Thread: What are your kids learning

Whew!! Didn't know I would be told I didn't belong here just because I had a different viewpoint on something. I have been away for a while and didn't read the post questioning why I was here and what was I doing.

I am here because I want to stop this, if possible. So far, however, I haven't seen any action from our government. The only hope seems to be from local governments and perhaps they will have some effect

Forgive me for having doubts - I am only human. I do have doubts. Others thought it was a good thing that no vote occurred before the election. When I heard the man from LaRaza say that 'no vote was the best thing to happen' - I worried. I fear they just wanted to put it off until they were back in office - then business as usual.. I don't have a clue - but I do try to look at things from all sides and plan for contingencies.

First off, if we got all the present illegal aliens deported back to wherever they came - we still have a substantial number of spanish speaking people who are legal immigrants - and millions who got in on the previous amnesty. In our area, a huge number of families were brought in from Mexico to work in the chicken industry. These are 'legal'. They came under some HB program or NAFTA provision. They are still Spanish speaking. Some of them can speak English, as there is a fair number that are highly educated people - a very large number of them can't. They are in our community and attending our schools. It was reported that 400 families were brought in - I don't know but it seems like it. We are not the only community where this happened.

I will say that the educated spouses of these Mexican workers are now working in the banks, insurance agencies, doctor's offices, schools, etc. They have these jobs because they are bi lingual. That is the situation here. That is Mexicans getting the jobs Americans should/could have, just because they are bilingual. Is it right? No. But it is a fact. Sending back all the illegals will not change that for a long time. As long as we have the worker programs that we do and companies can continue to import workers, it will be the case.

If no amnesty passes and our laws are enforced, it will be quite some time, before any real change occurs. The anchor baby question will be tied up in courts until those babies have babies.

So whatever happens - it isn't going away for a very long time. In the meantime, things may very well get ugly.

It isn't capitulation - it just seems like common sense to me.

In Texas, high school children have had to have 2 years of Spanish for quite some time. It is a joke. It is a waste of time for the students and a waste of taxpayers money. I am sure Spanish was chosen due to our proximity to Mexico and the fact that we have always had a fairly large Spanish speaking population.

It was/is my thought, if taught at a early age when children are less inhibited, and taught as a conversational course, it would cost almost nothing and would accomplish something that would benefit the children.

We are spending millions - maybe billions- to teach Mexican children to speak English. I think our children are being shortchanged. For someone who feels so strongly about it - maybe there should be a provision to opt out. But for our children to not be taught to speak the language this is being spoken all around them, is a disadvantage. That the situation here at least.

I was respectful in stating my opinion - and expected some disagreement - but wow!!!

Nitty, - glad you mentioned the Choctaw code talkers. My husband's grandfather was one of the code talkers. He just returned from a visit with his family and brought back some information on them.

My daughter is forced to attend an ESL class even though
she is a born and bred here. There are too many English
second language learners in her class so she has to suffer
with them.

That is wrong.

Tell me how that works. I blew a gasket when I learned that my grandson, 3rd grade, was in the ESL class. Here that just meant that many, most I guess, of the children in his class went to another classroom for their ESL lessons.

Although I knew he had a great teacher, I was afraid it would hold him back. It didn't in his case. He is the top kid in the 3rd grade - but that might just be because of his teacher.

ESL has always griped me. Why isn't it just called English? English as a Second Language - it almost sounds like we are apologizing for it.

You're right that it should not be mandatory in school, but knowing a popular second language is in many ways an advantage. My only real concern would be making sure you child knows how to differenciate between the two languages. I had a great deal of trouble trying to communicate with a 5-yr-old who spoke both English and Spanish at the same time. She didn't realize there was any kind of difference because she and her mother both spoke both languages at home.

Well, 5 years old, may be too young, although I have met little 5 year old Mexican kids that do quite well.

When my husband is around Spanish speaking people much, he tends to mix them - or try to speak it to me. Since I only speak a Texas version of English, I don't know if that is true with all people who speak another language.

No Child Left Behind is another UN agenda. Check out Eagle Forum and EdWatch

No Child Left Behind is another UN agenda. Check out Eagle Forum and EdWatc

I have no doubt.

The teachers call it 'Every child left behind.''.