sacrifices, and although the dropout rate is still unacceptable, we are becoming, or have become, engineers, architects, lawyers, doctors and even school superintendents, and we have spoken another language on the school bus for many, many, many years.

Note: Aumaugher has since reconsidered students can speak any language.

Emma Sepulveda's column appears regularly in Voices.

Emma Sepulveda is a writer and a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic ... /1115/OPED

So, what are the statistics the superintendent is looking at to support his position? Is there any basis, other than his opinion, for the idea that these 12 students speaking in Spanish on the bus home are less likely to graduate from high school or succeed in life?

There is plenty of data that indicates those who do not learn English are three times more likely to drop out of school before graduating.

Honestly, I'm more concerned with students speaking English in school and the disruptive nature of bi-lingual education than I am the language they speak on a bus ride home. I would prefer they speak English on the bus and it would behoove them to do so, but we know getting these people to speak English this is like pulling teeth. That's what comes with ignorance.

My importantly, I believe, is the fact we finally get someone in a leadership role to make a bold decision based on his professional experience, and then falls apart like a cheap suit the moment someone with an etho-centric agenda questions his decision.

We need leaders with a backbone to withstand the scrutiny that will no doubt come their way from the pro-illegal invader lobby when such policies are implemented.

Only in Nevada,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yes well that ought to really make a difference, If my kids went to that school I would be doing a back round check on that superintendent to see if he himself graduated high school


>>>(3) NEW "ACTION ALERTS" 2/26<<<<
PLEASE TAKE ACTION.....NOW!!!!!
Lou Dobbs considering run for President (see at link)
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-105435.html
STOP "Idaho Mexican Consulate" (What are these consulates up to?)
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-105401.html
Missouri Rep. Rod Jetton...Says Americans can take lessons from, illegal immigrants..
LETS BLAST HIM WITH OUR OPINION OF HIM!! Information at this link!!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-105538.html