My history teacher in my school has a "no espanol" sign on his door. Is this wrong?

Question

He has it taped up to his door. He says because he doesn't like Spanish (he said, only the language is what he doesn't like), and he said only english is allowed in his classroom. He is usually one of those nice funny teachers, so maybe it's a joke ... I'm not sure?

I know that there is a couple kids who can speak fluent in Spanish, but they also speak English as there main language out of home so I doubt it would offend them, but is it still wrong?

By the way, my school is in Ohio, and we don't have that many spanish speaking people here. So maybe he's trying to give his political message or something??

I think some people are getting the wrong message. I'm not Spanish, I'm English and I honestly don't know much spanish at all.

Don't judge.

Answer 1

English is NOT the official language of the United States, as many people on here think.

If the teacher has specific problems with kids speaking Spanish during class (for example, trying to cheat during a test by speaking a language the teacher doesn't know), then I think the sign is ok.

BUT, if he put the sign up for no other reason than that he doesn't like the sound of Spanish, then he is very ignorant (and arrogant). He has no legal right whatsoever to tell someone they cannot speak Spanish in the United States.

Answer 2

I think that if he has a problem with people speaking Spanish in the classroom, then he should speak to those students and tell them that he expects only English to be spoken. Maybe he doesn't know Spanish and he doesn't like the fact that those student are having conversations in Spanish. For all he knows they could be cheating or something.
I think that he should remove the sign, make a verbal announcement and be done with it.
If every one in the room can speak english and he is teaching history, then there is no need for spanish.

Answer 3

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's respectful to speak English in the classroom if the teacher is only English speaking. I think it could be an issue of discipline if the student was misbehaving and possibly saying threatening, defaming, bullying things in another language that the teacher is unable to monitor. If he says it's okay to speak Russian or another language and has only disallowed Spanish, then that should raise an eyebrow. As long as the rule applies to everyone, it seems like a reasonable idea.

Answer 4

Well, I wouldn't care about why he put that awful sign up. As someone who can speak both fluently, I would feel unwelcome and offended. I have the right to speak whichever language I choose, though in public, I almost always speak in English. Perhaps others in similar circumstances feel the same way, but choose to keep quiet.

Answer 5

It's informational, not wrong. There is no confusion about what that the teacher is teaching in English and probably only able to speak that language as well. Helps keep order in the classroom.

Answer 6

yes your history teacher is wrong for singling out spanish students that is what is illegal for singling out a minority of students. English is not our native language if you look up the history of the US it's actually Spanish in some parts of our beloved country so tell your History teacher that in the southwest they teach both in English and Spanish. He needs a attitude adjustment or he might be a racist.

Answer 7

If he doesn't speak Spanish, then why would he allow anyone to speak Spanish in his classroom?
Just as businesses can advertise that they are Spanish friendly, the rest of us that are mon-lingual should be allowed the same consideration to be spoken to in our own language

Answer 8

I think what he's trying to say is that it's a history class and not a spanish class =) Students should speak english =)

Answer 9

Well, the neat thing about America is we are supposed to have freedom of speech so he should be allowed to post the sign if it is his wish. Perhaps he doesn't understand espanol and considers it rude when people discuss in another language whille with people who don't understand. But, they too have freedon of speech. Perhaps he just put the sign up to elicit some good discussion. Bet he is not allowed to keep the sign up, though. We have become a nation of petty picky people.

Answer 10

English is the official language so I don't htink it is wrong. In a lot of foreign language classrooms, they say No English.