What do you think about immigrants not teaching their kids English?

R G

America is world renown as the most successful nation in achieving the integration and assimilation of people from diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, and religions. It is significant that our national motto, E Pluribus Unum, translates to . . . Out of Many . . . ONE! As Americans, we have collectively prided ourselves on our unique ability to acculturate and assimilate all new immigrants. As a nation, we have jointly shaped a culturally blended society reflective of our well know 'melting pot' metaphor. Unfortunately, there is a widening rift appearing in the fabric of our society. It is causing the temperature of the melting pot to approach the boiling point. Ponder This:

One wonders what the Mexican government and its citizens would say, think, and do, if twenty million Americans were to illegally invade Mexico and expect the Mexican government to provide free medical care; supply them with free education and automatic Mexican citizenship for their children; require bilingual interpreters at all hospitals and courts; insist on bilingual government forms; demand that Mexico accept American IDs and provide us with sanctuary cities that would ignore our multiple lawbreaking and allow us to remain free from arrest; expect Mexicans to learn English so we wouldn't have to learn Spanish; fly the US flag from our homes and cars; insist on courses in American culture at our local schools; demand local driver's licenses and in-state college tuition; balkanize their cities and towns; insist that police officers speak to us in English and require them to hire American bilingual officers that are culturally acceptable; and permit the American government to have 47 consulates in Mexico to subversively serve those American illegal aliens What would most Mexicans say about that?

Wouldn't Mexicans vehemently object to such insulting arrogance, insolence and obvious lawless anarchy? There is no doubt that we Americans ALL know the answer to that question because it is what we are FORCED to live with every single day. We categorically and overwhelmingly object and reject the massive illegal immigration that has been taking place in our country for the past two decades. It has become a human tsunami and lawless invasion that borders on anarchy. Our lives are being impacted everyplace and everywhere. We also realize that contrary to our founding principles those 20-23 million illegal aliens, along with many legal immigrants, are not integrating and assimilating into the our uniquely blended American culture and society

"We The People" are noticing more and more every day and everywhere the balkanization of our communities into burgeoning, divisively isolated, ethnic enclaves. We know that such rapidly appearing enclaves are being generated by the unchecked "human tsunami" of illegal aliens flooding into our country at a rate of 10,000 per day. Their massive numbers also encourage LEGAL immigrants to follow their lead of non-assimilation and ethnic and linguistic isolation, spurred on by the insane dogmas of multi-culturalism, diversity and pc (political castration).

"Illegal immigration has imposed a catastrophic impact on taxpayers and seriously crippled our public school system," said Mike Antonovich, a 21-year member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. "While we need legal immigration, which is essential, illegal immigration has been detrimental to the economy and to our quality of life."

persiandiva77

My mother is from Iran. I was made to speak English only. I now am struggling to learn farsi and teach my kids. I think the immigrants of the 70s were of the mentality that American kids need to learn English. The tides seemed to have changed on this though. There should be a good balance to keep the birth culture and learn the new as well.

fuufingf

they dont speak english, how can they teach english?

David .

They shouldn't leave their culture behind but they need to assimilate to ours if they want to be productive members of society, first step is learning English.

MaggieO

Usually it is the other way around... the parents cannot speak English, and the children learn it in school! The kids have to be the translators for their parents wherever they go... This is a situation of choice... the parents and their children can both learn English and still use their own language at home if they want to... They can still keep their own culture and adapt to a new one where they live! IT's not such a hard thing to learn!

Goldenrae9

Most of the children whom I experience within an ESL classroom ususally speak a combination of the two that results from their parents often speaking some form of Spanglish and dealing with cultural clues that are both in English and Spanish.

Most adults experience language fossilization which means that once you are beyond your teens and early twenties it is harder to acquire new language and thus it is easier to speak in your L1. Thus one would assume that they would speak to their child in that language. Also, I know many Italians, Irish, Poles, etc who wish their parents had kept and taught their native tongue and taught them as it part of their cultural heritage.

I'm not saying what is right or wrong, but you are making a lot of assumptions right now.

vegaswoman

I don't think that is widespread but if there are immigrants who speak English and refuse to speak English to their children, that is just irresponsible and will create problems for the children with regards to their education.

Wannaknow

It's only parents' right to decide how and what to give to their children. Each situation is different; sometimes parents don't know English at all, or only a little, therefore they can't teach their children English. Some families don't teach English to their kids because they plan to return to their native country in some future, etc.
There are many reasons, but also I believe there are more families who DO teach their kids English than those who don't.

chief

I believe every person has a right to live in this country.And I believe every person must learn how to speak English. It goes along with the rights we have fought long and hard for. I also believe in prayer in school, and the ten commandments being displayed anywhere we #$% well want. Our money says In God We Trust on it. and if you don't believe in God then get that money out of your pocket and get the %*^# out of my country

Mary-Jo

Kids that are born in the United States do speak English; they learn it in school. Their parents are the ones who don't speak English and maybe they won't because when they come to the US they are already grown-ups. It will be more difficult for them to learn it; besides, they only socialize with the people of their own community and feel that they don't need to learn the language.

Gracie

That's their choice but life in the U.S. will be harder for them not knowing English.

Dak Aloysius

America is the only country I know that doesn't have a national language. How retarded is that. If we went to China we damn well better learn some Chinese. America is so inclusive they exclude themselves. We are on the verge of extinction.

Mr. Morden

Foreign jibberish? That's an enlightened attitude.
It's in the best interests of all kids in this country to be bilingual, even the ones born here.

weechi

honestly, i don't think the parents speak english all that well...that's probably why they don't teach it...so they don't come to school saying things like, "i don't got no paper."

i have a friend whose parents spoke only spanish to her, when she was 5 she went to kindergarden. she was lost for like 4 months, but her parents refused special services. she caught on and within 1 year she was speaking english. her parents continued to only use spanish at home, but they were supportive and valued education. today she is 100 percent bilingual, equally talented in both languages.

i don't see what the problem with this is?

when my kids are born, i will use only english with them, they will go to school speaking NO spanish, and they will just have to learn it...but in the end, they will be bilingual. i don't consider myself irresponsible, or a burden on the mexican government for doing this...i'm just preserving my own language and teaching it to my child. people find amazing ways to communicate and a child is like a sponge, trust me...they WILL learn. they don't need their parents to teach it to them.

the situation which you describe is not a problem. a child born in the US will never need special instruction. a US born child should NEVER enter a bilingual classroom, ever. they will learn english within a year, guarenteed.

Nurse Mâ˜ºlly

They wish to live here--not participate in anything American.

If they get their wish, Americans will all be required to speak Spanish!

Where else but the USA can a culture move toward taking over and making it THEIRS???

nanny

I came to the to the u.s when i was 4 and I am more than happy to speak Spanish/English. Kids are very smart and if they stay here they learn English no matter what English is needed for every day life but our foreign language is not we belong to 2 country's i still speak to my cousins in mex and they don't speak English so I have to speak Spanish. My babies are born in the u.s they speak with there grand parents also so they have to speak Spanish we cant leave our culture behind because it runs Thu our veins i LOVE this country as much as i love Mexico even if I've never lived there
and i want to share that same love with my kids they know there Americas but they know to respect other peoples cultures and to love there own(2).

curious_One

i think the waves of immigration had different ideas on all of this. it seems back in the 1860s or so when the european immigrates came here, they tried their hardest to try to learn english.

now it seems that the immigrants don't want to try to learn english maybe because we've made it so easy for them not to have to learn it. you can take a drivers test in almost any language in most states if not all. in missouri you can for sure. BUT all the street signs are in english.

JessicaRabbit

They don't care.

They should leave culture out of things and help their kids to have a future in America, which speaks English.

satans_brat

if u dont like the language go back home .if u want ur culture go home . u want to live here so do it but in the way it is here .
.

bconehead

Why should they when we will pay our government to do it? ( Sarcasm)

Not all immigrants are this way. I have some Guadalajara'n friends who speak English very well and have raised their kids to learn, speak, and assimilate. Not all who refuse to learn English are immigrants. Many were born right here in the USA!

Dogzilla

I agree....if you don't like our country, go the hell back to where you crawled out of.

taljalea

They need to assimilate. I live in a state where one corner has turned into basically where they have come from. I am not against anyone because of where they come from and who they are. They can pass on their culture and share it but it is so hard when we have to print documents in both english and their languages to get across things to them. Also one city near where I live has turned into a small version of their culture from American....this country is America not pieces of different countries. They need to assimilate....not make us change for their good.

Frankie Yankee

they probably think that their kid is gonna learn english in school.

x.o.x.o.

if parents are NOT americans (mexicans, for example..)maybe they want their kids to speak only their native language.

PS...if that makes any sence to you....

autism_mom43

ITS CALLED BEING LAZY CAUSE THERE HERE FOR THE FREE RIDE

Crazybird

Most I've seen can't speak English themselves so they depend on the children to do the translating. Yet at the same time there seems to be an increasing number dedicated to not speaking English. I've seen kids being pushed into more of an adult role by constantly pressing their children to do things they should be doing themselves because they won't learn the language. They would certainly help in the transition if they would take more an active role in learning the language and speaking it at home as well. It angers me that a kid can graduate from school here and still not put together a sentence. Sometimes I seriously wonder if they really can't or if it's easier to play stupid and won't.

â–ªÏŽhiteÄÄ±rlâ–ªÂ®

I think Spanish should be banned from the United States -- get caught speaking it, you get a fine. You get caught speaking it again, you go to jail---problem solved.

sadv

I think that they should teach their kids english no matter what race they are

Terry H

People, pay attention to the question. He asked why immigrants who know English donâ€™t teach their children, instead relying on their "home" language (which is quite ironic since this predominately English-speaking nation is their home). The answer to this question is quite simple: arrogance, especially from Hispanic immigrants.

There are many different immigrants from all parts of the world who come to the US. When they do come, most have some sort of grasp of the English language (at least functional English) because they realize that this is what is needed in order to be successful in this country; however, many Hispanics who immigrate to the US (rather legal or illegal), do not feel this way. Because of their arrogance, believing that their language and culture is greater than all others, leading them to say that, no matter what, their kids are going to learn Spanish first and foremost, even though they will be living in the US for the rest of their lives; therefore, although they can speak English, they exclusively talk to their children in Spanish throughout their early years. In turn, they feel that this will foster greater communication between the children and their grandparents, who, more than likely, do no speak English.

What these parents do not realize is that, although it is a great gesture to say that they want their children to speak the "home" language, it can be crippling to their children when it comes to their societal involvement. Basically, by having their children growing up knowing only English, it will force them to live inside of box. What I mean by this is that by having children only know how to speak Spanish, obviously, that child will seek children who speak the same language as they, other Hispanics; in turn, that child will be closed to the world around him or her, which consists of mainly English-speaking peoples. He or she will be subject to classes that are bilingual which includes only other children who are bilingual (basically Hispanic). These same children will then flock to other children on campus that are Spanish, excluding them from experiencing all that the US has to offer in regards to the different types of ethnicities in which we as a country are know for.

Not only does not learning English first affect their childrenâ€™s' introduction into the mainstream, it affects their learning. Instead of beginning in regular classes with other English-speaking children, these Spanish-speaking kids are put into bilingual Ed classes, automatically putting them behind all of the other children in classes at the very same level. Not only does it out them behind academically, it forces them to work twice as hard as the other kids; learning a new language, as well as learning how to read, write, do arithmetic, etc, etc.

How do I know that this is occurring? I live in the border city of El Paso, Texas and see it everyday, as well as hearing this from friends. They do not realize that their arrogance is actually hurting their kids, as evidence by Latinos having some of, if not the highest, drop out rates in the nation. I am not saying that this is the sole reason, but it is a part of it.

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