CMS Superintendent orders English only Pledge at Events

[voyager12]

I don't see what the problem is. We live in a multicultural world. Immigrant students in CMS are going to learn English either way. Allowing for a Spanish language option hurts no one. Mary Newsom's article in the O today mentioned that students were once invited to pledge in Japanese at a school board meeting and the reaction was very positive and appreciative. Which makes one think that this issue is simply a byproduct of the tension between longtime Charlotteans and the mostly Spanish speaking immigrant community. I think everyone should immerse themselves in different languages and culture in and out of the educational environment. The world these kids are inheriting is only going to get more diverse and interconnected, pointless restrictions such as this only hinder their growth.

[Nostyle]

I think everyone should immerse themselves in different languages and culture in and out of the educational environment.

[mallguy]

I went to high school for a year outside the US and never had any interest in using anything but the local language (not English) when having any communications involving the locals. Thus I am 100% with the poor Hispanic kid who apparently didn't really want to say the Pledge in Spanish but was asked to or required to or something, based on the article I read a while ago.

[JerseyBoy]

I agree. So having the kids recite the Pledge in ENGLISH would be a great start for them to immerse themselves in AMERICAN culture. Look, I'm all for diversity, and I appreciate that the United States is a melting pot, but in the history of this country I can't think of any other group of immigrants that has resisted integration into American culture and society the way the current hispanic population currently is. They have been spoiled by years of heads-buried-in-the-sand border policy and now they expect us to change for them. I'm sorry, but this is America. They're more than welcome here if they go through the proper procedures and obey the laws of the land, and I don't think asking them to learn the language of the majority is that outlandish...especially if they ever want to progress past construction and landscaping work. It's for their own good that they learn to communicate in English. The Pledge is a good place to start.

My dad was an immigrant from Poland. Know what language he learned the Pledge in? Nope, not Polish. Nope, not Spanish. Yep, English. And he was proud to do so.

[A2]

I agree. So having the kids recite the Pledge in ENGLISH would be a great start for them to immerse themselves in AMERICAN culture. Look, I'm all for diversity, and I appreciate that the United States is a melting pot, but in the history of this country I can't think of any other group of immigrants that has resisted integration into American culture and society the way the current hispanic population currently is. They have been spoiled by years of heads-buried-in-the-sand border policy and now they expect us to change for them. I'm sorry, but this is America. They're more than welcome here if they go through the proper procedures and obey the laws of the land, and I don't think asking them to learn the language of the majority is that outlandish...especially if they ever want to progress past construction and landscaping work. It's for their own good that they learn to communicate in English. The Pledge is a good place to start.

My dad was an immigrant from Poland. Know what language he learned the Pledge in? Nope, not Polish. Nope, not Spanish. Yep, English. And he was proud to do so.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

Sorry, I'm pretty darned left-of-center on most issues. But this one? I'm about as conservative as you can get. While it's true that this is a melting pot nation and we're made up of lots of different cultures, we've traditionally had one common language: English. In my opinion it's the glue that binds this country's many cultures together, no matter where your ancestors came from. Sure, over the last 200+ years, plenty of immigrants came to this country not knowing English and possibly not even learning it at all...but their children did....and I doubt any of them expected their native language to be widely used here. The fact that basically all products are labeled in both English and Spanish, all ATMs offer a choice of the two, as do pretty much all recorded customer service phone menus (para Espanol, marque el numero dos) is troubling. If you want to come to this country to make a better life for yourself, then I'm all for it. But A) do it legally. Period. And B) learn English and don't expect your home country's language to be accommodated here on a practical basis.

[mallguy]

Connecting this topic with urban development, I find it curious that at Eastland Mall, which seems to have a 1/3 or 1/2 Hispanic (and of that, mostly Spanish-speaking) clientele, there is almost no Spanish signage except in the Sears, yet that doesn't seem to adversely affect the mall's attraction to Spanish speakers.

[Delta_USAir]

I ALWAYS say the pledge in spanish.

Juro fidelidad a la bandera

de los Estados Unidos de Am

[Delta_USAir]

We DON'T CARE if there are no spanish signs, and we don't expect for there to be signs in spanish.

We DO CARE when people say we can not speak spanish.

Connecting this topic with urban development, I find it curious that at Eastland Mall, which seems to have a 1/3 or 1/2 Hispanic (and of that, mostly Spanish-speaking) clientele, there is almost no Spanish signage except in the Sears, yet that doesn't seem to adversely affect the mall's attraction to Spanish speakers.

[JerseyBoy]

We DO CARE when people say we can not speak spanish.

[Nostyle]

GO AHEAD AND SPEAK IN SPANISH. But you might also want to try to learn English too. That's my point. Nobody said give up your hispanic roots and forget the spanish language, but FOR YOUR OWN GOOD learn English if you're going to live in America! So when a hispanic student is being taught in an AMERICAN classroom by an AMERICAN teacher and that AMERICAN teacher tries to teach the Pledge in ENGLISH, why not encourage your hispanic youth to LEARN? WOULD IT KILL THEM?

[suburban george3]

I definitely think there is nothing wrong with the "English only" pledge. It is good for people of other languages to start learning ours.

And to those saying we will be a latino country, that will be at a time when we have second or third generation from current immigrants and they will have learned English at this point. I don't see the US giving English up anytime in the near future..

One aside note, it has been said one of the reasons the Roman Empire fell was because it didn't make ethnic and minority groups assimilate into Roman culture and language....

[monsoon]

English is not going away. It's the language of the world and goes well beyond the USA. The language that we might all have to learn is Mandarin.

[mallguy]

People Forget in about 2 more decades this will be a HISPANIC country.Latinos

are already the LARGEST minority. Hopefully we will also be a spanish speaking country.

~~~~ http://youtube.com/watch?v=57MoDsDZsrk ~~~~

[Charlotte_native]

All of this will be a non-issue in 10 or 20 years just like every big "issue" of its time fades away. Mixed marriage, all the immigrate waves of our history, etc.

Everyone, I think, missed the point of what this kid did. He pledged his alligiance to the United States. The point is the pledge, not how it was stated. He has come to this country, and if anyone missed the article about him a while back, works full time, supports his family, and excelled in school and is graduating early. A lot of our good American kids could learn from him, regardless of the language he speaks at times. Remember, this one knows both languages, doesn't sound like someone "resisting" assimilation into our culture -- sounds like someone who grabbed his bootstraps and went for the American Dream and is getting there.

The issue we have is illegal immigration.

I also take issue with the idiot quoted in the paper that said speaking the pledge in Spanish was against our "values". Language isn't a value or a moral issue.

I personally love going to any city that has a China town -- fun afternoon trip to immerse yourself in another culture right in the midst of very anglo cities. Is that destroying the fabric of those cities? Is it insulting to San Fran or New York to have Chinatown? I suppose it must be.

[mallguy]

All of this will be a non-issue in 10 or 20 years just like every big "issue" of its time fades away. Mixed marriage, all the immigrate waves of our history, etc.

[redjeep77]

People Forget in about 2 more decades this will be a HISPANIC country.Latinos

are already the LARGEST minority. Hopefully we will also be a spanish speaking country.

~~~~ http://youtube.com/watch?v=57MoDsDZsrk ~~~~

I think it is stupid you have to say the pledge in English, and uncalled for. I'm mixed White with

spanish , and I'm FAR from Illegal{my latin family has been hear since before world war I} So you can't say go back to your own country.

[lupitachica]

What is American culture?

This whole thing is about power - "cultural power" and which people are going to set the standard. Its always been that way, its the reasons the slaves weren't allowed to continue to speak in their native tongues either. Not every American citizen choose to have english as their primary language or to assimilate their culture heritage away- some of our ancestors had no choice.

This uproar over language is about what type of US this will be and who will have cultural dominance. As some groups think they see their power & control slipping away it irritates and annoys. But at the end of the day, you can't legislate away the latino in latinos and their heritage will seep into every crevice of this country whether you like it our not. They're here. And they're communities are soon to outnumber others. If the "minorities" of this country (soon to be the majority) get together and decide they are okay with the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish, Swahili, Mandarin, and Jamaican patois...really what the hell are the rest of the folk going to do about it? Yes this is America but America can & will change to be whatever it needs to be for its citizens and that may include not being an English only country.

[swh1972]

Not offensive to me. I think the story behind this a great example of the American Dream.

[mallguy]

What is American culture?

This whole thing is about power - "cultural power" and which people are going to set the standard. Its always been that way, its the reasons the slaves weren't allowed to continue to speak in their native tongues either. Not every American citizen choose to have english as their primary language or to assimilate their culture heritage away- some of our ancestors had no choice.

This uproar over language is about what type of US this will be and who will have cultural dominance. As some groups think they see their power & control slipping away it irritates and annoys. But at the end of the day, you can't legislate away the latino in latinos and their heritage will seep into every crevice of this country whether you like it our not. They're here. And they're communities are soon to outnumber others. If the "minorities" of this country (soon to be the majority) get together and decide they are okay with the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish, Swahili, Mandarin, and Jamaican patois...really what the hell are the rest of the folk going to do about it? Yes this is America but America can & will change to be whatever it needs to be for its citizens and that may include not being an English only country.

[Charlotte_native]

What is American culture?

This whole thing is about power - "cultural power" and which people are going to set the standard.

This uproar over language is about what type of US this will be and who will have cultural dominance. As some groups think they see their power & control slipping away it irritates and annoys.

[lupitachica]

Voyager, I understand you question. Its a valid one imo. As a member of the native population I don't believe a person saying the pledge of allegiance in spanish hurts America. He was pledging allegiance to this country not to another.

The issue of the language it was done in, imo, is about trying to define "American" in a way that rids it of the ethnic influence of certain citizens in areas that are important to power. There is no intrinsic value in being english speaking rather than spanish speaking. Language is just a tool to communicate ideas. No one would have cared had this boy choose to sign the pledge of allegiance (regardless of whether he was capable of speaking it or not). But then deaf people aren't forming larger and larger voting blocks and possibly deciding that they would rather hire the non hearing than the hearing, ya dig?

The issue, imo, is the english speaking people fearing they will be the "minority" and be outsiders in their communities and what that may mean for them economically and politically for generations to come. This is goes well beyond the pledge of allegiance in spanish. There are people who get mad when they can't understand or be understood in a bodega. There are people who get upset when workers speak their languages in the break room at the workplace.

[mallguy]

I think we should recall that the poor kid who gave the pledge in Spanish didn't want to; he was asked or required to.

I also thus think (based on polling data I've seen) that most (above 50%, though not sure how high; depends on the poll) Hispanic immigrants want to learn and use English. They're good people; it's just a racist fringe that doesn't want to learn or use English.

[Vitamin_N]

Other than that you simply have an issue of the "haves" not wanting to pass on the same rights they have to the current "have nots". People are freaking and insecure about others speaking Spanish, IMO, because they feel somehow threatened.

[Delta_USAir]

I speak English first,and spanish 2nd. English is my liesure language,but I say the pledge in Spanish.I just do not think it is right you CAN'T say the pledge in Spanish. That is why I say the pledge in Spanish , and not English.

I just do NOT see the need for english only.

I'm American. My mom has NO hispanic in her what so ever.I was born in this country,and I DON'T think I should have to go to Mexico to say the pledge in Spanish.