[2/8] Mandatory School Spanish Classes Anger Texas Parents

[CRSone]

From Fox News:

A Texas school district is reviewing its second-language requirement after concerns over students being forced to learn Spanish, according to reports.

Some parents at Timberline Elementary School in Grapevine, Texas, are outraged their children have to take Spanish as a mandatory second-language requirement, MyFOXDFW.com reported.

Leigh Allison, the mother of fifth-grader Ashleigh, said the policy makes life easier for Hispanic immigrants and her daughter shouldn't be forced to conform, according to a report on Star-Telegram.com.

"She wants to be that one voice that forces them to learn English," Leigh Allison told the paper. "We're not going to turn America into a bilingual country to accommodate you."

Texas requires second language instruction for elementary and middle-school students, Star-Telegram reports. Most schools choose Spanish instruction, but other languages are acceptable for the policy.

The Grapevine-Colleyville School District is reviewing its language policy after more than 15 years of Spanish instruction, and Ashleigh Allison is being allowed to study French in school without the aid of a teacher, MyFOXDFW.com reports.

[CRSone]

You Know I Could Have Sworn Spanish Was the Easiest Second Language Course when I was in High School - at that Mothers Comments

Anyone Here Who Didn't Have to Take a LOTE (Language Other than English) Class as a Graduation Requirement?

[apawllo]

Knowing Fox News, they probably paid her to say that. This is a great idea though. We should do this everywhere starting in like kindergarten.

[ADHD]

in my grade school we had spanish every year from kindergarten to 8th grade and in my highschool we had to have two credits to graduate. This is was back in the 90's too so i dunno why they're so pissed and complaining now. were all immigrants one way or another unless your native indian

[G Rap]

Im a senior and I'm taking Spanish right now and, and I still don't know the shit. I got B+ in SPanish because I've been cheating n shit

[jxfallout]

Spanish was a requirement for me in middle school, but we only had to learn simple words (hello, goodbye, thank you, etc...) and phrases (how are you, what time is it, may I please use the restroom, etc...) in Spanish. I liked it, but only opted to take one semester of Spanish in high school (MUCH harder).

Taken Spanish helped to peak my interest in other foreign languages, which is why I'm teaching myself some Japanese in my free time (have always had a greater interest in that than Spanish, but it wasn't really offered anywhere).

[Breeze]

I took Spanish for 4 years total, but I don't think it should be mandatory by any means. The official language of the United States is English so it's ridiculous to try to force people to accommodate those who don't speak English unless they're in some kind of profession where it's needed. In high school it was mandatory to take at least one year of a foreign language but we had many different languages to choose from.

[apawllo]

Nah, the United States doesn't have an official language. I think it makes sense to teach it when kids are really young though because they soak anything up. Aside from that, learning a foreign language helps when learning the grammar of your native language. Ignorance is never a good thing anyway imo.

[yaboy12]

latinos are coming into this english speaking country, they need to conform. we shouldn't have to conform to help their needs. adapt or die. simple. they should adapt and learn english.

[N0body]

America does not have an official language.