Zach Rubio, 16, of Kansas City, Kan., who is fluent in English, was at school, when his friend asked him, in Spanish, between classes, to borrow some money. He said yes, and shortly thereafter, principal Jennifer Watts suspended him.
Watts is described by school students as a “disciplinarian,” and said she had repeatedly asked students not to speak Spanish in school.
But there is no policy against speaking Spanish between classes, and the school district immediately rescinded the suspension.
“It was, like, totally not in the classroom,” the high school junior said, recalling the infraction. “We were in the, like, hall or whatever, on restroom break. This kid I know, he’s like, ‘Me prestas un dolar?’ ['Will you lend me a dollar?'] Well, he asked in Spanish; it just seemed natural to answer that way. So I’m like, ‘No problema.’”
But that conversation turned out to be a big problem for the staff at the Endeavor Alternative School, a small public high school in an ethnically mixed blue-collar neighborhood. A teacher who overheard the two boys sent Zach to the office, where Principal Jennifer Watts ordered him to call his father and leave the school.
Watts, whom students describe as a disciplinarian, said she can’t discuss the case. But in a written “discipline referral” explaining her decision to suspend Zach for 1 1/2 days, she noted: “This is not the first time we have [asked] Zach and others to not speak Spanish at school.”
Since then, the suspension of Zach Rubio has become the talk of the town in both English and Spanish newspapers and radio shows. The school district has officially rescinded his punishment and said that speaking a foreign language is not grounds for suspension. Meanwhile, the Rubio family has retained a lawyer, who says a civil rights lawsuit may be in the offing. — Washington Post
While I can see requiring the use of English in class, it’s nobody’s business whether students speak English, Spanish or pig latin outside of class.
(Via The Unalienable Right)
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
Join the members of the Liberty Conspiracy as they discuss issues ranging from the "Incorporation Doctrine" and gun rights, to the NBA, to protests conducted at military funerals, protests that are being challenged by government, and which will be heard by the philosopher kings in the U.S. Supreme Court.
When neoconservative Ben Stein accused Congressman Ron Paul of being antisemitic for merely wanting to ask WHY Islamic terrorists want to attack the civilians living under western governments that have meddled in the Mideast, the members of the Conspiracy could not sit by silently.
Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works license.
Video published by this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Sampling+ license.
Facebook
Digg
del.icio.us
reddit.com
Newsvine
Dec 09, 2005
Kubed » Suspended from school for speaking Spanish
Jason
Dec 10, 2005
You shouldn’t even be suspended for using Spanish IN CLASS.
It’s a normal and quite popular/large language, and abolishing it anywhere is a very very very large act of biggotry.
I would be absolutely LIVID if I (as I commonly do) quickly retort to a friend with ‘GracÃas’, and got suspended over it.
I’m being suspended for showing my gratitude?
Would they have prefered Gutentag instead?
T. Harris
Dec 11, 2005
This is just another example of the kind of stupidity that is ruining our public schools–which do nothing to improve the quality of the education our children recieve. School districts have had a habit in recent years of imposing rules and by-laws in their student codes of conduct that do nothing but create animosity between parents and educators–all because some bigot sitting in a position of authority wants to impose their view of what the world should be like on everybody else. As a result, they end up having to defend themselves in court, and waste money that would be better spent on educational materials and better pay for teachers.
B. Norman
Nov 01, 2006
I agree that Zach Rubio should not have been suspended for answering his friend in friend in Spanish outside of class, but i also think that anyone that
comes to this country should have to learn the national language.
English. I also think that stores shouldn’t have products labeled in
both English and Spanish. Spanish should be in Spanish speakking
countries and in foriegn language classes and that is it. I dont care
what they speak in there own household that is there own business,
but english speaking americans should not have to accomadate to
the large immigration of people from Spanish speaking countries.
My grandfather came from Hungry and learned english when he came here.
The American government asks to things of immigrants, that they learn
english and fill out there paperwork. Is that too much to ask?
Anonymous
Nov 28, 2006
I speak spanish, english and a little french and its no ones business what I speak if I want to speak in any one of those languages I will and if nosy people want to understand what I am saying when I am not speaking to them. Then it’s their own problem not mine they can learn to speak those languages just like i did, and leave different speaking people alone!This world is made up of hundreds of languages and all are equal and if anyone thinks different they are iddiots!
Seth H.
Jan 16, 2007
I live in a area that has greatly increased in the population of spanish speaking immigrants and it has become such an influence that if I want to consider on going to college I need two courses in a foreign languaged, preferably Spanish. If a Spanish speaking individual wants to come to America they should have to learn English. I don’t care about being politically correct. We the American people should not have to adapt to other people and their culture they should adapt to ours. They can speak spanish in their home that’s up to them and it’s their rights, but in an American school it should be unacceptable. The only reason that I came to this site was to research Spanish speaking schools for my Spanish 2 class.
jay
Jan 25, 2007
I live in a area that has greatly increased in the population of spanish speaking immigrants and it has become such an influence that if I want to consider on going to college I need two courses in a foreign languaged, preferably Spanish. If a Spanish speaking individual wants to come to America they should have to learn English. I don’t care about being politically correct. We the American people should not have to adapt to otherI speak spanish, english and a little french and its no ones business what I speak if I want to speak in any one of those languages I will and if nosy people want to understand what I am saying when I am not speaking to them. Then it’s their own problem not mine they can learn to speak those languages just like i did, and leave different speaking people alone!This world is made up of hundreds of languages and all are equal and if anyone thinks different they are iddiots.people and their culture they should adapt to ours. They can speak spanish in their home that’s up to them and it’s their rights, but in an American school it should be unacceptable. The only reason that I came to this site was to research Spanish speaking schools for my Spanish 2 class.
Shanelia
Feb 19, 2007
HEY! ANYWAYS, IF AMERICA WANTS TO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUEGE, LEARN HAWIIAN, CAUSE THAT HAS ATLEAST SOMETHING TO DO WITH AMERICA. WHAT DOES SPANISH OR MEXICO HAVE TO DO WITH OUR COUNTRY? I AM A 13 YAER OLD GIRL THAT ONE DAY WNTS TO JOIN THE ARMY. I AM HISPANIC,BUT I STILL THINK THAT MY GRANDPARENTS SHOULD LEARN ENGLISH. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TEECH MY GRANMOTHER, BUT HAS ALOT OF TROUBLE.
Dr3aM3r
Mar 20, 2007
OK, THIS IS WHAT I REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND. PEOPLE, NOWADAYS, ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT HISPANIC PEOPLE TALKIN SPANISH. ONE QUESTION. ARE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE, BESIDES HISPANIC PEOPLE, ARE SAYING? FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH A FRIEND AND YOU HAPPEN TO WALK BY, LETS SAY, A JAPANESE PERSON, AND THEY ARE SPEAKING IN THEIR LANGUAGE, WOULDNT YOU WANT THEM TO SPEAK ENGLISH TOO?
THAT KID SHOULD’T HAVE GOTTEN SUSPENDED FOR ASKING FOR A SIMPLE DOLLAR. IF HE WOULD HAVE DISRESPECTED A TEACHER IN SPANISH, THEN THER’S A REASON FOR WHY HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SUSPENDED. THE PART THAT I DONT UNDERSTAND IS THAT, HE GOT SUSPENDED FOR SOMETHING AS LITTLE AS THAT.NO KID SHOULD GET SUSPENDED FOR SPEAKING IN THEIR LANGUAGE. THATS LIKE TAKING A CERTAIN FREEDOM FROM THEM. DONT YOU REMEMBER THIS COUNTRY IS ALSO KNOWN AS “THE LAND OF THE FREE”? YEA. REALITY CHECK JUST HIT YOU IN THE ASS. SO BY REVIEWING THE BILL OF RIGHTS, “EVERYONE IS CREATED EQUAL” MEANS NOTHING IN THIS COUNTRY. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT MOTTO DOESNT FIT WITH THIS COUNTRY AT ALL. AND YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES UP THIS COUNTRY? DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT RACES, DIFFERENT COLORS OF SKINS. NOT ENGLISH, NOT WHITE, NOT AMERICAN. NO ITS NOT JUST ONE. ITS MORE THAN ONE, AND THATS WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY SO BEAUTIFUL.
Anonymous
Apr 30, 2007
thatz gay
Annie
Jul 27, 2007
First of all our nation is a country made up of immigrants who have over time changed the language we people from the United States speak English. We speak American not English, which in itself is equally improper to say as we are not including central, south or the other north american country(ies) when we name ourselves thusly. It’s idiotic to think you should or could restrict a country to one language. Switzerland boasts four and Italy which may have one official for print writing nationally has a dialectic language which could almost be deemed an entirely different language per each city state.
Our country is quickly growing to accomodate the growing hispanic cultures, which is a phenomenon NOT unique to the United States. Spanish is, the last time I heard, one of the most widely languages spoken in the world.
Other English speakers you may not understand when spoken to but who also officially speak English:
Australia, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Guyana, India, Ireland, Israel, Lesotho, Liberia, Malaysia, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, S. Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Tonga, U.K., U.S., Vanuatu, Zimbabwe, many Caribbean states
Stop limiting a growing and living entity. Language evolution cannot be held back, down or at bay. Evolution inevitably comes with the inclusion of others into a system.
Would anyone say that we should get rid of using words such as agent, blond, cuisine, petite, RSVP, saute, puree, or dejavu because they are actually french words and not at all english (for a small example)? What about Kindergarten, noodle, poltergeist, schmooze (all German)? or how about broccolli, zucchini, pasta, or pizza (all Italian)? or how about adobe, aficionado, armad, avocado, barracuda, bizarre, or bronco (spaniard spanish)? What about words like Albino, Admiral, cotton, magazine, or mattress (all Arabic)?
Learn a little before making decisions based on half truths and empty soap boxes.
Alex 4rm miami
Dec 01, 2007
All these retarded ass americans need to leave the hispanics alone. Americans are failing to understand something which has been made very obvious….. IF YOU ARE AMERICAN AND LIVE IN MIAMI, LOS ANGELES, EL PASO, OR NEW YORK CITY…. BITCH, YOU ARE THE MINORITY. what americans need to do is learn how to speak spanish and get over it. i am 100% Cuban until the day i die and i could get a job faster than any of these ignorant gringos that live in the part of miami called “little havanna” and refuse to speak spanish. admit it, we are taking over
M. Green
Dec 17, 2007
LOL. You will NEVER take over. And yes, you are STILL the minority whether you want to believe it or not. We should have packed your asses up and sent you home a loooongggg time ago. If your heritage is that great why not stay home? Here’s why…cause Mexico is shit and all that comes out of it is shit.
Illegals should be sterlized to keep them from breeding like stray animals. I jump for JOY when I see the global warming predictions. With the sea level rise it will drown all of you on your nasty coastlines. I look forward to it. Only thing you’re all good for? Cleaning my toilet and target practice.
JUST SAY NO TO SPANISH.
GODSPEED TO THE MINUTE MEN FOR KEEPING THEIR ASSES OUT.
Alex 4rm miami
Dec 17, 2007
i can tell this retarded ass gringo has never left hicksville, USA. look you little ignorant redneck, i never said i was from mexico….. in fact, im cuban. and why do hispanics come over here you ask? its cuz of our messed up governments. and no cuban plans to stay here permanently, we consider ourself as “visiting” cuz as soon as fidel dies, we’re going back cuz we dont want to be here. come down to miami and see how long you last without speaking spanish. even the hatians have learned how to speak spanish. and mr.green…. think OUTSIDE the box. pretty soon you’ll be working for me or one of my cousins
W
Feb 01, 2008
Send ‘em back!
W
Feb 01, 2008
I live in Dallas, and it pisses me off when they have immigration rallies. I think we should all gang up, take our cattle trailers, bait them with tortillas, and do 80mph all the way to the damn border. Once there, we should also electrify the fuckin’ fence. And as far as Cuba is concerned, Fidel is the best thing your country has ever produced, so you might as well swim your ass back or rent(steal) a raft.
If you were able to read this (since it is in English), I suggest that you swim, jump, and run your ass back to Eagle Pass, trust me when I say they won’t stop you.
Hell y’all are gonna end up building the fence anyways.