October 9, 2005

Commemorating an event from two very different points of view.

1492 marked another important holocaust. It was the year the Jews were expelled from greater Spain. In fact, their confiscated spoils were what paid for Columbus’s trip to the “New World”. In 1493, the Moors were also expelled by the Catholic crown of Spain. Thus ended the golden age of Spain, when Jews, Arabs, and Christians lived together not only peacefully, but created a cultural renaissance in literature and science.

Interesting observation. I’ve lived in several other countries as an American abroad and although most of my political beliefs fall into the category of liberal, this is one where I often surprise my conservative friends.

I’m a big believer in encouraging immigrants to learn English and to speak it consistently at home with their children. This is holding them back probably more than anything else. I’m not sure what the numbers are but in many areas Spanish wouldn’t be the choice of second language. Some schools would choose Korean, Chinese, or Vietnamese. The country isn’t as small as Belgium is so having more than one official language would be a mess here.

We also have such a problem with lack of funding in our public schools that I’d rather see the money spent elsewhere. Meaning I’d rather have language taught as a class, not bi-lingual math classes where you hope your native English speaking child gets the math homework assignment correctly. Did you have the option to enroll your kids in a language class or was this the only way they could learn Spanish?

I didn’t mean to imply we shouldn’t encourage people to learn English. The point I was making was that free enterprise was fueling bilingualism. This is a bit ironic, given the Conservatives’ reliance on and almost religious fervor for Capitalism.

In answer to your question, yes, enrollment in our dual language program is voluntary. And we monitor our daughters’ understanding of the material whether it’s presented in English or Spanish. For us, learning math trumps learning it in Spanish. However, that being said, children are amazingly skillful at conceptualizing in multiple languages.

Well, considering that most of the poor people inside the Mickey Mouse suits are Latins, it’s fair that signage is bilingual.

I am a Spanish-speaking Central American who has been lucky enough to visit the U.S. several times recently. Perhaps because of my English background, my philosophy in regards to living in a foreign country with a foreign language comes closer to the “When in Rome…” philosophy, and for that reason I can’t help but sympathize, if even a little, with those Americans who fear the menace of their country becoming a giant Latino melting pot.

One thing I greatly resent from my Latino peers is that, instead of trying to learn a little on the history and culture of the country that is feeding them and open themselves to communication with American natives, they just refuse to do so, isolating themselves on their Latin ghettos in a “my way or the highway” fashion, thereby self-segregating themselves without even being aware of it in most cases. After all, the only reason most Latinos get through all the trouble of making it to the States is because they need to escape from the politic and economic hell that their countries are, and to make a buck or two to send home while at it.

I’m all for multicultural diversity and all that, but I feel that if we tried to understand Americans a little further and tried to connect more with their language, culture and values (not assume, but at least understand and respect), the melting pot concept would not be so frowned upon by many Americans, I believe.

My own position has always been, if I were residing in another country where one language predominated, I would learn that language.

Washington Cube Was Here. #369

I worked in the public school system for over 15 years. I have to agree with Beto’s comment. The parents of the children in most cases not only refuse to learn the language of the land but insist that their children translate for them. The children are taught to respect their parents and do what they can to assist. In doing so the parents do not learn and the children usually remain in the family fold.