Do you think this is right for public schools to do this?

Question

My step-daughter just started kindergarten and her grammar is AWFUL. let me give you some examples of things she says....Instead of "Yes i am" she says " Yes are is" and instead of "Are we going" she says "Is us going". And instead of "we" she always says "were". Those are just some examples. Anyway, my husband and i get her every other weekend so its hard but we constantly work with her and her mother thinks its cute..Well my whole point is when we spoke to her teachers about putting her in speech class or some type of special program to help her they said she didnt need it, BUT they said she NEEDED to be in a bi-lingual (spanish). Do you think this is pushing her needs aside so she can learn spanish...I think this is another example of making americans cater to illegals.

Everytime she says it wrong i tell her to say it again right and she does weel when shes with us but her mother tells us to leave her alone because its "mean" and because in her words "shes only a baby"

i mean well

BTW..I live in New Mexico, a border state where our mayor and governor suck. Bill Richardson is the one who wants our children to learn spanish. And my husband and i are hispanic but our girls dont speak spanish and i dont want to for them.

Answer 1

Why would she need a bi-lingual program??? I must be missing something there. My son cannot speak (he is 17)and i have fought tooth and nail for 1 to 1 speech therapy for him. He only gets 20 min 2x's weekly and they even violate the IEP on that. a few years ago, he was getting only 1 to 1 speech every single day, as he needed. You know how those budget cuts go. I would literally fall down laughing hysterically if they tried to tell me that what my son needed was a bi-lingual program!! Our schools are taking a nosedive so fast that the ones with special needs, if that doesn't include bi-lingual or free lunches and breakfast, are being shoved aside first. I'm sorry you're dealing with this...I completely understand your frustration...completely.

I'm in CA...

Answer 2

Diction is one of the many things today's school systems have let go by the wayside. It makes me so mad, how are children expected to be a success in college and at job interviews if they can't speak properly? Spanish is all well and good as a bonus and learning language is easier when you're young, but if a child can't master their native tongue what good is a second language going to do them?

My story is similar but going the other way, my daughter was very well spoken BEFORE we sent her to school and since then her speaking skills have declined from being around other children on a daily basis that weren't raised to speak well. Every other day we have to reinforce good speaking skills with her and remind her that an intelligent person don''t talk the way the kids at her school do.

Answer 3

She should not be in speech classes for this. It is a grammar problem, not a physical disability for her to overcome. This is a result of poor parenting on the side of the custodial parent (I have exactly the same problem with my step son and his lazy father).

I agree on not forcing children into foreign language classes. That should be your choice. However, you should realize that it is very beneficial and the earlier you learn a second language the easier it is to learn another one later.

The mother is the one who needs to be working on the grammar. There are no special programs for the children of lazy or stupid parents, nor should there be.
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What Ive done with mine is refuse to do what he asks or anything unless he either uses proper grammar, or makes a noble attempt. He'll know the difference over time and at the very least will be able to make the choice to sound like an idiot or not when he's old enough instead of having it thrust upon him.

Answer 4

If your daughter is in a public school she is entitled to state/district services. I would suggest you speak to her teacher first and see what they say. If they feel there is an issue with her speech, you arrange a meeting with special services and your teachers, at the meeting it will be explained what they issue is and what course of action will be taken. After the meeting you have 5 business days to refuse the assistance offered by the school district.

After the 5th day you child will be assessed usually this in done in the class environment where the child is not aware of the testing. After a period of 30 days, another meeting is arranged an the test results are gone over.

If help is needed the State will pay for help through the school district, they will not pay for help outside the school district. In other words if they have a speech teacher on school property you will be offered her services for your child. If you prefer not to use their services then you have to pay to go privately to another person.

All these services are available, in some school districts you have to fight to get your child tested, in other the school systems it is set up more smoothly to help children and parents.

Remember the 'No child left behind Act' - a useful tool as a parent.

Also, if they still refuse you help in testing have her tested privately and with the results you can approach the school

Answer 5

My goodness. I can't believe the teachers said this. She needs to learn correct English before she learns Spanish. I would recommend just getting her a private tutor. I would have a meeting with the principal and have them arrange for that school district speech therapist come in and test her and see what help she needs. Every district has this. You need to push for it and don't let them tell you any different. You may have to speak with the superintendent. Your tax dollars pay for this so you should be able to use these sources.

Answer 6

if people want to live in the usa,they need to speak english as the primary language first and speak it decently before worrying about a second laguage!!!!!!!Why do americans have to bend over backwards to learn another language when english is first here?I get so disgusted with the government and schools forcing spanish and making us change for others who do not want to learn the AMERICAN way of life!!!Illegals should be REQUIRED to learn english AND speak it in public so they know they live in america-not MEXICO!!! I would insist that your stepdaughter learn to speak correctly in english before she can learn any other language- period.the school is in the wrong.if they do not agree with this,i'd take her out and put her in a school where english is the primary language.I'm sorry to be so strong opinionated but i feel spanish or any other language is done as a voluntary thing-not forced on us.I don't go to other countries and expect them to convert their country into all english.

Answer 7

I'll tell you, I'd push my kid to take any language they were offering. What is happening now in districts that DON'T have language for US citizens is that ONLY those who aren't from here are coming out of basic grades truly bilingual. That puts our kids at a disadvantage.

You won't win this one, although I agree they should teach English grammar. Maximize the opportunities that you do have, though. In most places I know of there is no money 'left over' to teach our kids to be bi-lingual.

Answer 8

I don't know the situation but it could be that she talks that way because of her contact with ESL students. They have trouble with English because Spanish speakers construct their sentences to translate into English sounding the same as she does.
That school district is horrible and are aiding in the problems we have with the Hispanic immigrants, legal and illegal.
No other country would require its citizens to adapt and learn the language of invaders.
Remember, when the whites took this country from the Indians, one of the first steps in the conquest was to force the Native children to learn English, the same is happening to our children now.

Answer 9

This is because our public education system in many states are pushing spanish. Part of it is because legislators at the state level in your state are "Latino caucus", and their agenda is "la raza", they want the language of this nation to be Spanish, not English.
In addition many of the school boards, and employees in public education are of the same ilk, la raza.

The state of California made bilingual education illegal, but the schools just continued with the same program, doing an end run by calling it "English as a Second Language" instead.
It's disgusting.

When my daughter was in public school in California, at the 3rd grade she brought home a paper which said that she was "chosen" to be in a special "state program", the note went on to glorify the program, as an "enrichment" program for "special" students who were chosen because of their impressive test scores on the California state aptitude tests.
I checked into the program, with the help of a friend of mine who happened to be the son of someone at the top rungs of politics in the states education department.
The truth was not in the paper which was sent home for me to sign. The truth was that program was an "immersion program" to put my child into "Mexican culture immersion" including Spanish language immersion. In other words, my daughter would have been put into classes which were taught entirely in Spanish, NO ENGLISH AT ALL.
My daughter did not speak Spanish.
I was apalled. I went down to the school, read the principal and her teacher the riot act, specifically about the deceptive wording on the paper they sent home.
They told me it would be good for my daughter to speak Spanish, and they were only considering her "future".

I found out that for every student enrolled in that program, the state of California paid more money per head, because if the kid spoke Spanish, they would classify them as a "migrant" and get federal funds.
IS THAT DISGUSTING OR WHAT?

I told my neighbors about what the program really was, showing them the letters I had gotten from my friend in Sacramento.

I pulled my daughter out of public school, she was homeschooled. She is now a successful businesswoman and we are proud of her. She never learned Spanish and it has not stopped her from excelling.

It sounds like your school is using the same kind of "la raza" agenda.
It is propaganda and indoctrination.

Answer 10

Catering to immigrants so that they do no have to learn English is not good for anyone involved. Not only is it hurting students like your own, but it will hurt the immigrants in the long run as well. To succeed here they will need to be fluent in English.

As for your daughter, don't worry, she will improve her grammar. People learn languages as they are spoken by the people around them. If she is surrounded by people with better grammar as she gets older (and she will be) then she will improve.