Information

[CarrieG]

is it alright to say the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish??????????????????

[meljustcole]

I can see no problem with it, so long as they leave ALL the words in it!!! I find we're getting a bit over the top with this politically correct thang!

[debamas]

My thought is if they are saying the pledge then they should be American and we do have many Spanish speaking Americans now. I'd love to hear it in English but if not learned then OK.

[average_kim]

I also get tired of all the over the top PC-ness. But I think they should hear the Pledge of Allegiance in their language and say it also. Best way to know what it means, then I do believe they should try to learn it in English.

[1grandma]

Fine by me. The young people will learn it in school won't they? Or do they say it every morning like it was done when I was in school?

[CarrieG]

Fine by me. The young people will learn it in school won't they? Or do they say it every morning like it was done when I was in school?

they say it every morning and at assemblies at my youngest daughters school..........but if you are Hispanic you can say it in Spanish............the translator teaches them in a special class

[CarrieG]

ok so here is why I asked...........my youngest daughter goes to an elementary school that has become a bilingual school....each grade has a class that is either bilingual or English only (our daughter has been in the English only since 1st grade).......and the new principal has a new agenda ...she would like to push out the English only speakers...grrrrrrrr......a 30 min 3rd-5th grade monthly award assembly now takes over an hour cuz every thing has to be translated and said in both English and Spanish...........it was more of an irritant than anything til today when they wanted us to do the pledge in Spanish...it was up on a screen for us non Spanish speakers...now I would never move to a foreign country and expect them to do that for me..........America is unique...in which ppl move here with the intentions (hopefully) of becoming citizens and embracing what we stand for while retaining their culture...but they would have to speak English at work etc...kwim??? typically americans do not move to other countries to become citizens there. So, I feel it is almost a disservice to the Hispanic population that we are enabling them by not having them participate in English...does that make sense? I felt highly uncomfy having what is one of Americas most sacred things...the Pledge of Allegiance...something we as americans say with great pride and honor....seeming to be just another nursery rhyme or song.....with no real meaning..........
I suspect that every part of the nation has different feelings on this based on what your ethnic population is...........and how much it directly affects you.so no one is going to all think exactly alike and that is fine...I was just curious as I worked thru this in my mind--some places have heavy Russian or Ukrainian populations but do they get this same scenario?????????

[meljustcole]

ok so here is why I asked...........my youngest daughter goes to an elementary school that has become a bilingual school....each grade has a class that is either bilingual or English only (our daughter has been in the English only since 1st grade).......and the new principal has a new agenda ...she would like to push out the English only speakers...grrrrrrrr......a 30 min 3rd-5th grade monthly award assembly now takes over an hour cuz every thing has to be translated and said in both English and Spanish...........it was more of an irritant than anything til today when they wanted us to do the pledge in Spanish...it was up on a screen for us non Spanish speakers...now I would never move to a foreign country and expect them to do that for me..........America is unique...in which ppl move here with the intentions (hopefully) of becoming citizens and embracing what we stand for while retaining their culture...but they would have to speak English at work etc...kwim??? typically americans do not move to other countries to become citizens there. So, I feel it is almost a disservice to the Hispanic population that we are enabling them by not having them participate in English...does that make sense? I felt highly uncomfy having what is one of Americas most sacred things...the Pledge of Allegiance...something we as americans say with great pride and honor....seeming to be just another nursery rhyme or song.....with no real meaning..........
I suspect that every part of the nation has different feelings on this based on what your ethnic population is...........and how much it directly affects you.so no one is going to all think exactly alike and that is fine...I was just curious as I worked thru this in my mind--some places have heavy Russian or Ukrainian populations but do they get this same scenario?????????

I was going to ask you the scenario that brought on the question. While I don't mind if someone says it in their native language, what the school is doing is wrong. I originally said I see nothing wrong with it and I still agree and stand by that statement IF nothing about the pledge is changed...BUT it shouldn't have to take an hour for it to be said and those that speak English should not have to be MADE to speak Spanish!!

[love2stamp]

Well, I for one disagree. I think if you are going to come over to US to become a citizen then you should learn the language. PERIOD. If you want to keep your own language, that's fine, but learn the English language as well. I should not have to press one for English, two for Spanish. I also shouldn't have to search an instruction manual to find the instructions in English. So I believe that the Pledge of Allegiance should be said in English, not Spanish or any other language.

You don't go overseas and expect them to adapt to you and your culture, you adapt to theirs. Why should the US be different? My brother lives in Saudi Arabia, has for about 5 years as a civilian teaching their army how to run and work on tanks. He has had to learn their culture and live by that, we are not allowed to send anything that has to do with Christmas or religion wise to him, otherwise they will take it and he would be in trouble. We lived overseas for years in the military, when we went off base we learned their language because most of them spoke very, very little English. It's what you do if you are going to live in another country, so why does the America think we need to adapt to their language if they are coming to live here?

[mgehrke]

Well, I for one disagree. I think if you are going to come over to US to become a citizen then you should learn the language. PERIOD. If you want to keep your own language, that's fine, but learn the English language as well. I should not have to press one for English, two for Spanish. I also shouldn't have to search an instruction manual to find the instructions in English. So I believe that the Pledge of Allegiance should be said in English, not Spanish or any other language.

You don't go overseas and expect them to adapt to you and your culture, you adapt to theirs. Why should the US be different? My brother lives in Saudi Arabia, has for about 5 years as a civilian teaching their army how to run and work on tanks. He has had to learn their culture and live by that, we are not allowed to send anything that has to do with Christmas or religion wise to him, otherwise they will take it and he would be in trouble. We lived overseas for years in the military, when we went off base we learned their language because most of them spoke very, very little English. It's what you do if you are going to live in another country, so why does the America think we need to adapt to their language if they are coming to live here?

I am totally with you and believe the same thing. If you come to the US to become a citizen, then by gosh you should have to adapt to our culture. I too get annoyed when I have to press 1 for English (and then get someone I can't even understand). Now the instruction booklets on everything is like a novel. No wonder shipping is so expensive. The instruction booklet weighs a ton now.

[cajenkins81]

Well, I for one disagree. I think if you are going to come over to US to become a citizen then you should learn the language. PERIOD. If you want to keep your own language, that's fine, but learn the English language as well. I should not have to press one for English, two for Spanish. I also shouldn't have to search an instruction manual to find the instructions in English. So I believe that the Pledge of Allegiance should be said in English, not Spanish or any other language.

You don't go overseas and expect them to adapt to you and your culture, you adapt to theirs. Why should the US be different? My brother lives in Saudi Arabia, has for about 5 years as a civilian teaching their army how to run and work on tanks. He has had to learn their culture and live by that, we are not allowed to send anything that has to do with Christmas or religion wise to him, otherwise they will take it and he would be in trouble. We lived overseas for years in the military, when we went off base we learned their language because most of them spoke very, very little English. It's what you do if you are going to live in another country, so why does the America think we need to adapt to their language if they are coming to live here?

I agree with this 100%.

I am okay with encouraging bilingualism and multiculturalism. I think more people need to understand more about other cultures and learn to not be so egocentric.

BUT, This is America. The Pledge of Allegiance is an AMERICAN pledge, to our flag, to our nation, that we will stand for THIS nation. I don't think people who are not Citizens should be allowed to say it. It's NOT just another nursery rhyme or anything. It is our nation's way of showing solidarity and unity, allegiance to this country and to stand by her. Saying the pledge in Spanish 1) is wrong in my opinion. Hispanics intending to live here and obtain citizenship need to learn it. 2) Making English speakers say it in Spanish is wrong. Too much over the top. There's something to be said for diversity and involving the other person, but this is America and an American school. IF it were a school that presented itself as a bilingual school - i.e. private school - then sure, go for it. But if it's a public school, i.e. American and paid for by tax dollars and American subsidies - then it should be American. Point blank.

[citygirl22]

I'm not American so I don't have an opinion on the pledge of allegiance one way or the other but I'm just curious ... in the US is Spanish an official language? Here in Canada we have two official languages, English and French. We have a legal right to be served in either language whenever we're dealing with a federal service (ie: renewing a passport, filing taxes, etc.) It's very common for big events to be translated into both languages and even our national anthem is often sung half in English, half in French. Is it like this in America, with English and Spanish being formal official languages? Or is the pledge being said in Spanish because of the school's population being primarily Spanish speakers?

[cajenkins81]

I'm not American so I don't have an opinion on the pledge of allegiance one way or the other but I'm just curious ... in the US is Spanish an official language? Here in Canada we have two official languages, English and French. We have a legal right to be served in either language whenever we're dealing with a federal service (ie: renewing a passport, filing taxes, etc.) It's very common for big events to be translated into both languages and even our national anthem is often sung half in English, half in French. Is it like this in America, with English and Spanish being formal official languages? Or is the pledge being said in Spanish because of the school's population being primarily Spanish speakers?

SPanish is not an official American language. Spanish-speakers are, however, our largest minority group. America is English, and the Pledge is something for it's citizens to say.

[citygirl22]

I'm not American so I don't have an opinion on the pledge of allegiance one way or the other but I'm just curious ... in the US is Spanish an official language? Here in Canada we have two official languages, English and French. We have a legal right to be served in either language whenever we're dealing with a federal service (ie: renewing a passport, filing taxes, etc.) It's very common for big events to be translated into both languages and even our national anthem is often sung half in English, half in French. Is it like this in America, with English and Spanish being formal official languages? Or is the pledge being said in Spanish because of the school's population being primarily Spanish speakers?

SPanish is not an official American language. Spanish-speakers are, however, our largest minority group. America is English, and the Pledge is something for it's citizens to say.

Thanks Carolyn!

[CarrieG]

another thing I was thinking about....any many parts of the USA..the Hispanic population is an integral part of the community and in others it isn't..so some places are more accommodating
I will give you the back story of where I live: town of 50,000 my older girls went to school with a 3% Hispanic population in elementary school........my youngest goes to school with a 40-60% Hispanic population..........HUGE increase........why the increase? we have a large migrant worker population now and to be honest a large illegal population. this town has 9 Mexican restaurants and 4 Mexican grocery stores/bakerys. While I do not have a problem with the Hispanic community on a whole--I do have a problem with them expecting us to alter our kids education to accommodate the Hispanic students and their parents. My oldest DD works in Central Phoenix with the Hispanic population and those kids and families...........CRAVE learning English and ways they can keep their culture but also be viewed as Americans..........you are NOT going to get that if you enable their lack of English skills............case in point...we once watched a young boy translate the drivers license examination for his father at our local dmv..........because the father did not speak English.............WAHHHHHH????????????????????????? how was this father even legal to get a drivers license....in the state of Oregon you have to practically show your placenta to prove you were born in America.......lol
I am not trying to be controversial etc...........I am just realllllly struggling with what this is doing to our kids.............and fearful that the next step will be an addition of another language in this whole cycle...as the next largest growing population here is the Ukrainians

[CarrieG]

ohhhhhh and our families heritage language is German.............but I don't ask the schools to provide translation (which would be silly since it isn't my first language...lol) But if my Grandmother were to come to an assembly I would never ask for things to also be said in German so that she could understand

[average_kim]

ok so here is why I asked...........my youngest daughter goes to an elementary school that has become a bilingual school....each grade has a class that is either bilingual or English only (our daughter has been in the English only since 1st grade).......and the new principal has a new agenda ...she would like to push out the English only speakers...grrrrrrrr......a 30 min 3rd-5th grade monthly award assembly now takes over an hour cuz every thing has to be translated and said in both English and Spanish...........it was more of an irritant than anything til today when they wanted us to do the pledge in Spanish...it was up on a screen for us non Spanish speakers...now I would never move to a foreign country and expect them to do that for me..........America is unique...in which ppl move here with the intentions (hopefully) of becoming citizens and embracing what we stand for while retaining their culture...but they would have to speak English at work etc...kwim??? typically americans do not move to other countries to become citizens there. So, I feel it is almost a disservice to the Hispanic population that we are enabling them by not having them participate in English...does that make sense? I felt highly uncomfy having what is one of Americas most sacred things...the Pledge of Allegiance...something we as americans say with great pride and honor....seeming to be just another nursery rhyme or song.....with no real meaning..........
I suspect that every part of the nation has different feelings on this based on what your ethnic population is...........and how much it directly affects you.so no one is going to all think exactly alike and that is fine...I was just curious as I worked thru this in my mind--some places have heavy Russian or Ukrainian populations but do they get this same scenario?????????

I was going to ask you the scenario that brought on the question. While I don't mind if someone says it in their native language, what the school is doing is wrong. I originally said I see nothing wrong with it and I still agree and stand by that statement IF nothing about the pledge is changed...BUT it shouldn't have to take an hour for it to be said and those that speak English should not have to be MADE to speak Spanish!!

I agree with you.

[blbabe1234]

ohhhhhh and our families heritage language is German.............but I don't ask the schools to provide translation (which would be silly since it isn't my first language...lol) But if my Grandmother were to come to an assembly I would never ask for things to also be said in German so that she could understand

Ditto. My heritage is Czech I wouldn't ask someone to translate something into Czech for the elders to understand

[emmapaige]

Oh my goodness....I totally agree. Our ancestors had to learn the language and anyone who wants to live in this country (even if they don't wish to become a US citizen) should be required to learn the language. We live in suburban Philadelphia and in addition to a large Mexican population, we also have many from Korea, India, Vietnam and Western Europe. These people have learned to survive in the US without pressing 3 for Korean, 4 for Hindi, etc.

Granted, when I was laid off a few years ago, the information I received about applying for unemployment included languages I didn't even know existed!!! So I guess even if one doesn't speak English, they are still eligible for unemployment benefits. I wonder if they also need to be US citizens....probably not!

[emmapaige]

Speaking of The Pledge of Allegiance, hasn't this been banned in some schools because of "One Nation under God"? Of course, this opens up a whole new discussion!