Comments on: Harry Reid Leads Herd of Clumsy Democratic Asses

By: Larissa

Larissa — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:13:19 +0000

I must make an amendment to my first comment. After talking to my student further, it seems that she was not placed in a bilingual classroom at all. In fact, when she arrived here at age 7, they placed her “in a Spanish class, ’cause I didn’t understand nothing.”

Hey, it makes total sense right? :[

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:18:01 +0000

I am glad we can both plug language learning.. What I was supporting was bilingual education that teaches students both English and a second language… I agree that the system needs tweaks, especially if is is failing immigrant students that do need to learn English. I will say that bilingual programs in a country as diverse as America make a lot more sense than the same in European countries… they are cosmopolitan but not to the American extent.

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:12:22 +0000

I like the final conclusion Larissa… now if only the Democrats would carry Massachusetts on Tue…

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:10:04 +0000

Agreed, I was referring to the history of institutionalized racism that preceded the civil rights breakthroughs of the 60s… hard to bounce back from quickly…

By: Larissa

Larissa — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:26:16 +0000

And German and a little Spanish but my lack of use has made me very rusty. :[

I am not surprised that you don’t agree that liberal actions have contributed to the problems, otherwise you would be conservative!

What I always say is this:

Conservatives aren’t haters who want to ruin the world, and neither are liberals. We all care about the same problems, but we believe in different ways of solving them.

By: Larissa

Larissa — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:12:40 +0000

Well as far as my student’s bootstraps go, she has never has to pull on them since the school system pulled them for her. ;] Passed her right through school, her lack of reading skills notwithstanding. A lot of good it did her.

A bilingual school and a bilingual classroom are two very different things. Bilingual schools tend to be private schools that focus on personalized teaching.

As far as your question goes: I would hope that the LA school system would be equipped. It is hardly a new problem. But it seems that like with many other things, they are not equipped.

I guess the younger kids are, the more I like the dual-language model of education. As they get older, I think they would benefit more from taking a semester or two of ESL and then going to regular classes.

By: Larissa

Larissa — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:56:26 +0000

That doesn’t sound like institutionalized racism to me.

POOR people often cannot afford health care available to middle class America. Why are a lot of Ethnic minorities poor? They don’t learn English. Teach them English, raise the average wage earned, improve living conditions, viola! Hey, I’m an ESL teacher, I have an agenda. :]

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:53:11 +0000

Thanks for the clarification Larissa… if I remember right, you are quite the linguist yourself, right? Italian? I’m with you, education should expand horizons, not halt progress. What I don’t agree with would be the conservative allegation that liberal attempts at compassion and cultural sensitivity are just perpetuating plantation politics. The system needs tweaks but we are very much at an embryonic stage in this whole process and the important thing is that we are taking a step in right direction, no?

By: Larissa

Larissa — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:51:27 +0000

I think you are talking about two very different things. Yes, Americans should be better with languages. I strongly believe in learning second and third languages. But what does that have to do with teaching English to immigrants?

If I emigrate to Germany, should that country be required to give me classes in English to retain my culture? Should I expect to be successful without learning German? Nope…

America shouldn’t impose a monocultural, monolingual society but does that mean they SHOULD impose educational rules that keep students from being successful?

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:48:52 +0000

Not sure, but Swedes get shafted:) Ethnic minorities living in economically depraved areas often cannot afford the health care available to middle class America… this plus the fact that quality nutrition is less affordable if you don’t make decent wages, living conditions are bad and access to health education is hampered, etc….. – it all takes its toll and health suffers