Posted on 05/26/2008 4:01:14 PM PDT by World_Events
MATTAWA, WASH -- . -- Nearly everyone in this small farming community in eastern Washington speaks Spanish -- nearly everyone except those in city government and the Police Department, where English is spoken.
And almost everyone who speaks one language does not speak the other.
That language barrier has engulfed the community, which has grown over the last 20 years from 300 to about 3,200 year-round residents. Nine out of 10 Mattawa residents speak Spanish at home, and 8 out of 10 adults speak English "less than very well," according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
The Columbia River basin community, surrounded by miles of fruit orchards and vineyards, has tried to deal with its language barrier informally.
From the first gas station to the last retail shop, signs advertise goods and services in Spanish and English. The tiny library offers bilingual story time for families.
For years, police often relied on bystanders to translate at crime scenes. City administrators grabbed bilingual speakers as ad hoc interpreters.
But the gap between an English-speaking city government and an overwhelmingly Spanish-speaking population has grown so wide that the federal government has stepped in to mandate that the city bridge the divide.
After a legal aid group filed a Civil Rights Act complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice worked with the city and Police Department to develop a language assistance plan.
Adopted in March, the plan is unique in Washington and is seen as a bellwether for cities with similar demographics. The plan requires Mattawa to employ at least one bilingual employee during regular business hours and to make vital information available in Spanish as well as English. It also requires the police to have qualified interpreters on call at all times.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
“After a legal aid group filed a Civil Rights Act complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice worked with the city and Police Department to develop a language assistance plan. “
I have a plan.....LEARN ENGLISH or LEAVE
Hey this is pretty common. It’s almost mandetory to be bilingual in emergency services and getting to the point where soon it will be.
I am so sick of the onus falling on us to teach immigrants how to speak English, or us having to speak some foreign language in the USA. My parents were legal immigrants and they spoke fluent English upon their arrival in the USA, why can’t we expect immigrants to even do that anymore?
God forbid you make them speak English under penalty of no government services. Doing what they’ve done here should be against the law in more ways than one, but of course it isn’t.
Our political “leaders” are too concerned about the Hispanic vote to care.
One thing what get me they can’t one of the kids to snitch on the father accused of domestic violence WTF
They appease the immigrant population hey politican want that Hispanic vote
Learn English or you won’t get the full comprehension of the Constitution.
It’s obvious that if they don’t speak English they aren’t citizens.
I’ve seen envelopes from the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare with at least 12 different languages printed on the reverse side.
Otherwise it's a formula for disaster. If you can get all those American college school kids and welfare recipients out there to stoop and bend, then problem solved, but good luck.
“It’s almost mandetory to be bilingual in emergency services and getting to the point where soon it will be.”
.....I think there’s already been a wrongful discharge law suit about that....a Calif. woman who worked in the county government got fired for not learning Spanish....even though there was no language requirement when she hired on years before....I can’t remember how it turned out though.
Mayor Stranczek-
And that includes spelling, does it?
Excetions?Qu’est ce que c’est?
It follows us no matter where we go! Ey Amigo?
“After a legal aid group filed a Civil Rights Act complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice worked with the city and Police Department to develop a language assistance plan. “
I have a plan.....LEARN ENGLISH or LEAVE”
Needs fixin’.....
I have a plan...prove that you are here legally, then those who are legal: LEARN ENGLISH OR LEAVE!!!!!!
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