Obama wants our children to learn Spanish

[Stixx]

Personally I feel that learning a second language can be a benefit. I traveled through Europe, courtesy of Uncle Sam, in the mid seventies and part of my preparations for each trip was to learn enough of the host country's language to get by with. But to mandate that our school children learn Spanish is going too far. As one poster noted in a different forum I frequent,

"If these boards are any indication, our public school system cannot even teach basic English to its students."

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/09/obama-your-kids-should-learn-spanish/

He complains that European visitors to this country come with a working knowledge of not only their native tongue, but several other languages as well. And yes, I'm aware that European schoolchildren are required to learn another language.

My apologies to the junior senator from Illinois, but what he fails to realize is that most likely 70 to 80% of our population will venture no further than several hundred miles from home during their entire lifetime. Whereas these European visitors, due to the size and nature of Europe, can visit a foreign country with a simple train ride.

If he is so unaware of such a fundamental difference as that, then he has no business running this country.

[angelsandair]

I think he was on GMA and he was asked a question about Iran and he went to us speaking Spanish. He didnt even answer the question. 

[midnight Target]

Way way way back when I was in high school, 2 years of a foreign language was required to graduate. Sounds reasonable to me.

[Saxman]

Sounds reasonable. So long as English is taught as the primary language.

[Engine]

I'm glad I learned some Spanish in High School. I fail to see anything wrong with encouraging Americans to learn a second language.

[CAP1]

Personally I feel that learning a second language can be a benefit. I traveled through Europe, courtesy of Uncle Sam, in the mid seventies and part of my preparations for each trip was to learn enough of the host country's language to get by with. But to mandate that our school children learn Spanish is going too far. As one poster noted in a different forum I frequent,

"If these boards are any indication, our public school system cannot even teach basic English to its students."

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/09/obama-your-kids-should-learn-spanish/

He complains that European visitors to this country come with a working knowledge of not only their native tongue, but several other languages as well. And yes, I'm aware that European schoolchildren are required to learn another language.

My apologies to the junior senator from Illinois, but what he fails to realize is that most likely 70 to 80% of our population will venture no further than several hundred miles from home during their entire lifetime. Whereas these European visitors, due to the size and nature of Europe, can visit a foreign country with a simple train ride.

If he is so unaware of such a fundamental difference as that, then he has no business running this country.

european children are taught english starting in the 4th grade. my friend from germany, was talkingt abut this to me.


as for teaching our kids spanish? i think it should be an option,. they have been doing this for awhile now. my neice is learnign it in florida. my brother is pissed that she(she's 8) doesn't have a choice in the matter.


 i was just tlaking on the phone last night to a friend of mine that used to be an over the road trucker. he quit for reasons not needed here........

 he lives in texas. he figured he'd get a job driving local truck routs, or teaching. guess what? they ALL want him to have a working knowledge of spanish. so it seems that the guys dont have to learn english to drive 80k trucks on our roads, they just have to learn to drive them. who needs to read the road signs anyway? and talk to ploice and others? screw it!!

 

[AAolds]

Knowing other languages is fine, but to mandate spanish just to accomodate the border jumpin scum..... Screw that!   

[Mustaine]

I personally refuse to learn spanish for the principle of it. If you live in America speak english. If you can't speak the language you don't belong here.

[SpazMan]

Knowing other languages is fine, but to mandate spanish just to accomodate the border jumpin scum..... Screw that!   

Agree whole heartedly. What happen to French, Italian, German....etc. That tells you right there that he has no plans to address the immigration problem. Keep working and pay into Social Security so none of the benifits will be there when you need them.......

[storch]

I personally refuse to learn spanish for the principle of it. If you live in America speak english. If you can't speak the language you don't belong here.

wow so as a protest you choose to remain ignorant?  spanish is an important language and it will benefit the person who is bilingual giving that person a leg up in the marketplace.  we neeed to understand that the north american union will probably occur within the next fifty years possibly sooner, with it the need for spanish as well as french.

[SOB]

I personally refuse to learn spanish for the principle of it. If you live in America speak english. If you can't speak the language you don't belong here.

What principle is that?  Ignorance?

[midnight Target]

por supuesto que si.

[rpm]

Way way way back when I was in high school, 2 years of a foreign language was required to graduate. Sounds reasonable to me.

[Yeager]

What I got out of it was that as a general principle we (Americans) need to be better educated.  I think it is fair to say people who speak two or more languages tend to be more intelligent than those who know only one langaue.  I could be wrong on his particular intent but I have always felt this way.

[lazs2]

learning to read and write in even one language may be too much for our public schools and their saintly teachers these days.

lazs