Principal Amy Lacey of Hempstead Middle School
in Texas is on leave this week after making an announcement over the intercom
that students were no longer allowed to speak Spanish. Principal Lacey claimed
that Spanish was causing disruptions in the classrooms. After the announcement
was made many teachers even enforced the “rule”, threatening to write students
up or send them to the principals office. For many of the students at Hempstead
Spanish is their first language. Essentially, the principal gave the teachers
permission to discriminate against the students. One eighth-grader Yedhany
Gallegos recalls, “She was like no speaking Spanish. I was like that’s my first
language. She said, well you can get out” (Edwards, 2013). The cherry on top is
that it took over two weeks for the superintendent to send a letter home
insisting, “neither the district or any campus has any policy prohibiting the
speaking of Spanish” (Edwards, 2013). Also, the district has said that the
principal is on leave with pay until “the appropriate action is determined”
(Edwards, 2013). I feel like it’s
very obvious that the “appropriate action” would be to fire Ms. Lacey
immediately. This is so discriminatory it’s insane to me that the school would
even hesitate to fire her. This is the kind of discrimination that was
practiced in the 60’s and 70’s. 50 years later, here we are.
Observation:
Many Americans believe that English is the United States’ official language.
The United States does not have an official language.
Wow, this is ridiculous. I almost don't even understand people sometimes. This is why we need more social workers going into the education realm and into our schools, to spread love and justice on our such impressionable people. Also we need teachers to be talking a cultural competency class. Thank you for sharing this story.
ReplyDeleteIt blows my mind that things like this are still happening today. Sometimes I look at my phone and all the apps and I think "how far we've come" and then other times I hear about things like this and I can only think of how little we have moved. I am so tired of this idea of supremacy among languages and races and it absolutely disgusts me that things like this are happening to kids that could be my little brother. There is such a lack of discipline in the school system. Why is it that the only thing a teacher learns before going to teach is how to teach? We have been taught our entire lives and for some reason the system thinks that future teachers need to be taught how to teach? There is serious need for cultural competence on so many different levels. Teachers these days don't even know how to deal with unruly children (also parents don't either). I read this article about how the rates of ADHD diagnosis are much lower in France than here and it is because kids are given more structure from the moment they are born in France than in the United States. I feel like instead of taking responsibilities for the surroundings kids are in, a lot of adults are shucking off issues as internal problems the kids have.
ReplyDeleteThat's unbelievable. I don't know why a school would think it is appropriate to decide what language you can speak and not speak. That it took the superintendent so long to address the issue makes one wonder if they weren't a tad bit in agreement.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Not much needs to be said to express the disgust this should bring people. I think you guys said it well. Its important that educators also learn how to work with people and adolescents. Well said Sara, Ive had similar thoughts about the progress and lack thereof we have experienced in this day and age we have made as a society and world. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete