Heavily accented teachers removed from Arizona classrooms

[DragonStryk72]

School districts in Arizona are under orders from the state's Department of Education to remove from classrooms teachers who speak English with a very heavy accent or whose speech is ungrammatical.

Officials say they want students who don’t know much English to have teachers who can best model how to speak the language, but, according to The Wall Street Journal, some principals and administrators are concerned that the standards for removal are arbitrary.

The recent move by the department comes during the political firestorm over a new law in Arizona which requires police to question anyone who appears to be in the country illegally. It is the most restrictive immigration law in the country.

Arizona's education department has sent people into schools to audit teachers on comprehensible pronunciation, correct grammar and good writing. Teachers who fail may try to improve, but if they don’t, school districts can fire or reassign them.

The Journal’s report says that critics of the new teachers policy believe the education department was encouraged by the new law, and that targeting teachers with heavy accents is just part of the anti-immigration movement in Arizona.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/teachers/heavily-accented-teachers-remo.html

I was okay with the anti-illegal law, that's well within their purview, but come on, this is now officially going too far. We do not have so many people willing to be teachers in this country that we can afford to fire them for being of a different linguistic background. I mean, this effects so many different cultural sounds that it isn't funny. Aside from mexican accents, we're talking Irish, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese, and more. This isn't about curbing illegal immigration, this is just discriminatory.

[avatar4321]

What on earth are you talking about? There is an overabundance of teachers in this country. I know tons of people who would love to have a teaching job who can't because there are so many.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have english teachers who can speak and write english.

[Mr. P]

I was okay with the anti-illegal law, that's well within their purview, but come on, this is now officially going too far. We do not have so many people willing to be teachers in this country that we can afford to fire them for being of a different linguistic background. I mean, this effects so many different cultural sounds that it isn't funny. Aside from mexican accents, we're talking Irish, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese, and more. This isn't about curbing illegal immigration, this is just discriminatory.

I'm all for it. It is the states to a large degree who set the standards in their schools. If a teacher that can't speck English in the classroom well enough to be understood they aren't teaching, are they?

[SassyLady]

I was okay with the anti-illegal law, that's well within their purview, but come on, this is now officially going too far. We do not have so many people willing to be teachers in this country that we can afford to fire them for being of a different linguistic background. I mean, this effects so many different cultural sounds that it isn't funny. Aside from mexican accents, we're talking Irish, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese, and more. This isn't about curbing illegal immigration, this is just discriminatory.

Tucson is laying off teachers due to economy. If they want to narrow down who stays and who goes, then I think every teacher should be able to demonstrate they have a competent grasp of the English language and can be clearly understood by the students.

[Nukeman]

I was okay with the anti-illegal law, that's well within their purview, but come on, this is now officially going too far. We do not have so many people willing to be teachers in this country that we can afford to fire them for being of a different linguistic background. I mean, this effects so many different cultural sounds that it isn't funny. Aside from mexican accents, we're talking Irish, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese, and more. This isn't about curbing illegal immigration, this is just discriminatory.

Question,

would you want your teacher of Biology to know anything about biology, would you want your physics teacher to be proficient in physics?? why would you NOT want your ENGLISH teacher to be proficient in ENGLISH??

I have had professors in the past that I could barely understand let alone follow for the lectures. If I moved to another country I would expect to have to learn the language in order to attend school. the US is the ONLY country that makes allowances for this type of BS.....

As for accents it is not about them it is about being able to UNDERSTAND your teacher. Everyone has a local accent in the US, I would expect that if someone has such a THICK accent that they have a poor gramatical grasp of ENGLISH than they really shouldn't be teaching ENGLISH!!!!!!! Now should they????

[LiberalNation]

sucks to pay for a class only to find out you can't understand the teacher teaching it because they don't speak english for crap.

[Abbey Marie]

This is a problem in colleges, too. If you cannot understand your teacher because of their strong accent, you are going to have a tough time of it. But far worse is a grade school or high school teacher who does not use correct grammar. How can these kids hope to learn? Once again, Arizona gets it right.
If it wasn't so hot and brown there, I'd consider moving.

[SpidermanTUba]

What on earth are you talking about? There is an overabundance of teachers in this country. I know tons of people who would love to have a teaching job who can't because there are so many.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have english teachers who can speak and write english.

Tell them to come on down to New Orleans.

[SpidermanTUba]

Question,

would you want your teacher of Biology to know anything about biology, would you want your physics teacher to be proficient in physics?? why would you NOT want your ENGLISH teacher to be proficient in ENGLISH??

I have had professors in the past that I could barely understand let alone follow for the lectures. If I moved to another country I would expect to have to learn the language in order to attend school. the US is the ONLY country that makes allowances for this type of BS.....

As for accents it is not about them it is about being able to UNDERSTAND your teacher. Everyone has a local accent in the US, I would expect that if someone has such a THICK accent that they have a poor gramatical grasp of ENGLISH than they really shouldn't be teaching ENGLISH!!!!!!! Now should they????


We certainly wouldn't want our kids to grow up being able to understand people who speak English with an accent. That wouldn't help them out in college one bit.

[Trigg]

I was okay with the anti-illegal law, that's well within their purview, but come on, this is now officially going too far. We do not have so many people willing to be teachers in this country that we can afford to fire them for being of a different linguistic background. I mean, this effects so many different cultural sounds that it isn't funny. Aside from mexican accents, we're talking Irish, Russian, German, Indian, Chinese, and more. This isn't about curbing illegal immigration, this is just discriminatory.

Hate to bust your bubble but Arizona didn't just pull this out of thin air, the mandate comes from No Child Left Behind. IMHO it is in no way discriminatory, kids need to be able to understand the teacher.


Arizona's enforcement of fluency standards is based on an interpretation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. That law states that for a school to receive federal funds, students learning English must be instructed by teachers fluent in the language. Defining fluency is left to each state, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education said.

"The teacher obviously must be fluent in every aspect of the English language," said Adela Santa Cruz, director of the Arizona education-department office charged with enforcing standards in classes for students with limited English.

Note the name of the education director:salute:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703572504575213883276427528.html

[Nukeman]

Hate to bust your bubble but Arizona didn't just pull this out of thin air, the mandate comes from No Child Left Behind. IMHO it is in no way discriminatory, kids need to be able to understand the teacher.



Note the name of the education director:salute:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703572504575213883276427528.html

HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA:lol::lol::lol:

[DragonStryk72]

What on earth are you talking about? There is an overabundance of teachers in this country. I know tons of people who would love to have a teaching job who can't because there are so many.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have english teachers who can speak and write english.

but it's teachers period. so your spanish teacher can't have "too much" of a spanish accent. Maybe the teachers situation is different where you're at, because here on the east coast, they're bumping up class sizes from the lack of teachers.

And really, we're gonna that POS NCLB? the ones that repeatedly saw grade scores across the board fall? That's what makes that one okay, cause another shitty law said it is? What, are our children no longer going to run into anyone out there that talks different?

[DragonStryk72]

Question,

would you want your teacher of Biology to know anything about biology, would you want your physics teacher to be proficient in physics?? why would you NOT want your ENGLISH teacher to be proficient in ENGLISH??

I have had professors in the past that I could barely understand let alone follow for the lectures. If I moved to another country I would expect to have to learn the language in order to attend school. the US is the ONLY country that makes allowances for this type of BS.....

As for accents it is not about them it is about being able to UNDERSTAND your teacher. Everyone has a local accent in the US, I would expect that if someone has such a THICK accent that they have a poor gramatical grasp of ENGLISH than they really shouldn't be teaching ENGLISH!!!!!!! Now should they????

THis isn't about proficiency though, they include accents. So technically, as the law is written, and English English teacher may not be able to teach Arizona cause they have an hard English accent.

[Mr. P]

but it's teachers period. so your spanish teacher can't have "too much" of a spanish accent. Maybe the teachers situation is different where you're at, because here on the east coast, they're bumping up class sizes from the lack of teachers.

And really, we're gonna that POS NCLB? the ones that repeatedly saw grade scores across the board fall? That's what makes that one okay, cause another shitty law said it is? What, are our children no longer going to run into anyone out there that talks different?

On my east coast they're bumping teachers and closing schools...because of budgets, not a shortage of teachers. All this unemployment is affecting tax revenues nation wide.

I wonder when some attention will be payed to the major problem we face now, LACK OF JOBS. I mean it's ONLY been a yr and a half! Shovel ready? :laugh2:

[Binky]

What on earth are you talking about? There is an overabundance of teachers in this country. I know tons of people who would love to have a teaching job who can't because there are so many.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have english teachers who can speak and write english.


I agree with you. If we have teachers that stumble speaking English and can barely write it, how in the world can we expect our students to grasp what they are trying to teach them?

I remember when my son was going to Central Michigan University eons ago. He had a professor that had a very difficult time trying to speak to his classes. My son said he hated the class because the professors accent was so thick and he could barely speak english making it difficult to understand what he was saying.

Leaves me to believe there are an awful lot of teachers/professors that don't have the grasp of the english language they should have. I wonder if it is some quota that the universities and/or schools have to meet when they hire so many that can barely speak a word of english.....

[Binky]

On my east coast they're bumping teachers and closing schools...because of budgets, not a shortage of teachers. All this unemployment is affecting tax revenues nation wide.

I wonder when some attention will be payed to the major problem we face now, LACK OF JOBS. I mean it's ONLY been a yr and a half! Shovel ready? :laugh2:


Better get a huge shovel as the way things are going it could very well get much worse before ever getting better.:eek:

[Binky]

Question,

would you want your teacher of Biology to know anything about biology, would you want your physics teacher to be proficient in physics?? why would you NOT want your ENGLISH teacher to be proficient in ENGLISH??

I have had professors in the past that I could barely understand let alone follow for the lectures. If I moved to another country I would expect to have to learn the language in order to attend school. the US is the ONLY country that makes allowances for this type of BS.....

As for accents it is not about them it is about being able to UNDERSTAND your teacher. Everyone has a local accent in the US, I would expect that if someone has such a THICK accent that they have a poor gramatical grasp of ENGLISH than they really shouldn't be teaching ENGLISH!!!!!!! Now should they????


Sounds downright feasible to me....I sure wouldn't want a piano teacher who couldn't read notes or play the piano..... Makes sense.....

[Gaffer]

Ahhh Binky the words your looking for are "affirmative action". That's how these foreigners get these jobs. Each school must hire a certain number of "ethnic" persons for their quota. The fact no one can understand them is irrelevant.