Mandatory Spanish classes anger Grapevine family

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Mandatory Spanish classes anger Grapevine family
By KATHERINE CROMER BROCK

STAR-TELEGRAM/KELLEY CHINN

GRAPEVINE  While the rest of her fifth-grade class was taking Spanish
classes mandated by the Grapevine-Colleyville school district curriculum,
Ashleigh Allison sat in the Timberline Elementary School library writing a
report about France.Ashleigh and her mother, Leigh Allison, say teaching
elementary school Spanish only makes life easier for Hispanic immigrants
in the community who do not learn or speak English. And Ashleigh shouldnt
be forced to conform, they say.She wants to be that one voice that forces
them to learn English, Allison said. Were not going to turn America into a
bilingual country to accommodate you.

National debate

The Allisons stance reflects a larger national debate about immigration
and the rising number of Spanish speakers in the United States.

On the one hand, were all for teaching foreign languages, said K.C.
McAlpin, executive director of Virginia-based ProEnglish, which works to
preserve English as the common language of the U.S.

But it would be naive to think that the country does not face the growing
threat of bilingualism because of the massive influx of mostly
Spanish-speaking immigrants. Theyre coming in faster than the country can
absorb them.

Language of choice

Texas curriculum requires a school district to offer, to the extent
possible, languages other than English for elementary- and middle
school-age children.

Most districts offer some level of language instruction, said Monica
Martinez, curriculum director with the Texas Education Agency. And for
most, Spanish is the language of choice. Its easier to learn and speak
than many other languages, and school districts can hire more experienced
Spanish teachers than teachers of other languages.

But it could be French. It could be American Sign Language, Martinez said.
Its left to local district discretion to determine what they offer.

Best for kids

Grapevine-Colleyville elementary students must take Spanish two days a
week in nine-week rotations with art classes. It has been a part of the
districts curriculum for 15 years, said district spokeswoman Megan
Overman.

The whole intent is to give students a foundation that we believe broadens
their experiences and prepares them for success in our diverse world,
Overman said. Youre not going to get language acquisition out of
elementary Spanish.

Overman said there has been little or no objection to the curriculum from
parents or the community. Our goal is to try to do what we believe is best
for kids, she said.

Views of bilingualism

McAlpin said he worries that in the long run, forcing Spanish on students,
and in effect promoting bilingualism, will harm the country.

Every place in the world where societies have been divided about language,
there have been conflicts that many times lead to violence or antagonism
that we have so far been able to avoid in this country, he said. Why break
the successful mold of the melting pot?

Rudy Rodriguez, retired director of the bilingual education program at the
University of North Texas, said exposure to foreign languages at an early
age helps children become more comfortable interacting with people from
other countries and cultures.

He also said that there are benefits to the bilingual brain and that
learning a second language actually improves a childs brain function.

It is a wonderful, enriching experience for children to have the
opportunity to learn a language other than English, he said. Were moving
very rapidly into a global economy where boundaries between countries are
becoming less distinct.

Allison said she and her daughter arent anti-immigration. They are
pro-English language for immigrants.

This is not saying, you cannot speak your native tongue, Allison said.
Grasp your tradition and your culture. But when you are outside your front
door, you must speak English. We have to understand you.

Compromise

Ashleigh said she knew the day that she enrolled at Timberline that she
didnt want to take the required Spanish classes.

There was a lot of Spanish kids and not a lot of other kinds of kids, she
said.

Her mother said: We were very much the minority. She couldnt understand
anybody and really felt isolated.

The percentage of Hispanic students at Timberline has increased from 13
percent in 1996 to 54 percent of the schools 706 students last school
year.

At the beginning of November, Allison e-mailed the counselor saying she
was not interested in Ashleighs taking Spanish. Timberline Principal Cody
Spielmann replied that Spanish is required by the curriculum and that
there were no other options.

Ashleigh feels the course would be a waste of her time since she has no
aspirations in the future to have a career requiring bilingual talents,
Allison wrote to the principal, nor does she feel compelled to accommodate
those who live in our country who refuse to learn the primary and current
native tongue of English.

Allison wanted her daughter to be allowed to study in the library or to
take a different foreign language. Allison then appealed to district
administrators but got the same response: Ashleigh had to go to class.

Allison kept her daughter out of Spanish class for three weeks, sending
her to school an hour late twice a week with a note stating that she was
absent because of a moral objection to the class.

At the end of December, Allison filed a grievance with the
Grapevine-Colleyville school board. But in a pre-hearing meeting, she and
Deputy Superintendent Jim Chadwell reached a compromise to allow Ashleigh
to study in the library and write a report on a country of her choice.

She learned about the government and food of France and tried to teach
herself some common French phrases, but without a teacher, the language is
difficult to master. I was kind of bored because there wasnt anybody else
there, she said.

Policy change

The curriculum rotation has moved from

   American Chaos
Secure Our Borders! No Joy For The GOP - And It May Get WorseMemo to media
on immigration coverage Mandatory Spanish classes anger Grapevine family
By KATHERINE CROMER BROCK

STAR-TELEGRAM/KELLEY CHINN
If were going to do this for Ashleigh, there needs to be a policy change,
Leigh Allison said.

GRAPEVINE  While the rest of her fifth-grade class was taking Spanish
classes mandated by the Grapevine-Colleyville school district curriculum,
Ashleigh Allison sat in the Timberline Elementary School library writing a
report about France.Ashleigh and her mother, Leigh Allison, say teaching
elementary school Spanish only makes life easier for Hispanic immigrants
in the community who do not learn or speak English. And Ashleigh shouldnt
be forced to conform, they say.She wants to be that one voice that forces
them to learn English, Allison said. Were not going to turn America into a
bilingual country to accommodate you.

National debate

The Allisons stance reflects a larger national debate about immigration
and the rising number of Spanish speakers in the United States.

On the one hand, were all for teaching foreign languages, said K.C.
McAlpin, executive director of Virginia-based ProEnglish, which works to
preserve English as the common language of the U.S.

But it would be naive to think that the country does not face the growing
threat of bilingualism because of the massive influx of mostly
Spanish-speaking immigrants. Theyre coming in faster than the country can
absorb them.

Language of choice

Texas curriculum requires a school district to offer, to the extent
possible, languages other than English for elementary- and middle
school-age children.

Most districts offer some level of language instruction, said Monica
Martinez, curriculum director with the Texas Education Agency. And for
most, Spanish is the language of choice. Its easier to learn and speak
than many other languages, and school districts can hire more experienced
Spanish teachers than teachers of other languages.

But it could be French. It could be American Sign Language, Martinez said.
Its left to local district discretion to determine what they offer.

Best for kids

Grapevine-Colleyville elementary students must take Spanish two days a
week in nine-week rotations with art classes. It has been a part of the
districts curriculum for 15 years, said district spokeswoman Megan
Overman.

The whole intent is to give students a foundation that we believe broadens
their experiences and prepares them for success in our diverse world,
Overman said. Youre not going to get language acquisition out of
elementary Spanish.

Overman said there has been little or no objection to the curriculum from
parents or the community. Our goal is to try to do what we believe is best
for kids, she said.

Views of bilingualism

McAlpin said he worries that in the long run, forcing Spanish on students,
and in effect promoting bilingualism, will harm the country.

Every place in the world where societies have been divided about language,
there have been conflicts that many times lead to violence or antagonism
that we have so far been able to avoid in this country, he said. Why break
the successful mold of the melting pot?

Rudy Rodriguez, retired director of the bilingual education program at the
University of North Texas, said exposure to foreign languages at an early
age helps children become more comfortable interacting with people from
other countries and cultures.

He also said that there are benefits to the bilingual brain and that
learning a second language actually improves a childs brain function.

It is a wonderful, enriching experience for children to have the
opportunity to learn a language other than English, he said. Were moving
very rapidly into a global economy where boundaries between countries are
becoming less distinct.

Allison said she and her daughter arent anti-immigration. They are
pro-English language for immigrants.

This is not saying, you cannot speak your native tongue, Allison said.
Grasp your tradition and your culture. But when you are outside your front
door, you must speak English. We have to understand you.

Compromise

Ashleigh said she knew the day that she enrolled at Timberline that she
didnt want to take the required Spanish classes.

There was a lot of Spanish kids and not a lot of other kinds of kids, she
said.

Her mother said: We were very much the minority. She couldnt understand
anybody and really felt isolated.

The percentage of Hispanic students at Timberline has increased from 13
percent in 1996 to 54 percent of the schools 706 students last school
year.

At the beginning of November, Allison e-mailed the counselor saying she
was not interested in Ashleighs taking Spanish. Timberline Principal Cody
Spielmann replied that Spanish is required by the curriculum and that
there were no other options.

Ashleigh feels the course would be a waste of her time since she has no
aspirations in the future to have a career requiring bilingual talents,
Allison wrote to the principal, nor does she feel compelled to accommodate
those who live in our country who refuse to learn the primary and current
native tongue of English.

Allison wanted her daughter to be allowed to study in the library or to
take a different foreign language. Allison then appealed to district
administrators but got the same response: Ashleigh had to go to class.

Allison kept her daughter out of Spanish class for three weeks, sending
her to school an hour late twice a week with a note stating that she was
absent because of a moral objection to the class.

At the end of December, Allison filed a grievance with the
Grapevine-Colleyville school board. But in a pre-hearing meeting, she and
Deputy Superintendent Jim Chadwell reached a compromise to allow Ashleigh
to study in the library and write a report on a country of her choice.

She learned about the government and food of France and tried to teach
herself some common French phrases, but without a teacher, the language is
difficult to master. I was kind of bored because there wasnt anybody else
there, she said.

Policy change

The curriculum rotation has moved from Spanish to art class at Timberline.
But before the year is out, Ashleigh will be faced with the same
situation.

Does she plan to take Spanish then? Absolutely not.

Allison said she is scheduled to meet next week with Spielmann and other
district administrators to hammer out a better plan for Ashleighs
alternative class. Instruction in any other language would be acceptable,
she said.

Allison suggests an online language course, such as Rosetta Stone. Shell
even pay for it. And she hopes that the discussion yields an option for
other students who oppose learning Spanish.

If were going to do this for Ashleigh, there needs to be a policy change,
Allison said.

Overman said the district is willing to work with parents to make
decisions about educating their children. While parents shouldnt expect an
overhaul of the districts world languages curriculum, the district will
review it.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/456532.html

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