Posted on 02/01/2008 7:34:02 PM PST by engrpat
GRAPEVINE (CBS 11 News) ― A fight over language in a Grapevine school has gotten so heated that some parents are pulling their children out of class.
The parents are claiming that students are being forced to learn Spanish, while children of immigrants aren't being forced to learn or speak English.
The signs posted around Timberline Elementary are done in both English and Spanish, and so are the school letters and other information.
Officials with the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District say it's their duty to educate all students. But some white students and their parents say they are now the minority and are left with no choice, but to fight.
Kaitlyn O'Pry, a fifth grader at Timberline, is protesting her school. "If I didn't take Spanish, then I'm probably going to fail," the 10 year-old said.
Kaitlyn is not alone. Ashley Allison's mom has pulled her out of Spanish class each day, to study in the library. "I'm not real happy with the issue," said Ashley's mom, Leigh Allison.
Kaitlyn has begun circulating a letter, which many students have signed, opposing the elementary schools mandatory Spanish classes.
Some parents say accommodations are being made for a growing Hispanic population. Kaitlyn claims that, "Over half of our school has doubled in Spanish population." Kaitlyn's mom, Julie Swartz, says the school isn't focusing on the entire student population. "I think they're concentrating way too much on accommodating the Spanish speaking kids," she told TXA 21 News.
In 2001 Hispanics made up 33-percent of Timberline Elementary enrollment, with white students accounting for 60-percent. Now in 2008, Hispanics account for more than half of the student body, and white enrollment is down to 36-percent.
The girls and their parents have met with their principal, the Grapevine-Colleyville School Board, and the superintendent. The opposition is garnering other support, including that of Dora Deleon. "This is a country America, with English. So we supposed to learn to speak English," said the concerned Hispanic mother, whose grandchildren attend Timberline.
Kaitlyn's stepfather, Patrick Swartz, says, "They should not be forced to take Spanish."
But there are some parents who embrace the Spanish initiatives at Timberline. "It develops our kids," said parent Tia Green.
The girls and their supporters say they're not giving up the fight.
Officials with the Grapevine-Colleyville School District stress that Spanish has been long been a part of school curriculum and released a statement to TXA 21 News that said in part "We are currently reviewing our world language curriculum to further benefit students, within the resources available. It is our privilege to educate any and all children who attend Grapevine-Colleyville ISD."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
One more attack on English. American English is the only this we need. Illegals are doing this to us!.
I teach 3rd grade in a suburb of Dallas. My school has a large hispanic population, but there are not any required foreign language classes in our district at the elementary level. They are not even offered at that level as far as I know.
I studied Latin, French, and German in HS and learned some Italian from a few of my neighborhood buddies.
Now if I try to speak in Spanish to any of the “locals” who don’t admit to understanding English it comes out a mixture of French, German, Italian, and Spanish. And they look at me like they don’t understand! Ignorants!
I guess I’m truly a Renaissance Man...
I grew up in Southern CA in the 60’s.
I was required to take a section of spanish in 6th and 7th grade by state law (along with shop in 7th grade). They got rid of it by the time I was through it.
I had to take at least 1 year of a foreign language in High School - took German. That is the language I still know a little of..
What I perceive as different here is that the Spanish speaking kids are being given a free ride, i.e. not learning English.
“Learn spanish today, avoid the rush tomorrow.”
move to Irving, where we deport them
check out how many have immigration-ICE holds
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I bet if the parents of those Spanish speaking children were interviewed, they would NOT like it, and are very upset with these nitwit school administrators.
My husband and I just spent 6 months in Costa Rica. The parents there go to **tremendous** sacrifices to see that their children learn English. There are English schools everywhere!
Also, I recently retired as a health professional. My patients who were Spanish speaking were very anxious for their children to master ENGLISH.
Hey! These people aren’t stupid. It takes a fair amount of ambition and intelligence to get to the U.S. These parents know that complete mastery of English is absolutely essential for success in life.
I took two years of Latin and several years of French. I hvae deliberately avoided learnign Spanish, except for one phrase:
“No hablo Espanol.”
Boy, does that drive the illegals crazy!
Probably not, but how else are the compassionate liberals going to keep themn down where tehy can be exploited for power?
World language curriculum? Ya, right. So why not teach the little crumb crunchers Chinese or Russian. I'd pay to see little Mexicans sitting in an Elementary school in Texas having to learn to speak Russian. :-)
I think you touched on a very interesting point — one the Spanish speaking parents themselves should, and probably do realize. The NEA and these types of programs are not a help to these children — on either “side”. The only problem is — if these parents are illegals they are not likely to stand up and say anything about or risk “rocking the boat”. This is why illegal immigration isn’t just bad for our country — but bad for the people themselves! It’s the modern-day slave trade, IMHO.
You friggin ignoramuses. You think this just about learning a second language? WTFU!
Exactly, and that's why liberals like it so much.
I hate teacher’s unions....that last statement...was that a major suckup or what?
In high school, I had to take either Spanish or French. Spanish was easier to spell. LOL
Really!
Right, of course. But to force them and not to teach the Hispanic kids English? NO
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