Mandatory Arabic Classes Coming To Mansfield

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I'm fluent in Arabic.

You're FF

[Хahar 🤔]

While I agree with the principle of the idea, I think that it is important that students learn Spanish, by far the most relevant foreign language, before they proceed to other languages.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

By the way, how it is with foreign language lessons in U.S. schools?

In Poland, you have mandatory English and the other one, usually German or French.

[Marokai Backbeat]

How much more effective would our intelligence, foreign policy, and defense capabilities be with American native Arabic speakers? Perhaps we'd be more on top of what's going on in Egypt. Don't you agree?

What does that have to do with forcing children to learn Arabic without consent from their parents - as part of a plan that seems to have not been made subject to public comment until now, after the grant has been received and plans put into motion?

Who the hell cares what the parents think? It's a school, not a daycare.

[King]

I know the alphabet and some basic vocab.

[Brittain33]

While I agree with the principle of the idea, I think that it is important that students learn Spanish, by far the most relevant foreign language, before they proceed to other languages.

A brief grant-funded Arabic module in middle school is going to leave kids very little in the long run beyond a few words; I doubt more than a handful will actually learn the alphabet and remember it. Maybe it will help them learn how to learn languages or think about Arabic differently. They'll pursue more widely-taught languages in junior high and high school.

[Brittain33]

Wait until the parents find out who invented algebra.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Wait until the parents find out who invented algebra.

Yeah, those pricks.......I got A's but it sucked.

[ilikeverin]

While I agree with the principle of the idea, I think that it is important that students learn Spanish, by far the most relevant foreign language, before they proceed to other languages.

Meh.  Spanish is easy compared to Arabic.

[Iosif]

While I agree with the principle of the idea, I think that it is important that students learn Spanish, by far the most relevant foreign language, before they proceed to other languages.

A brief grant-funded Arabic module in middle school is going to leave kids very little in the long run beyond a few words; I doubt more than a handful will actually learn the alphabet and remember it. Maybe it will help them learn how to learn languages or think about Arabic differently. They'll pursue more widely-taught languages in junior high and high school.

Correct. I had French, German, Latin and Russian lessons in primary school and I retained almost nothing.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I know the alphabet and some basic vocab.

Ironically, the alphabet is the easiest part. At least it was for me.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I'm not surprised by the complete lack of comprehension of the word "mandatory."

While learning languages other than English is generally desireable, it seems to me that it would be nice if students were offered a variety of languages to study, rather than be required to study a particular one.

[cinyc]

How much more effective would our intelligence, foreign policy, and defense capabilities be with American native Arabic speakers? Perhaps we'd be more on top of what's going on in Egypt. Don't you agree?

What does that have to do with forcing children to learn Arabic without consent from their parents - as part of a plan that seems to have not been made subject to public comment until now, after the grant has been received and plans put into motion?

They're forced to learn math without their parents consent, cinyc.  Would you complain if it was French or Spanish, and not Arabic?

Math is not a foreign language.  In this country, most students get to choose which language other than English they want to learn.

My problem is not with the school teaching Arabic, but forcing children to take it and not notifying parents and the electorate until it is already a done deal.

Who the hell cares what the parents think? It's a school, not a daycare.

We have these things called school boards for a reason.  And the majority of those who vote in school board elections are parents.

[exopolitician]

Thats random, the school district chosen and the program they proposed to be taught. It shouldn't be such a big deal, but seeing that it's Mansfield I'm not surprised.

[Landslide Lyndon]

How much more effective would our intelligence, foreign policy, and defense capabilities be with American native Arabic speakers? Perhaps we'd be more on top of what's going on in Egypt. Don't you agree?

What does that have to do with forcing children to learn Arabic without consent from their parents - as part of a plan that seems to have not been made subject to public comment until now, after the grant has been received and plans put into motion?

They're forced to learn math without their parents consent, cinyc.  Would you complain if it was French or Spanish, and not Arabic?

Math is not a foreign language.  

You're right. Math is an international language.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Learning a second language isn't about losing your dignity or national heritage, CARL.  Learning a second language at a young age is about stimulating the brain.  By doing this, you will most definitely improve learning in other subjects.

A local K-8 charter school here held at the French camp at Concordia Language Villages has a lot of French immersion as well as outdoors 'nature as a classroom' science classes.  Most meals prepared for the students are French (though they also showcase other ethnic cuisines).  They also spend a lot of time learning about the French connection to our culture/history here (a la the Voyageurs).

Is that unamerican?  I guess in Arizona... 'murican is all you need ta know.  Sheriff Joe said so hisself!

[Хahar 🤔]

By the way, how it is with foreign language lessons in U.S. schools?

In Poland, you have mandatory English and the other one, usually German or French.

It depends on the school. In mine, no language is mandatory, but almost all students take one language for at least two years; about half take a language for all four years. Nobody learns more than one language. Spanish, French, Japanese and Chinese are the languages offered, but there are no introductory Chinese classes, meaning that the Chinese classes are only for people who already know Chinese.

[ilikeverin]

I'm not surprised by the complete lack of comprehension of the word "mandatory."

While learning languages other than English is generally desireable, it seems to me that it would be nice if students were offered a variety of languages to study, rather than be required to study a particular one.

I agree.  Unfortunately, that's ridiculously cost-intensive, particularly for elementary/middle schools.  I know my (rich, white, suburban) school district had to cut all languages from middle school but Spanish, which was mandatory, for classes following mine.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Learning a second language isn't about losing your dignity or national heritage, CARL.  Learning a second language at a young age is about stimulating the brain.  By doing this, you will most definitely improve learning in other subjects.

A local K-8 charter school here held at the French camp at Concordia Language Villages has a lot of French immersion as well as outdoors 'nature as a classroom' science classes.  Most meals prepared for the students are French (though they also showcase other ethnic cuisines).  They also spend a lot of time learning about the French connection to our culture/history here (a la the Voyageurs).

Is that unamerican?  I guess in Arizona... 'murican is all you need ta know.  Sheriff Joe said so hisself!

Snowguy,

If you had read my second post in this thread you would note that I support learning a second language.

Why do you imply that I am suggesting that I am suggesting that "Learning a second language is about losing your dignity or national heritage"?

Are you incapable of understanding the substance of the original post which makes one foreign language (not a choice), mandatory?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLwb9NePt94

[anvi]

Mandatory Arabic Classes Coming To Mansfield

February 7, 2011

MANSFIELD (CBSDFW.COM) – Some Students at Mansfield ISD schools could soon be learning Arabic as a required language.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/02/07/mandatory-arabic-classes-coming-to-mansfield/

The actual story found at this link is entitled "Mansfield Arabic Program on Hold" and the first, one sentence, paragraph reads:

MANSFIELD (CBSDFW.COM) – A Mansfield ISD program to teach Arabic language and culture in schools is on hold for now, and may not happen at all."

After reading through the story three times, I found no mention of the classes, which were not just about Arabic language but history, culture, government and art, being mandatory.  One parent quoted in the story even mentions the "option" to take Arabic as being a good thing.  The parents seemed mostly to be upset about suddenly learning that the school district had received a FLAP grant for Arabic but did not inform the parents about it until the schools selected to offer the courses were ready to implement the curriculum.  Incidentally but importantly, FLAP (Foreign Language Assistance Program) grants from the Department of Education have been offered to school districts since 1965, and are awarded to those districts that submit applications to the Department proposing a program of study in a certain language.  In other words, it was the local school district that proposed an Arabic language and culture study program as part of its curriculum in a few selected high schools. The parents are perhaps justified in their feelings that they should have been informed earlier, maybe at least as early as the school district was notified that they had been offered the grant money, but nobody in the story mentions being upset because the courses offered through the program are mandatory.  If they are mandatory, neither this article's headline or text mentions it, as the link provided for the story has us believe.

The Arabic language and attendant courses on history, culture and government are good things for our children to learn, because an informed citizenry is more likely to make better decisions about other countries than an uninformed one, and so the government has an interest in rewarding schools for making such learning opportunities available.  

[cinyc]

The original story has been replaced with an updated one.  The original link made Drudge, and the school district is reconsidering.

[The Mikado]

I oppose this.  Kids should learn Greek and Latin.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I oppose this.  Kids should learn Greek and Latin.

The languages of homos?

[Free Palestine]

Arabic is a cool language.  I wouldn't mind learning it, though I dislike mandatory things of that sort.