Voters reject Obama's call that our kids must learn Spanish

This poll was taken last month, but it looks like Obama inserted his foot in his mouth yesterday.
How long before Obama backs down on this issue as well?

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/voters_reject_obama_s_call_for_bilingualism

Not surprising.

Ever.

I am not offended that he said our children need to learn other languages - I fully agree; however, he also said our children need to learn Spanish. Just Spanish? Why?

I actually think it would be more beneficial if our children learned Manadrin Chinese or Arabic or Farsi, myself.

It was the implication that Americans, who primarily speak English, should capitulate to the Mexican immigrants. That bothers a lot of people (and rightfully so in some cases).

I know he didn't mean that, but that's the way it came out of his mouth.

If you're coming to this country, learn English. If you move to Mexico, learn Spanish.

He did say other languages, french, german, and spanish.
But of course we won't be hearing the whole thing on "liberal media".

i don't see learning languages as an "issue"

Are you a Creationist, Carrieyazel?

That'll teach 'em!

Obama never said it's "more important" for Americans to learn other languages than it is for immigrants to learn English. He said they are both important. That's all.

I think this country has been behind in not requiring a foreign language (or two) in our school system.

People have no real conception about how education should take place and which classes are required to create rounded adults.

And the lack of bilingual education--in whatever other language it is--is one of the reasons I have to spend so much time on remediation when I teach English to university students: they don't understand the basics of language. They can't tell the difference between a direct and indirect object, a difference students who learn Spanish or French understand; nor do they have control over their pronoun usage or subject-verb agreement. These are all things foreign language acquisition teaches kids, but many parents, who are either too parochial or too uninvolved in their child's education to understand the benefits, reflexively reject it because foreign languages are insufficiently 'Murican or too "fancy."

Americans leg waaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind the entire Western world and most of the rest of world when it comes to languages, geography and general knowledge of world affairs -- embarrassingly so, shamefully so.

I can say without the slightest hesitation that the average 8th grader in most other countries are way, way, way, more clued in on languages, geography and general knowledge about world affairs than then the overwhelming majority of American university graduates. And everyone, absolutely everyone know this!

I think it is high time someone tell the truth.

dare to utter?

What a surprise!

and to that poll i say: It's SO much smarter to have to 1) learn a new language once you reach adulthood (with all the baggage that entails; or 2) run around purchasing Rosetta Stone CD's or pirating a copy off your local p2p network (with all the risks that entails) and/or 3) burn up a ton of time and pay lots $$ to take the courses in college that you could have gotten for free in school.

yea, that's so much better.

:sarcasm:

As usual, we're our own worst enemies. Head in ass syndrome isn't the solution.

In America, the de-facto second language is Spanish- and anyone who thinks that being bilingual doesn't give a person a leg up should check the want ads sometime.

:thumbsup:

I'm so glad I live in an area where second language immersion is available beginning in KINDERGARTEN (in several languages, not just Spanish).

Why can't we learn another language? And why not Spanish, as a suggestion? Hispanics are the fastest growing minority in our country. It is sensible to know Spanish, to interact with neighbors, co-workers, employees, etc. Of course it does not have to be Spanish. Some parts of the country or some vocational requirements might mean another choice. That might be Mandarin or Japanese. We have a larger world out there to interact with, too.

Most of my cousins learned German and English at home. I did not, because my dad married a Swede. I wish he had taken the time to teach us more than songs and phrases. I know that I am not the only person saddened by the loss of potentially being bilingual.

Europeans learn more than one language. So do many Canadians. It is part of the culture. Some countries have more than one official language. Americans pride themselves on being so innovative, and such important leaders. I guess we qualify as leaders of the ignorant, reactionary forces when it comes to foreign language skills and our attitude toward those skills.

you might forget that YOU ARE AN AMERICAN!!!!! (it could happen) :eyes:

I for one think it's smart to start educating our children to be bi-lingual. The world doesn't speak english... Hell, we don't even speak literal english.

...is all I hear about the language issue. Obama's remarks about children learning Spanish becomes touchy because it ignites the 'English Only' crowd, an opinion sometimes voiced loudly among the Lou Dobbs Independents group. JMHO, but I think some in this crowd have two problems that THEY need to think about:


1. FEAR Many in this group are very afraid of change...especially in America's traditions as they see them. They want to keep English as our only language because...in their eyes...it has always been that way, and they fear losing what has always been. So people knowing more than English 'could' eventually erase English in importance.

2. SELFISHNESS Many in this group don't want to support...or maybe have to pay taxes for...anything that doesn't benefit them (or maybe their family) personally. So, even if it might be good to have a multi-lingual electorate (speaking of jobs), they don't want to pay for it. Essentially this is the argument about taxes paying for public schools...when people complain about having to pay property taxes to support a neighborhood school, but their kids are grown an no longer go there. Why should they pay for someone else's child's education? Selfishness.



So, intentionally or not, Obama recently waded into the issue. Some on this board say it was a 'goof', and some don't. The media, no doubt, will spin it as such. But I think it was a very honest answer to an important question...and the start of a good conversation for our country about a very important issue in 2008, education. So I posted this earlier today, in response to someone who was worried that Obama, in his comments, had made a mistake:





I'm glad you are concerned about your children's future. And it's clear you also see that...in your current circumstances...a language will help them get a job. That is a start at understanding where Obama is coming from. (And I agree with you, that some independents will balk on his words, without taking the time you are taking to learn about the issue.) That is a risk, and Obama is courageous to take it.

But, as a teacher, I have watched the futures of many of my students. They have varied goals...and for most of their future jobs, they will have a better chance to be hired (like your kids) if they know another language. The ones who want to do business with China, need Chinese. The ones who want to go into HLS or intelligence fields need Farsi. The list goes on and on.

But the general lesson I learned is...they ALL need a second language of some kind to be successful in THEIR future...which will be very different from my generation, or yours. It isn't about the importance of English...and, by the way, I want everyone to learn English (I have another story on that one, if you're interested. )

So you see and care about the future of your children. I see and care about a larger group...my children, but also my students. I think Obama sees and cares about an even larger group...his children, the many children he has met in schools across the country, and ALL THE CHILDREN he will be responsible for helping as President.

I think that is why he said what he said...and I think he means it. It was not a 'goof' or a mistake, although some may not understand (independents, for example) what he means. It was not a 'goof' or a mistake, although some may use it to their advantage and spin it as such (Republicans and some media).

And I think Obama is smart. I think he is RIGHT on this issue. He is making us think about issues that the country needs to think about and discuss. Just IMAGINE four year...or eight years...of doing that, and how good it will be for our country.

:patriot:

Go figure. :eyes:

people swarm on Spanish? Huh! Obama does speak Spanish and a bit of an Indonesian dialect, I get the feeling he touched on French but needs work on his pronunciation.

Get over it and moving on.

:yoiks:

we are in a global economy and we need to turn to Mexico, Central and South America as our regional trade partners. The European Union has had success in strengthening their economies as well as the Euro. I believe that we need to learn a foreign language, especially Spanish to be able to do well in the new Economy. Also, the Latino community is poised to be a major economic force by 2025...and we are all bilingual and as Americans we can be a major asset to our country in the future.