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.....and why should your children have to translate for them? Next time you go to Mexico, take the time to notice that the most english that a majority of the wonderful people there knows, is just enough to sell you something. If they are living and doing business in America, they should speak english.

If we are to be immersed in economics as well as language, seems to me it should be an Asian dialect...take your pick...Chinese...Indonesian...Vietnamese. Shouldn't we should learn to communicate with countries that are prospering instead of those that are floundering?

Interesting Facts:

About 1 in 5 Americans speak a language other than English at home.

Spanish is the most spoken language, other than English, in America.

Source: http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/censusstatistic/a/foreignlang.htm

50% of Europeans speak more than one language.

80% of European students speak more than one language.

35+ million (in US dollars) is spent yearly by the EU on language learning.

Source: http://europe.tiscali.co.uk/index.jsp?section=Current%20Affairs&level=preview&content=400110

World's Top 5 Most Widely Spoken Languages:
1. Chinese (Mandarin) 1,075,000,000
2. English 514,000,000
3. Hindustani 496,000,000
4. Spanish 425,000,000
5. Russian 275,000,000

Source: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0775272.html

Languages are good, that is a given and I wish I knew more of them. However my point is that all during my military and govenment career I was stationed or assigned to many non-English speaking countries. I don't remember any of them going out of their way to write every minor sign, every book, every menu in English. If I wished to survive/live/communicate in that country, I had to learn enough of the language to do so. So the question remains, why do we have to bend over backwards to make sure that everything is written in Spanish. There's a lot of folks from other countries in this country of ours and we sure as heck are not caving to political correctness to print everything in their language. Before political correctness set in, folks who came to this country to live and work, learned the language of this country. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with that?

"Before political correctness set in, folks who came to this country to live and work, learned the language of this country. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with that?"

You just answered your own question mrproduce, our political correctness entrenched society is what's wrong with that.

I am all for learning foreign languages, but not for catering to non-English speakers here which dissuades them from learning English.

Providing Spanish classes in grade school is not catering to anyone and learning a second language should become a part of our educational system. Children who speak spanish only are not catered to when they enter the educational system, in fact very little of their language is used while they are in class to encourage the use of English. Parents are encouraged to continue with Spanish in the home and by the end of the school year you have a bilingual 5 year old. I know of a Chinese program in Chapel hill that is team taught by an english speaking/chinese speaking teacher. The children are speaking Mandarin in kindergarten as well. Learning a second language is benificial to children! Also-While traveling abroud this past summer I encountered many Americans who expected others to speak English to them or find someone who did, which made me realize that alot of our fellow citizens just want the world to learn English and cater to us. If your policy is that they should learn English if they are in America-I agree, but apply that same logic when traveling to other countries. And keep in mind that children learning a second language doesnt mean that we are trying to cater to immigrants, but trying to realize the learning potential of many children.

I believe that is what I said K. I have nothing against children learning another language. I just don't believe that we should be limited to one language such as Spanish, it smells of political correctness because you are catering to one group.

I did not expect other countries to cater to me or my child when we were assigned to overseas post or stationed there with the military. Yes there were rude tourist who expected to have everthing in English and shouted to those who did not speak english evidently thinking that by shouting that they would understand. I saw many of those in my years overseas.

I do not expect to have to cater to those who come here either. If you are an adult, learn the language, if you are a child you will be given the opportunity to learn in school, just don't ask for special teachers to teach in 'spanish or any other language
.
If you cater to one then you must to all and then we would become a country where no one understood anyone.

If you are catering to one language then K you are catering to a special group of immigrants and that smells of political correctness.

Cuàndo una lengua diferénte està enseñado a los jonenitos, lo hacerìa màs fàcil por los mismos hallar trabajo qué paga mucho dinero cuàndo terminan universidad.

No creo que los estudiantes estarìa hecho a tomar una lengua diférente, pero es muy inteligente apprender ìngles y una lengua màs.

oops...should have been jovenitos...not jonenitos...spell check doesn't work so well in Spanish! lol

How ironic. This letter, by Paula Murphy is a good example of why people such as David Colin in a letter posted this same day, within seven minutes of each other, have given up on the public schools.

"full Spanish Immersion program bridges together these various backgrounds by building trust, friendships, compassion, intelligence and even love."
What utopian claptrap. There has been enough time, within countless school systems in the past ten years for any intelligent person to know that this does not happen. The illegals are emboldened, the American students allienated, and education deteriorates. The liberal ideal is nothing but a pipe dream that would be nice, but simply does not occur in the real world, and they know it.

I think every one responding to this letter has said the same thing - we're all on the same page, except maybe joelfarm, to whom I say, "whatever" (spread over about 4 seconds with a heavy LA accent).

w't eeevv rrrrrrrrrrr

Mr. P is right. When an American is living in a foreign country, the inhabitants of that country do not go out of their way to learn English to accommadate American citizens. If US citizens are to integrate, THEY have to take the personal responsibility of learning the language of the land. Foreign countries do not bend over backwards to be taken advantage of the way the US does.

However, I do agree that children learn a foreign language easier than do adults. What I disagree with is the forced learning of a second language for any American child. All immigrants choosing to live here on a permanant basis should be require to learn English to get a license or work. This includes the children of those adult immigrants who attend public school.

If the parents of American children wish for their child to learn another language, it should be optional. After all, it is the AMERICAN taxpayers who are paying for public education in most cases.

The follwing happened to my sister and me last night: We went to a local fast food place. As we stood in line, the 2 people in front of us had trouble getting their order correct. When it came to us, it took 3 times for us to get an order somewhat close to what we originally wanted. We finally gave up and took what was put on the tray (none of which was what we originally wanted). Anyone care to guess the problem? My sister and I speak English. The people working at the restaurant (including the supervisor on duty) spoke very limited English. The people waiting 3 people behind us got their order perfectly the first time. Why? They were Hispanic and could place the order in Spanish.

With business hiring people who speak little or no English in a position of customer service, it's going to get to the point where, if we need something, we will have to speak Spanish to get it. How sad is this?

Amen, Bunny.