Foreign-language speakers increasing in Janesville schools

My friend is a ELL teacher. Her second language is Spanish.....But that doesn't help a whole lot when some of her students are from Middle East, Eastern Europe, Russia and she has one that American Sign Language is their 1st Language. Even most are spanish speaking the teachers have to deal with a lot of others too. Oh this is interesting I have a friend who is Hispanic was born Texas. 3rd generation American, her family no longer speaks spanish daily, but......because she has a Hispanic last name, The school district wanted to put her kids in ELL classes. Her kids can't even speak spanish and wanted to take Spanish classes. Go figure and this was here in Janesville.

It had been a while since i last read this, and i didn't catch the top 13 or 15 posts, but i wanted to reply to the comments about eliminating language classes in favor of "life lessons" classes. Balancing a checkbook i actually DID learn in my 7th grade math class. But other "life lessons" should be taught by the PARENTS (Not to turn this into a completely different arguement.).
I was totally satisfied with my education within the Janesville school district. And you can't eliminate classes just because YOU didn't use it as an adult. Physics was worthless to me, but Spanish was HUGE in my life.
Tell you what...you can eliminate foreign languages after you take out football and basketball and the other sports. But we all know hell will freeze over before that happens. I'm not saying sports aren't great for kids. They really are. But if you're looking to cut expenses from schools, cut sports and make city teams before you eliminate classes.

To all you mono-syllabic, pedestrian-thinking, uninformed bloggers:

Wu zhi de ren shi yu chun de ren. Ni, wu zhi, shi yu chun de ren. (That's Chinese Mandarin...you figure out the translation.)

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too many liberals in this town is the problem. just read the janesville liberalzette. the first thing the libbies need to learn in spanish and arabic is I SURRENDER!!!!!

Hi Joker, I'll face it when you show me some stats. What is the "large majority" that doesn't go to college? There might be a lot of people without college degrees in Janesville, but that doesn't mean the current high school graduates aren't going to college. Like most cities similar to it, I'd expect that many students graduate, go away to college, and then do not come back.

Frmrjvl: I have spent most of my life in Janesville and it continues to get worse and worse. Face it, the large majority of the graduates do not go to college. If they do, they go to URock or Blackhawk. The median education level in this town is not as high as you think. I read somewhere that Beloit has surpassed Janesville in residents with a college education. Seems like Beloit is passing Janesville in many things.

Don't worry. The UAW and Tim Cullen(yawn) are going to save GM and all the jobs here. Face it, this town's sugar daddy is no more. Our community leaders should focus on bringing more culture and highpaying jobs like other nearby communities have been doing. Look at riverfront in Beloit and the old Beloit Corp property. Now this is progress.

It's weird-I live in Milton but work, go to school, and shop in Janesville and I rarely hear other languages being spoken. If there is a conversation going on in one of the 311 languages spoken in the U.S. I don't get mad that I can't understand because I wasn't invited into the conversation in the first place. I've been in nursing clinicals for a year and have only come across two patients that I couldn't communicate with easily-one because she was experiencing dementia and reverted back to just Spanish. Why should anyone hide their native language use behind closed doors. How about let's not make comments on here unless they're %100 proper English. I doubt there would be very many comments here at all.

I'll admit I don't spend much time in Janesville anymore. The way acejd paints it, it must be difficult to hear English being spoken anymore. No, that can't be, acejd must just be very sensitive to it. Ace, what is 'sad' about hearing a non-English language? By the way, you might want to run this sentence past your English teacher: "We as a country is seeing jobs go overseas and the remaining jobs here go to them, one being their a so called minority and secondly they work cheap."
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Also, Joker, if you are going to spend your entire life in Janesville I'm sure you don't need to learn anything but English, and sure, there might be a use for Spanish. However, there are a lot of jobs in both government and business where speaking French would be an advantage, as well as, of course, many other languages. So few high school graduates are staying in Janesville anymore, so we should prepare them for lives in a global business/government environment.

good point acedjd. can you imagine if immigrants ran this country?? oh, wait.......;)

If the children are born here to non english speaking families, it gives the WHOLE family 4-5 years to start learning the language! If they want to rattle their native toungue behind closed doors that's fine but it's pretty sad if you go to the mall or the grocery store on a saturday and think to yourself where am I because finding someone that is having a conversation in english is hard pressed to find is sad. And to see the checkout people struggle because they don't understand eachother is worse. We as a country is seeing jobs go overseas and the remaining jobs here go to them, one being their a so called minority and secondly they work cheap. If it keeps up at this pace, we'll be the minority! We need to take our country back!

Exactly, they must have learned english in school. Which is one of many liberal ideas I support. Or, possibly they could have learned english from their family. Hispanic families are a lot of times large and close knit. Just because they haven't learned from their parents doesn't mean they haven't learned from their family or community.

Sewae, I have experienced many of these children who are in non English speaking homes actually have learned English and have to translate for their parents. So they must be learning from TV (Good God!) or from school. They have to learn if they want to survive in school. Our forefathers did decades ago and now they should as well.

Parents are foolish not to make their children learn English. In fact, they too should get some basic understanding of our language. If I or you lived in a non-English speaking country, we would need to learn the language. Of course, we would also have to be there legally. Wow, what a novel concept. Too bad all the liberals out there get their undies in a bundle over this issue. Face it liberals, you are only enabling the non English speaking immigrints and are holding them back from succeeding.

Sarah B, yes I am serious. I took 2 years of Spanish in H.S. and in college. I still retain a bit of understanding of the language but overall, do not need it. Spanish is always good to learn as it is practical here in Janesville. But face it, learning other languages are not really needed. Make these students take private lessons/classes. A large majority of the graduates never even leave the city limits and this is not a city educated enough and affluent enough to require graduates speak German or French. Look around and see and hear the truth SarahB.

Some of the comments on here have to be fake, right?! How is someone in Mexico supposed to learn English when the country doesn't even have compulsory education? And, thank you, to the writer who has attended college and can testify to the fact that most colleges require one to have taken at least two years of a foreign language in high school, along with three (often, four) years of math, three or more of science, four of English (including composition), etc., etc. Of course, not everyone is planning on attending college, but jobs no longer requiring a degree or skilled labor are becoming very scarce. One more thing, I've yet to see a college application or a job application that asks if I can balance my checkbook! Now, anyone is more than welcome to learn job-seeking skills at the County Job Center ... why duplicate that in public school, Joker?

And if they were born here into a non-english speaking family? It happens. Should they be able to come into the school system or no? It's not the kids 'fault' it's their parents 'fault'.

Bi-Lingual? Kids have to learn one language and it's phonics before learning another. For the ones who don't speak english, they should learn it before moving into this country. That is like one of us moving to a foreign country with no idea of their languages and seeing how they embrass us. At this rate of bending over and adapting to them instead of them adapting to us, why not just teach kids the metric system first!

I was being facetious about taking out any class that may not be useful to all. I never thought chemistry would come in all that handy either. I needed to have taken it to get into nursing though.
These classes that are in the cirriculum are meant to give all students a chance at a well-rounded education. Some of the classes we may not use on a daily basis but are needed to get into college programs. We are so far behind many other countries in education-let's not fall farther behind.

thejoke, do you think all languages should be taken out completely or should be offered as as elective? Either way it's in the schools. Certain subjects are better taught in school. Some of my kids' math I don't understand. Don't need it, don't use it. Mabye they will need it someday so I leave it to the teachers who know what they're talking about to teach it. Life skills I can teach at home. I took a class and learned to make jello and macaroni and cheese. Out of a box. I think that's not something that necessarily needs a paid teacher to accomplish. I would love for my kids to have a broad world view-language included.

Sewage, for once we may agree. I think we need to look at all of the classes being taught. Physics and Chemistry was wasted on me as well. More life skills classes should be offered. Some mandatory, some optional.

Do you have a say? Yes you do. But remember, majority rules. Finally, would your children suffer if they were not able to take French,German,etc?

thejoke: I do favor a comfortable learning environment for my kids.

I understand about the illegal immigrants. But my comments here were directed at the story which is about non-english speaking children, not necessarily illegal immigrants. What classes do you feel out children should be taking? I have kids in school and I feel they should learn other languages. Do I not get a say?

Sewage, please read carefully. "Illegal immigrants" I have no problem with "legal immigrants" This is what our country was founded on and made it great. Let me know if you still are confused.

I am all for letting our children learn what the rest of the world is learning. But who is going to pay for it? Yes, it is the taxpayers. Thus, we should have the right and ability to question and oppose the actions of the school district. You seem willing to let the school board and administrators do anything they want and spend whatever they want. Sorry, but you and many others have been asleep at the switch and this train is now heading for a big crash. Time to wake up and slow this spending train down and do a top to bottom inspection of what is going on in our schools.

Finally, I am sure you are in favor of having air conditioning in the schools as well?

As far as teaching our kids things like balancing checkbooks-they do learn that.
Learning how to write and communicate better-it's Japanese, not Japaneese.
Parenting skills? Now I have to ask: are you serious? You want to be smarter with spending-something that I obviously don't understand-but you want to teach all kids parenting skills when all kids aren't going to be parents. I'm just saying, that sounds like a silly example of smart education funds spending.

So now all immigrants are illegals? The story is about non-english speakers, not illegal immigrants. To assume they are one in the same is stupid.
I never used physics. I won't when I'm a nurse either. It is a luxury class, I guess. Let's get rid of it.
Some kids will use it in their future. Some of these kids will use other languages in their future careers. Should we just pare down our class selection to two or three classes? No history, don't need it. No home-ec. No gym. Let's just teach our kids the basics instead of allowing them the opportunity to learn what the rest of the world is learning.

Sewage, I not sure where you are getting your comments from. The KKK are idiots, that is a fact. Illegal immigrants are "illegal", that is a fact. I am not saying they are bad people but they are breaking the law here in the US.
I or you could not sneak into Mexico or Germany and expect to get free education, health care and other benefits. They would run us right out of their country if we did not have a passport or reason to be there. This too is a fact.

Choice? Yes, I and other taxpayers should have every right to determine what luxury classes should be offered. It is your type of thinking that allows us to have high taxes and out of control spending on our schools. Yes, education is the key to our future. However, we need to be "smarter" as to how money is spent in the school system. I would suggest you make more of an effort to learn this.

"Ship 'em back to mexico. If you can't speak English than it's time to pack your bags!!!!!"
"Which Native American language do YOU speak?" None. You see we faught the Native American's and won therefore we get to speak OUR LANGUAGE, english. Might is right!"
"Wow, that's to easy! Round them and their parents up and send them back to Mexico or what ever country they came from. Their parents do not pay taxes to support this. We do! They are a burden to our society, plus they are breaking the law. Their is no way their parents are legal citizens because an immigrant has to learn the language in order to become a US citizen."
'Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is the name of several past and present secret organizations in the United States, generally in the southern states, that are best known for advocating white supremacy and acting as vigilantes while hidden behind conic masks and white robes.'
These posters telling non-english speaking people to 'go back where they came from', etc. don't want people in this country who aren't like 'us'. (Who know's what the mixture of 'us' is-not all while, I know that). I think Cocktail's point IS worth discussion.
As far as-why teach these kids French? The kids have a choice between which language they would like to learn. I would like to have taken Spanish because it is more commonly spoken here than French. But it is a CHOICE. Would you like telling someone you what you can and cannot learn?
'Lets not teach the kids other languages, let's only teach them certain ones.' We are already a generally self-absorbed society, but let's further distance ourselves from the rest of the world by only knowing one language-or maybe a certain select other language.

Cocktail, your silly comment on the KKK is not worth further discussion.

Kiwi, let me guess, you or someone in your family works for the school district? Learning new cultures is a great thing but it is also a luxury item. Learning these languages is not life or death for our young people. Many of the basic subjects are but not this foray in learning other languages. If we can afford it, great. But we cannot afford it right now. Just like we cannot afford all of these redundant administrators and teacher aides. What do they really do for the students? I doubt some of them would be missed.

Kiwi, yes I am serious. I am also serious about also teaching the students more life lessons like balancing a checkbook, learning how to interview for jobs, learning skilled trades, learning how to write and communicate better, parenting skills,etc. This is where we can really help our young students. Not learning Japaneese or French.

Looking at some of these ingnorant comments you would think the KKK still had a presence in Janesville.

Joker...Are you serious?
Yeah...let's get rid of those language classes that (even if every kid doesn't decide to follow through and eventually become fluent) not only teach the language, but the CULTURES of other countries. And in the process, blind our students to the outside world. Terrible idea.

And i love NorthernBelle's comment about people wanting non english speakers to "learn the lang. or get out" but then complaining on the method of that learning.

Bottom line is that these kids need to go to school. They're NOT holding the english speakers back. If you're going to argue that, then i'll argue that the kid who can't count by 2s yet is holding back some other kid.

This is why teachers are so fantastic, (and why they aren't payed nearly enough) they tailor their lessons to the needs of the children because not every one learns at the same pace. This is also why aids are needed. When was the last time you single handedly tried to get 28+ kids to sit down and learn something at one time? And for 8 hours a day?

You can't change the fact that not everyone speaks English. You can however, strive to ensure that 15 yrs down the road, we don't have a lot of really stupid kids.

Besides, kids around the kindergarten age have enormous language acquisition skills and become bi-lingual quite quickly.

I have (what I hope is) a simple request. For those of you complaining about immigrants not learning to speak English, could you please make sure that you use the language correctly in your posts? Here are a few tips: one, remember the apostrophes in contractions; two, remember the correct usage of to and too; three, remember the difference between there and their. As always, correct spelling aids communication.

"And again-I keep hearing that anyone moving to this country needs to learn English. Now I'm hearing that when they do it is an unfair advantage. I just don't understand."

Wow what a profound statement. I have to applaud this. Most posts are saying "Learn/speak English or get out". These children will need to learn it..as will the parents. The school is the opportunity to do so. Now a good number of you are complaining when they're attending school to get an education AND learn the precious language you want them to learn. It makes no sense. They have to learn somewhere and for children the easiest way is immersion into school with some patient adults and peers. Instead of blasting those not knowing English, give them resources. Maybe some honestly don't know where to get help to learn English. We must admit it's a very difficult language with all the slang words and ways to say things, including double usages of words. Instead of complaining and blasting the honest people who are in America to make a better way for themselves and their children, how about encouraging them to seek help (give them resources) to learn our language and giving them a pat on the back when they do. Maybe the community and those within it need to do more outreach among groups and even in our own neighborhoods. If you can't be part of the solution in a positive way, then don't complain about the problem.

Let's do more to help our fellow man. It's what we're here for, afterall.

Absolutely. ;-)

Question-Does the Janesville School District still offer other foreign language classes besides Spanish and French? I read somewhere that they offer Russian, German and Japaneese. If they are looking for ways to cut the school budget, they have to start here. These classes are luxury items. In tough times like now, we need to cut them!!! They also have little value for most of these students who will more than likely never leave the city limits.

Also, could someone please tell me what all of the administrators and teacher aides actually do at our junior highs and high schools? Talk about the need to cut some fat. They are way over staffed!! Are some of these people really necessary?

There is no national language. If they really do make you learn English I would say that is unconstitutional. Do you know there are 311 languages spoken in the U.S.? Eighty percent of this country speaks english-but english is by far not the only language. The 80% was a number from the 2000 census so I'm sure it's slightly lower now.

Just one question: How many of you complaining about English-speaking students being cheated by this issue even bothered to send your kids to school on the "snow Saturdays"? Unfortunately, we are still surrounded by racists.

gary...No, but I have a buddy who grew up with U-God of Wu-Tang Clan. Does that make me a Wu-Tang groupie?

These kids can't speak English because their parents can't? Wow, that's to easy! Round them and their parents up and send them back to Mexico or what ever country they came from. Their parents do not pay taxes to support this. We do! They are a burden to our society, plus they are breaking the law. Their is no way their parents are legal citizens because an immigrant has to learn the language in order to become a US citizen.

I see benstinkin has been making a fool of himself again. Maybe if you spent more time worrying about your out-of-control children instead of enlightening us all with your online wisdom you wouldn't be in the mess you are in. Yes, I know who you are so yes, I know about your situation. I find it humorous.

luvujvl. Well, dang it, these kids are trying to learn the language. This program will help them do that. This situation, children learning English while parents do not is nothing new. This was the case for many immigrants throughout the history of this country. Printing in foreign languages for immigrants isn't new either, that's also been around since the 19th century. Banks used to print ledgers in the languages common to area immigrants - surprise, it's about money! If Janesville has the means to help these children become better students and citizens, but doesn't do it, that would be a shame.

I've always thought that if you come to this country, dang it, learn the language. We speak English here - like it or leave it. Apparently that's not holding water anymore - now it seems that the rest of us need to learn Spanish to keep up. I don't agree with that, but if that's the way it is, so be it. But it seems if the school system is working this hard to teach ELL, perhaps there should be something in place to teach us 50 year old +s Spanish, so we can keep up? I don't agree with it, but if that's the way we're headed then the older generation needs some education on how to communicate.

¿Significa usted la Wu-Espiga Klan?

"But then again it is the law to be in this country you must be a citizen"
INCORRECT. There are several other status like : "Legal resident with a sponsored visa to work" "Permanent resident" (foreigners who marry american citizens and are in the process of becoming citizens)refugies of war, etc, etc...
I agree, immigrants to the US MUST try really hard to learn the language. 4 skills: Listening, Speaking, reading and writing. (with its exceptions, again, mentally challenged, senior citizens, ...)
And I also think its time to challenge our society to reach higher levels of education and culture... it is not common to see americans who are fluent in a second language, we are in a glogal system, it is time to step up.

As far as the Volvo, LL Bean hiking boots and lattes-again you're assuming and in assuming you are way off track.
I'm a poor bisnatch.

benthinkin-I never said I only supported efforts to create bilingual children if they start non-english. Where did I say that? I think the problem is you are arguing a point I didn't make over an opinion that I don't hold. Don't assume that because I support these non-english speaking children in getting an education in an english speaking curriculum-thus being emersed in and learning english-that I don't support other children in having an opportunity to learn another language. When I said I was arguing for a select group-it was because I was responding to comments on said select group. If someone had said: I don't think it's right for our children to learn other languages, I would have argued against that. But that's not what the commments I was responding to were about.

NVgrf - I know what you mean. I have been waiting for you to chime in.
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PS. Go Cubbies!

Es sin duda evidente la razón por la Janeville fue elegido por el Klan y el Partido Nazi de América como el lugar de la "Cumbre de odio" en la década de 1990.

benthinkin - Resources are not being spent to create bilingual students. Resources are spent to help non-English speaking students access the curriculum. They learn Enlish by being emersed in the language. It would work the same way if you moved to Germany. Evenually you would speak German because you would be emeresed in the language. As to these children being given an advantage because they will become bilingual I ask you the following question; When in the history of British and American Western Civilization was it not an advantage to be born an English speaking white male? Don't kid yourself that these non-English students will have an unfair advantage over native born "American" and English speaking children. We have come a long way in this country but the truth is that white, English speaking males still have most of the advantages in this country.

Swea the issue is that resources are being spent to create bi-lingual children...but only a select group of bi-lingual children and that is discrimination. You only support efforts to create bi-lingual children if they start non- english. You do not support additional resources for children who start english and should have the same additional resources to become bi-lingual. The issue is the additional resources only offered to a select group with the end result being an unfair advantage in the workplace.
I see that you must enjoy the new roundabouts in town cause your just talking in circles.

Go ahead and ride around in your volvo with your llbean hiking shoes on drinking your latte and feel good cause your liberating the under priveliged at the expense of children.

Maybe take a logic course so you can actually see it once in a while.

coast2coast - I agree that folks should learn to use the language well. To that end: What is the "inter city"? How long is "to long?"

benthinkin and sewaelizabeth, maybe your conflict has to do with starting from different value orientations. I think what elizabeth is driving at is justice, and what benthinkin is criticizing is a lack of equality. Both of these are good things, but so is moderation. I think that sometimes focusing so much on equality is a problem because not everybody starts in the same place or has the same needs. There is an element of justice here because these kids did not choose to be students in an environment where they do not speak the language. Regardless of the issues that bring them into the Janesville schools, it's a good thing that a community is willing to make an effort to serve those with a particular need in the hopes that it may benefit them, and the community, in the future. It speaks well for Janesville that it makes an effort. I recognize that there are budget issues, but the article seems to say that there are a lot of kids who could benefit from this, so it's not as if it's a new teacher for one family in town.

I had to laugh when I heard Obama say something to the effect that all kids should learn Spanish. Clearly he has been out of the Chicago inter city to long, as most can't even speak the proper English. Learning proper ENGLISH is a good starting point in Education, before taking on any foreign languages.

I am arguing for the kids in the story in response to the posts. Where have I said that english speaking kids shouldn't become bilingual? Where? The thing is, the kids coming into the school don't speak english. The schools are english speaking. In order to learn in school they must learn english. Would you like it if the schools brought in Spanish speaking teachers to cater to these youths (or whatever foreign languages the kids are speaking)? I have a feeling many would oppose that because they are getting 'special treatment'. After all, they should learn english to be in our country. But we shouldn't teach them english because then they would be bilingual and have an unfair advantage over the other kids. Speak as slow as you like, you still don't get what I'm saying and you are talking out both sides of your mouth.

Ok Swea I'll try to explain real s l o w for you since you are not getting it as based on you last post.
Your Quote "I am arguing for the 'select group' that is being targeted here"
That is an admition that you are discriminating by selecting to only help a certain subgroup of the children become bi-lingual.
If you say it is not the kids fault that the parents speak a different language at home, well I agree. However, what you cannot seem to grasp is that extra resources are being applied to a certain subgroup that results in an advantage over the other children, that being bi-lingual.
My arguement is that all children should have the same opportunity available. So, If resources are spent with the end result being bi-lingual children, well then all children should have access to the same opportunity, otherwise it is discrimination which is illegal.
Remember Title 9???

By the way, I never said I wouldn't love for foreign languages to be offered earlier in the schools. I just don't think the kids coming in speaking other languages should be deprived of an education.
Benthinkin-are you responding to my posts because the responses, if so, don't fit at all what I'm getting at.

i don't have a problem with more eel teacher's but don't take away or cut other programs to pay for this. like TITLE(reading program), Math programs, they are just as important as eel. Truly i bet theres not many kindergarten's who don't speak english. it's more like their parents who don't speak it or understand it. and don't want to...

I don't discriminate. To say that all children should have opportunity is discriminating? My kids have the opportunity to learn another language-and they will. These non-english speaking children coming into the schools are going to speak another language. I'm sorry the school's don't offer foreign language in kindergarten-but they do offer them. As far as my daughter-she can 'speak to ten' in Spanish, yup. Bilingual-not yet. She had that opportunity to learn something though and took it.
Why would I read the funny pages anyway? Some of these comments I've seen are painfully funny enough.

What motivation do these people have to learn English if we coddle them every step of the way? "Press 1 for English" is only a small part of it. If I were to move to another country, I would take it upon myself to learn the language. I wouldn't expect someone to baby me. For God's sake, there are some signs at public places that have things in about 6 different languages. Ask a public servant or someone who works in a hospital how much time and expense is expended working with these people who don't know the language. That all comes out of the taxpayer's pockets in the end. Maybe the big farmers and others who brought these folks here for cheap labor should foot the bill for language classes.

The article is about teaching English to school students who do not speak the language. This seems like a reasonable thing for schools to do. Regarding multiple languages on boxes at the store, I guess you could do some calisthenics so you can handle turning a box up to 3 times. Did it ever occur to you that companies sell things in many countries? Also, companies have this little quirk - they like to sell products to as many people as possible. So they do what they can, even if it means, gasp, printing in multiple languages.

Opinionsforfree: Please reexplain your point. Do you just feel inconvenienced when you try to assemble something you buy at a store? You need to be careful when you discuss STANDARDIZATION in the market place. All it equals is more government regulation which means more taxes and higher priced goods.
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How about that for off the topic from what the article is originally about?

of work so don't.

Wat er ewe geddin aat?

Well that's good sweaz i am glad to see you are guilty of discriminating...At least your honest about it.
It is really a shame that you would not care about all children though. Just think how great it would be if all kids were bi-lingual, the level of communicaton would be vast, but no you would not want that.
So those great classes your daughter learned to speak to ten in, did she end up bi-lingual or was it just an entertaining event?

sewaelizebeth: you missed the point. I would stick with the funny pages if I were you

Roadking: your grammar is in dire need or work so I wouldn’t talk

Looks to me like some of the people who are writing these posts complaining about the ELL classes never learned how to speak english correctly much less spell the words out. U no hoo u r.

I am arguing for the 'select group' that is being targeted here. Like I said-my daughter took Spanish at her elementary school-an after school offering. They teach other languages in school. What more do you want? As for pushing 1 for English or whatever, I've had to push so many buttons to get to a person to talk to that the one button for English isn't really a life altering problem-for me anyway.

You're right there is no official language in the US. Back in the days of the colonies, they were going to put it to a vote, but then decided there where too many German's that would vote for German. Sprechen sie Deutsch?

I don't think it's so much a paranoia as it is more of an inconvenience people to be forced to learn a 2nd or 3rd language in some cases... if you want to learn it, fine... just don't force the rest of us to do so...

if one of us were to go to, say, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, as some examples, not all of them know American English (which is our nation's standard and official language; not saying that there aren't others within the nation)... those that do know it, great, yet those that don't speak it get irritated that we don't know their native language(s)... some of them would want to help us, others have the same attitude as some of us in here, being 'if you don't like it, go back where you came from'...

I sincerely hope Officerfriendly was kidding.

I think anybody coming into this country to live should learn to speak at least minimal amounts of English. I agree that money is taken away from other programs when we have to provide ESL and ELL programs but at least the children are learning and maybe they will teach at home some of what they are learning. Most likely they will just become the speaker for the family. What I see tho is that we get these kids in school and start teaching them and then they are pulled out of school for various reasons. My beef is coming into Madison or Janesville and the businesses are now doing their signs in Spanish or advertising that they speak Spanish? Why should people learn if they don't have to?

Why are people so paranoid and afraid of non-English speakers? Why are you so convinced that everybody else is working the system and you are a good, hard working, honest American? Guess what, most people are good and not working the system. Now I'll be called naive without any evidence or some story about someone you know, or better yet about someone that someone you know knows. Most people are not working the system, some are, but if most were we couldn't get through a day, but contrary to the pessimists all over the place most days actually run quite smoothly for most people.
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Why, if my plan was to move to a foreign country (with my children) and work the system, why would I move to Janesville, WI? And those of you who say things like, "I bet all their parents are illegal," grow up. Get over yourself. You have no idea, stop spewing your ignorant, loathsome, fear and get on with your 'I do no harm' life.

Well English should be the language standard. I can't even go to the store anymore and look at a box sitting on the shelf without turning it several times to get to the part I can read. I am not stating English should be the standard because i hate people from form distant lands, but STANDARDAZTION people. When you build an infrastructure, it’s simpler to manage when there are standards in place We in America have no standards at all so it makes it harder for anyone to conduct their business regardless of what language is spoken or read. Everyday things for instance are made more difficult without a standard language press 1 for English 2 Spanish 3 for Chinese or when you buy something at a store and try to read the manual which is 100 pages long when there is 2 pages of actual instructions. I am not saying I hate people who speak other languages, but if your living here “learn the language of the land” If I lived in another country I would make a point to learn the language of that land. Why should it be different here?

opinionsforfree: I agree with you...

the way I see it, a majority of them actually know how to speak english, but chose not to... the court systems do have a translater for those that need it, but a majority of them do in fact, speak english... they only use the translater to get a lighter sentence or lesser fine... downfall is even with being bilingual, there are terms that people use (slang, if you will) that even the bilingual individuals may not know... just another way around it... those that are learning english, good for you... those that DO know it, SPEAK IT!! jmo

Thanks Irish, someone is finally getting it.

Sewae...I am arguing for ALL of the kids...
YOU are arguing for a SELECT group...
I totally agree that you need to...
"Get over yourself."

The United States of America does not have an official language.
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By all means, we should start teaching a second language (be it English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, whatever) to all students when they enter kindergarten. I'm all for funding that.

So you are telling me that using government funds to teach one group to be bi-lingual (which is an advantage in the workplace) and purposely not teaching another group is OK.
Please learn the truth about discrimination.
I completely agree that the kids did not cause this and would rather not have to go through it. What you still can't conceive is that the system used is discriminatory and borderline illegal.
A select group of kids are being left out of a key component of success in the workplace simply because of their ethnicity...all in the name of helping prepare another select group of kids for the workplace.

English is the national language. Simple speak (or learn it) or leave. on a different note. I am so tired of seeing these non-English speaking folks parading around the flag of the country they fled for a better life. Umm folks your should be parading around the American flag

"Might is right"? "How much longer do I have to press 1 for English"?
Some people say some scary things. I am not sure if it is worth the time to educate people on the dangers those comments carry with them. They show the contempt that you have for people who are different than you. Where does this contempt come from? Are you truely afraid that our society might "go into the tank" because not everyone speaks like you. Or, are people different than you just easy targets for the blame game?

OK, with these classes being taught at great taxpayer expense, how much longer do I have to "Press 1 for English"? If you come here, learn the language.

I didn't have a choice. My dad was at least 50% Ojibwe (my grandma is %100, my grandfather is actually a mystery because of the secretive nature of my grandma. I know he was from a reservation). Because I was assimilated into anglo culture-no, I don't speak Ojibwe. Too bad. I will learn though. Might equals right? That's too bad that you think that. Racism is alive. Good for you, Officerfriendly.

"Which Native American language do YOU speak?" None. You see we faught the Native American's and won therefore we get to speak OUR LANGUAGE, english. Might is right!

I move to cuontry 5 year a go and my inglish is good thank to Janesville School. They ned a rase!!

Of course being bilingual is an advantage. Not an unfair one-as I stated previously. It's not the kids' fault that their first learned language was one other than English. Their parents moved them here, or spoke primarily another language in the first place. So many people say-Learn English if you want to live here! Now I hear-It's not fair that you're learning English in school! These kids aren't saying: You need to teach me English, or else! They're here to learn. English is spoken heare primarily. The teachers teach them in English. How dare they! I say: Get over yourself.

benthinkin - Let me explain it this way. ELL programs do no specifically teach non-English speakers how to speak English. Non-English learners learn English by being immersed in the language. ELL programs help non-English speakers access the curriculum in the schools. They do this by teaching them coping skills to help get by until they are fluent enough to do it without the guidance. That is not to say that ELL teachers do not give guidance in helping to learn English, but their main goal is to help access the curriculum.

Bi-lingual in the job market is an advantage.
The government teaching one group of kids to be bi-lingual and not the other is unfair advantage.

If you actually believe that taking a spanish class, or french, german etc. is going to give the same level of experience that ell does than just keep your rose colored glasses on and keep right along thinking what your thinking.
An hispanic friend of mine gets more worked up about all this "special treatment" than I. See his parent worked hard to come to America and would not allow his family to be looked at as less than. Much of my opinion comes from hearing his pride in what his family has accomplished to assimilate. No special needs, no special treatment.

And again-I keep hearing that anyone moving to this country needs to learn English. Now I'm hearing that when they do it is an unfair advantage. I just don't understand.

I would love to have taken Spanish (instead of French) in high school just to be able to communicate with my fellow Americans better. If I did (I will take Spanish and learn Anishinabe when my nursing schooling is done-too much to do there)I would have an advantage in my future field. I don't believe it is an unfair advantage though.