Arabic mandatory at New York city public school

[enhanced_deficit]

Next salvo at language Freedoms in the US had been fired, how many heard it?


Arabic mandatory at city public school (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/arabic_mandatory_at_city_public_UdLomjOOnZNfjDfs6Y QrUN)

By SABRINA FORD
Last Updated: 3:53 AM, May 24, 2012

An upper Manhattan public elementary school will be the first in the city to require that students study Arabic, officials said yesterday.
Beginning next semester, all 200 second- through fifth-graders at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will be taught the language twice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science and music courses.

One reason Principal Nicky Kram Rosen selected Arabic — as opposed to more common offerings, such as Spanish or French — is because it will help the school obtain a prestigious International Baccalaureate standing.
David McGlynn
GLOBAL APPEAL: Principal Kram Rosen (left) hopes the Arabic taught by Mohamed Mamdouh (right) earns worldwide prestige for PS 368.


“She proposed this to the parent association. They were very supportive,” said Angela Jackson, CEO of the Global Language Project, which is backing the initiative.
“Arabic has been identified as a critical-need language,” she said, citing students’ future “career trajectories.’’
“It means they can spin the globe and decide where they want to work and live.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/arabic_mandatory_at_city_public_UdLomjOOnZNfjDfs6Y QrUN

[alucard13mm]

Next salvo at language Freedoms in the US had been fired, how many heard it?


Arabic mandatory at city public school (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/arabic_mandatory_at_city_public_UdLomjOOnZNfjDfs6Y QrUN)



By SABRINA FORD
Last Updated: 3:53 AM, May 24, 2012

An upper Manhattan public elementary school will be the first in the city to require that students study Arabic, officials said yesterday.
Beginning next semester, all 200 second- through fifth-graders at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will be taught the language twice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science and music courses.

One reason Principal Nicky Kram Rosen selected Arabic — as opposed to more common offerings, such as Spanish or French — is because it will help the school obtain a prestigious International Baccalaureate standing.
David McGlynn
GLOBAL APPEAL: Principal Kram Rosen (left) hopes the Arabic taught by Mohamed Mamdouh (right) earns worldwide prestige for PS 368.


“She proposed this to the parent association. They were very supportive,” said Angela Jackson, CEO of the Global Language Project, which is backing the initiative.
“Arabic has been identified as a critical-need language,” she said, citing students’ future “career trajectories.’’
“It means they can spin the globe and decide where they want to work and live.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/arabic_mandatory_at_city_public_UdLomjOOnZNfjDfs6Y QrUN

Okay... if parents agree to it. Sure?

They should learn Chinese. I welcome our Chinese Overlords.

[enhanced_deficit]

Okay... if parents agree to it. Sure?

They should learn Chinese. I welcome our Chinese Overlords.

Parents can be different in parts of NY.

Waiter Charged Over Arabic Chant at Jewish Wedding | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/01/11/waiter-charged-over-arabic-chant-at-jewish-wedding)
www.foxnews.com/.../waiter-charged-over-arabic-chant-at-jewish-weddi...‎
Jan 11, 2009 - Stephen Buttafuoco, 23, said he was playing the recording for a co-worker and was unaware it was being amplified over a sound system at the ...

[eduardo89]

What's wrong with learning another language? My 2 year old already speaks English and Spanish and is learning Portuguese.

[Mani]

Parents can be different in parts of NY.

Waiter Charged Over Arabic Chant at Jewish Wedding | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/01/11/waiter-charged-over-arabic-chant-at-jewish-wedding)
www.foxnews.com/.../waiter-charged-over-arabic-chant-at-jewish-weddi...‎
Jan 11, 2009 - Stephen Buttafuoco, 23, said he was playing the recording for a co-worker and was unaware it was being amplified over a sound system at the ...


Felony harassment?


He went to jail for that?

I thought the worse is he could be fired, but wow.

[mad cow]

Beginning next semester, all 200 second- through fifth-graders at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will be taught the language twice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science and music courses.


By seventh grade 1/3 of them will remember how to count to ten and maybe the names of 7 or 8 months of the year but it will quickly fade.

[AngryCanadian]

What's wrong with learning another language? My 2 year old already speaks English and Spanish and is learning Portuguese.
It isn't the language is the fact that it has became an "mandatory choice" this would just fire more people by stating the Islamists are taking over.

[Weston White]

Rachel Jeantel is trilingual and she is getting a full ride to college... So yea, everybody should learn at the very least three languages, because look what good doing so has done for her. ;)

[eduardo89]

Rachel Jeantel is trilingual and she is getting a full ride to college... So yea, everybody should learn at the very least three languages, because look what good doing so has done for her. ;)

I assume English is not one of those three languages.

[Weston White]

I assume English is not one of those three languages.

Well, I am doubtful that any language is one of those three languages.


ETA: Still though what good does learning other languages do, when the average student reads at a six-grade level and does math at a forth-grade level?

[brandon]

Arabic is probably one of the most important languages kids study. We already have plenty of spanish and french speakers.

[jbauer]

They can fill in the bubble incorrectly in more then one language?

Well, I am doubtful that any language is one of those three languages.


ETA: Still though what good does learning other languages do, when the average student reads at a six-grade level and does math at a forth-grade level?

[Tod]

Rachel Jeantel is trilingual and she is getting a full ride to college... So yea, everybody should learn at the very least three languages, because look what good doing so has done for her. ;)

You sure that wasn't trisexual?

[Antischism]

I'm failing to see what the issue here is.

[JustinTime]

I'm failing to see what the issue here is.

Thats its mandatory. I can see Spanish being required, or an open requirement of a second language, but theres no reason for Arabic to be required learning in any US school.

[Matthew5]

Public school is compulsory education anyway, what difference does it make which language they require? As the article states, it was identified as a critical needs language and it will win them certifications.

The business world is changing. You're just as likely to deal with an Arabic person as a French Canadian person (probably even more so).

[JustinTime]

Public school is compulsory education anyway, what difference does it make which language they require?

Compulsory IMO is bad, and even more compulsory is worse.

[MelissaWV]

Language enrichment is not a bad thing, especially if the parents agree. The thing most of you missed is that this is on par with the mandatory music class and the amount of time the students spend learning science at those grade levels.

[Matthew5]

Compulsory IMO is bad, and even more compulsory is worse.

It is, but this isn't a debate about the necessity of public education. The OP made the claim that language freedom was being attacked. How much freedom do you expect at a public school? 100% of the curriculum is forced upon you regardless, why balk at this? There's only a limited amount of languages they can offer given their resources. That's true of every school, public or private. If anything, it's making the situation better because they're choosing a language that most see as better benefit.

Why not rail against every public school that only offers Spanish?

[Rothbardian Girl]

Well, I am doubtful that any language is one of those three languages.


ETA: Still though what good does learning other languages do, when the average student reads at a six-grade level and does math at a forth-grade level?
Actually, learning a language early can benefit a child's English skills and improve general cognitive ability, since the brain works hard at piecing new languages together and then can use those strategies in other areas of learning. If he or she starts early, a child may be more likely to achieve native-like levels of pronunciation (something that is certainly an advantage for learning Arabic). I know I took a few extra Spanish classes in third grade; I barely remember any of it now, but it flipped a switch in me and inspired me to start learning German and Latin later on, which are now two of my great passions.

That being said, I don't know if I agree with the compulsory thing, because it may be a turnoff to these kids. I find that most people hate learning a language if they are forced to do so. However, I also hated my music and gym classes because I was forced to do them, but I survived and don't hate music or exercise now. Everyone reacts differently.

[JustinTime]

It is, but this isn't a debate about the necessity of public education. The OP made the claim that language freedom was being attacked. How much freedom do you expect at a public school? 100% of the curriculum is forced upon you regardless, why balk at this? There's only a limited amount of languages they can offer given their resources. That's true of every school, public or private. If anything, it's making the situation better because they're choosing a language that most see as better benefit.

Why not rail against every public school that only offers Spanish?

I encounter people speaking Spanish daily, I don't think Ive ever met anyone speaking Arabic. Sure some people in the business world will need it, and in the military and intelligence fields, but its not something that most people need.

[Matthew5]

I encounter people speaking Spanish daily, I don't think Ive ever met anyone speaking Arabic. Sure some people in the business world will need it, and in the military and intelligence fields, but its not something that most people need.

But it varies from state to state. Oklahoma has a considerably small Hispanic population. Drive a few hours south and Hispanics are a large minority. Seeing that this is a school in New York City, I can imagine the population is rather diverse. I also get the sense that this is a much more wealthier school, so there's probably many parents in the business sector with kids in this school.

It all depends on the circles you run in, and this is what works best for these kids.