Comment

Comment by Gregory Wallace Sturgeon on February 9, 2011 at 7:46am

The only reason Arabic should be taught is if you are part of the CIA.  Although I had three or four years of Spanish when I first started in school they stopped.  Languages should be more a part of education but obviously this is absurd.  There are many things that should be taught in schools but are not... and Arabic is not one of them.  There should be a whole lot more in teaching of life skills.  I also believe that all religions should be taught in school not NONE.  Up until 1949 there were Bible studies in public school.  Look at the direction since.

Comment by Dustin Sparks on February 9, 2011 at 6:40am

This is one of the fundamentals of being changed from the inside out. Although it looks harmless and innocent, it is not. Language is one of the foremost principals of a culture and one that should be protected in a serious way along with borders, immagration and the laws and values of the constitution in which we were founded. When these things start to slip or change so does your identity and culture, right out the window. And not for the better. Take a look a history and its a no brainer. I have nothing against arabic at all but am never in favor of funding programs that we get no say so in this or any other language. It seems like another attempt to make everything equal and fair but its just plain wrong the way they go about it. I think that is what is so upsetting. Just another log on the fire of way to much out of control spending on things that are not needed and quite frankly piss us off....

Comment by Roy Anderson on February 9, 2011 at 5:14am

My parents came to America from Norway and Sweden- legally in 1923- through Ellis Island.

They sent us Seven children to school and we were taught basically  the 'Three R's'. 

They worked hard, and were proud to become citizens here.  My two older brothers served in the  Navy in WWll. 

In Scandanavian countries English is taught in their schools, and the major part of Norwegian and Swedish Imigrants that come here, can speak very good English upon arriving.  

English is the 'Offical Language' spoken here, and people coming here, should learn to speak it and stop trying to change America to the way they had it in their country; or to make American youngsters learn Arabic?  

French and Spanish were the only foreign languages we had in High School, and it was an Elective Class, as we were required to have 'two electives' in order to Graduate High School.  Elective Classes were the two languages; Beginner Band.,or Advanced Band; Chorus; Concert Orchestra; Physical Ed;  Hygiene: etc.

It doesn't sit right anymore, when we have to 'Click One for English', or 'Two for Spanish'; next thing  will it be 'Three for Arabic'?  That leaves only six numbers left- what will they become?

To have Taxpayer Money sent to a school in Texas to teach 'Arabic' is ludicrous.  Texas should fund it themselves if they want it, not ALL AMERICANS.

JMHO.

Comment by Richard Stotts on February 8, 2011 at 9:10pm

Texas can teach whatever they want as long as it is funded by their taxpayers.  But, at elementary and primary age, they really should be learning the language of business and trade in this country which is English.  The primary problem here is not what they are teaching, but that the Federal government is taking money from taxpayers and controlling educational funding.  The money should come from state taxpayers and remain with the state.  This is a state issue that should remain a state issue, but simply cannot because money was confiscated nationwide to fund the courses.  This should never be.  Where in the Constitution is the Federal government’s role in education?  I challenge you to tell me the Article or Amendment.

Comment by Chuck Morrison on February 8, 2011 at 8:57pm

How about teaching English so that our future voting citizens can read, write and speak like they have some semblance of an education instead of the mess we have now?  How can they possibly even understand Arabic or anything else if they don't understand their "native" language?  :-(

Comment by JL Gawlik on February 8, 2011 at 8:48pm

I think the whole key is, we need to get the Federal Government out of our educational system, it should be taught from the community. The four F schools in Duval county are a prime example, how many teachers have at least 10 years in those schools? How about 5 years?

 

The last time i was volunteering i was told in those schools as soon as a new teacher could get a job in another school, near their home, they were out of there, thus the problem was more of stability with teachers instead of having a revolving door of new teachers constantly coming into the schools then leaving as soon as they got a better location.

 

Unions are the problem also, when you get a teacher who has problems or can not teach the students, it is hard to get them out of the school and the system. We need to get back to the teaching of the basics. All students are not going to college or a four year or more program, and that fact needs to be recognized. We need to teach students to live a life full of life time learning to always be curious and to always not be afraid to ask questions and to develop their curiosity and critical thinking skills so they can be self reliant, responsible and have a life time of learning.

 

The Federal school system is draining the federal, state and local budgets and i would love to see a full account of where all the money goes.  That is another problem with federal spending is keeping a handle on where the money flows.

Comment by Dawn Holder on February 8, 2011 at 7:44pm

I have never agreed with the foreign language requirement.  I especially don't agree with it if the child in question is unable to converse in their native tongue.  English is the official WORLD language of business and we should learn it well.

 

Now.....if you want to take a foreign language in college so that you can be a translator....go for it.  

 

As to providing this so that we can have proficient translators.  Join the military and go to Defense Language Institute.  My dad did the Spanish course in about 6 months...maybe it was 8 but it was a very  short period.  That was for reading, writing, speaking and interpreting.  

 

Our children would be better served by being required to read Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics, more of the classic works/history  and courses on political philosophies that shaped our nation.  That would be much more beneficial than Arabic and the Middle eastern/Islamic culture.   I think that home-economics with basic life skills would benefit them more!  Everybody has to eat and everyone should know how to budget as well as balance a checkbook (or modern equivalent ).  How many people do you know who lack basic life skills?  And the Feds think that Arabic is the latest cat's pajamas? Good Grief, no wonder the place is a mess!

Comment by Kay Ragan Durden on February 8, 2011 at 7:23pm

You got it right about let them learn it in college, so they can pay for it.   What are we thinking????  Keep digging Billie I know there is so much more that we can cut out and save our state.  Hope with Rick that we lead the nation.

Comment by David J Macfarlane IV on February 8, 2011 at 7:16pm

@Lonnie Smith: So that they can communicate with the coming Global Caliphate!!!

 

Don't worry, the rapture will get us out of here before it all goes down. I think though that a lot of this stuff is going to happen because it is part of G-d's plan.

 

Melanie made a good point too. We teach foreign languages in schools. Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, Hebrew. I don't see a reason to exclude Arabic. You might question what other "culture" is being taught along with the language but just teaching a language doesn't really strike me as sinister.

 

I used to say ironically "I hate the French, they have a different word for everything." Of course, that could be said of any different language.

Comment by Lonnie Smith on February 8, 2011 at 7:01pm

What is the point of speaking Arabic in a country with one of the smallest percentages of Arabic speaking people? This absolutely defies logic.

 

Our students are performing poorly when compared to other countries around the world, but the new focus for second language studies is a language that is virtually useless in our country. What about math, science, and English? Besides the local mosque, where will the students have an opportunity to speak the language? Liberals are doing a great job revealing the fact that they are clueless in a country that needs intelligent leaders more than ever.

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