Thread: Spanish class has close call

http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/489779.html

Triangle Politics: Published: Sep 23, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Sep 23, 2006 07:58 AM


Spanish class has close call

Raleigh City Council member Tommy Craven said the city should be teaching new immigrants English, not how to improve their Spanish.
So, at Tuesday's council meeting he voted against a program to improve Spanish literacy at a city community center.

City officials say many students in the city's English as a Second Language programs are illiterate in their own language, making it hard for them to learn a new one. But the free program also would be open to anybody, regardless of their nationality or native language. They could include English speakers seeking to bone up on Spanish.

As proposed, the city would provide classroom space at the Method Road Community Center. Wake Technical Community College and the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh would pay for upgrades to the space and equipment, including computers, with grants. The computers would be available for other city programs when literacy classes aren't in session.

Craven wondered what the cost to the city would be. Jack Duncan, the city's parks and recreation director, said it would cost $25 to $35 an hour to rent the classroom space.

"I would far prefer we teach them bad English than better Spanish," Craven said. But he was the lone naysayer. The council voted 7-1 for the program.

Why in the world are we wasting tax payers money to improve on hispanics use of the spanish language when they should be learning english? Our country is the worst enablers I do believe I have ever seen in any country.

There you go again. As I keep saying, we are cutting our own throats. They had a chance to do the right thing and vote to teach English, but they did not.

North Carolina !! Come on !! Even Florida hasn't gone to this extent...

I am truly surprised at these Raleigh City Council officials. You Americans in North Carolina better get to the polls asap.

Let's blast 'em folks! I invite everyone to join me in showing their disgust on this issue. Just send your email to the Mayor Meeker with a "copy to:" to all the council members:

Mayor & Councilors At-Large
Mayor
Charles Meeker
Charles.Meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.us

Council Member, At-Large
Joyce Kekas
Joyce.Kekas@ci.raleigh.nc.us

Council Member, At-Large
Russ Stephenson
Russ.Stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us

District Council Members
District A
Tommy Craven, Council Member
tfcraven@nc.rr.com

District B
Jessie Taliaferro, Council Member
Jessie.Taliaferro@ci.raleigh.nc.us

District C
James West, Council Member
Mayor Pro Tempore
James.West@ci.raleigh.nc.us

District D
Thomas Crowder, Council Member
Thomas.Crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us

District E
Philip Isley, Council Member
pisley@boyceisley.com

Personally, I don't feel illegal immigrants should be on the receiving end of any tax funded benefits. I'm going to request that the council require every individual applying for, or taking, these classes have a legitimate photo ID card to proof citizenship.

Actually I am quite sure that Miami does this. Maybe Tampa too. But not the northern towns and cities in Florida.

Here's the thing. This is happening with your city Council for one or two reasons, which I know you're already aware of.

1. Pandering for votes from Hispanic groups.

2. Your city council may have become infiltrated by Hispanics who have an agenda to primarily just promote "their own". Not all Americans of Hispanic heritage do that, and some Americans of Hispanic heritage are all American. They are capable and anxious to represent ALL of the people. When you have Americans of Hispanic heritage who truly love, respect and appreciate this country holding office and who stand for all of the people......they are fantastic. You will have so much respect for them.

But here's the thing. Once you start down a path like this, a path which does not promote assimilation to America, your community will start to become very divided.

The goal has to be in the spirit of Americanism, the spirit to unite together as Americans. These city council people are sending the wrong message.
They sound like a bunch of people who are hard-headed and thoughtless.

I just know North Carolina can do better than this. Your state is one which the American people look to and think of as having strong American values and standards. I know this because in Florida, so many Americans who leave here move to North Carolina because of the high expectations they have of really finding what they are searching for.

What these Floridians are searching for is their country .......the USA !!

BTW, thank you North Carolinians for taking in so many American refugees from Florida. Trust me....they are American refugees. They are American refugees who have had their country stolen from them, their culture, their heritage and their language. Stolen right from their own backyards.

Sorry to sound like an expert, but unfortunately I am one. I lived in Miami long enough to become an expert. Perhaps you need to send your city council people to Miami for a two week "field trip". Don't allow them to stay in a group together. Make them separate and live and survive on their own without having the help of each other. Let them have a taste of the real world.

MW I wrote some emails. Hope it helps.

Dear Coucilman, Mayor ect..

To waste tax dollars on illegal and legal immigrants to learn SPANISH is insane. My mother n law came her from Switzerland 50 years ago and TAUGHT herself and her 5 children English. No one taught SWISS/GERMAN TO HELP HER OUT or any other language for that matter. We have immigrants from all over the world and they learn English. I am shocked that you are not trying to have immigrants in your communtiy ASSIMILATE INTO THE THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE WHICH IS ENGLISH.


The one element that American has to bind it's citizens is LANGUAGE. I think this is a foolish waste of tax dollars too and it undermine assimilation in America. You are promoting bi-lingualism in our country. It will divide your community and our nation and it will not unite our country. When you come to America you must melt into our culture and language NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. We would become a tower of Babel.


I am very passionate and patriotic about my country.. I think this is a bad decision on your communties part and it will divide our country.



Sincerely

Great email CCUSA! As a North Carolina resident, I thank you.

Emails sent to all these traitors.

Tell them in your e-mails that we hope to launch a program to replace most of the Raleigh City Council in 2007 because of their support for Spanish and illegal aliens.

W