Teaching Arabic is a nefarious plot?

[BryanP]

Ye gods.  This is pathetic. Learning about something is not the same thing as being "indoctrinated."   

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/02/08/2834067/mansfield-school-district-backs.html

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

[RoadKingLarry]

I don't have a problem with any language being offered or a foreign language class being required if it is you must pcik from this list type of thing. But when they attempt to mandate a specific language then I get annoyed. How much fun would we see if they had attempted to mandate Hebrew?

[Perd Hapley]

Let's look at the recent Pew survey to get a little perspective:

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1745/religious-knowledge-in-america-survey-atheists-agnostics-score-highest

But among the questions most often answered incorrectly is whether public school teachers are permitted to read from the Bible as an example of literature. Fully two-thirds of people surveyed (67%) also say "no" to this question, even though the Supreme Court has clearly stated that the Bible may be taught for its "literary and historic" qualities, as long as it is part of a secular curriculum.

On a third question along these lines, just 36% of the public knows that comparative religion classes may be taught in public schools. Together, this block of questions suggests that many Americans think the constitutional restrictions on religion in public schools are tighter than they really are.

If most Americans believe the Bible can't be used in public school curricula, or that comparative religion can't be taught, it's not at all surprising that they don't want any class that appears to be teaching about Islam. Many people, religious or otherwise, raise quite a commotion about public schools including Biblical passages in  literature curricula, or having comparative religions classes. People over-react to the issue of any religious material in public schools. Some non-religious people are afraid of indoctrination, and some religious people are afraid of - indoctrination. Add in popular misunderstanding of the First Amendment, and, well  

Read some of the replies on the following web sites. A few of the posters are non-religious people who object to comparative religion classes.
http://help.com/post/229787-should-a-comparative-religion-cours
http://blogs.chron.com/talkingtolerance/2009/07/religion_in_public_schools.html

Here's another link I found after a quick Googlin'. I don't present it as factual content (because I don't know). It's just a sample of the information that some people are reading/hearing about. Maybe that's why they're suspicious.
http://www.blessedcause.org/TOC/Comparative%20Religion%20Religious%20Freedom.htm

Learning about something is not the same thing as being "indoctrinated."  

I'm in total agreement on that point, but we've been hearing for a decade now about Islamic/Middle-Eastern indoctrination in certain California schools. Allegedly, students were required to wear the dreaded "Muslim garb," and perform Islamic prayers. Regardless how reliable or unreliable those reports were, that is probably the background in which many parents are viewing this. See the "Blessed Cause" link above, and my disclaimer.


For the record, I took a comparative religions class in public school. I didn't know there was anything controversial about it.

[TommyGunn]

I will admit that when I first heard of this, my first thought was 'oh ****, Obama's planning on surrendering on the war against the terrorists.'

When I was in school we were required to learn a foreign language and given a choice of Spanish or French.  I think learning a foreign language is a good idea but I don't agree anyone should be forced to learn a specific language, and that Arabic is being chosen .... well, I won't say my rather impulsive spurious thought was realistic ... but it does raise some suspicions ......

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

The Department of Education has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future

Hmm. Interesting.

[Hawkmoon]

The Department of Education has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future

Hmm. Interesting. Hmm. Interesting.

Yeah, my reaction, too. I would have said Chinese ...

[seeker_two]

I don't have a problem with any language being offered or a foreign language class being required if it is you must pcik from this list type of thing. But when they attempt to mandate a specific language then I get annoyed. How much fun would we see if they had attempted to mandate Hebrew?

+1.....I think it would be great to have Arabic or Farsi as an optional language, esp. with the military & intelligence agencies looking for these language skills. But mandating the entire district teach the language and culture (including teaching Islam) without parental consent or consult....bad move on Mansfield ISD's part.  The school board members may not be able to be recalled per state laws....but I'll bet they're going to get mighty uncomfortable if they persist....

The Department of Education has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future'

I can see that....after all, how useful was knowing Russian, Polish, Czech, etc. back in the Cold War era?.....

[HankB]

There's nothing wrong with offering a foreign language as an elective, or (as RoadKingLarry pointed out), making it a requirement if the opportunity to pick from a list is given. In my high school, Spanish, French, and Russian were offered.

But mandating Arabic, of all things, as a "Language of the Future" really IS one of those things that grabs people's attention . . . and not in a good way.

Fed.gov probably would like to have more Arabic translators, since there's a shortage (especially since hiring of Israelis is discouraged.) But mandatory Arabic classes for a year or two won't get us there.

Also, aside from language, Arabic culture is supposed to be taught. Yes, we use Arabic numerals, and there's no doubt that will be emphasized. But so much of Arab culture is either unsavory (e.g., pederasty, polygamy) or so tied up with Islam (mistreatment of women, jihad, religious persecution, etc.) that teaching Arab "culture" will either mean distortion & outright lies, or actual religious indoctrination. Making this a requirement smacks of a dhimmi mindset.

[CSM Kersh]

Mansfield ISD has backed off and they should. 

IMNSHO, both Mandrin and Spanish would make far more sense.  China may very well become a dominant player in the future.  Spanish is the official language in more countries around the world.  And, yes, English still rules.

[AJ Dual]

Part of me wonders if it wasn't some fed.gov/DoD grand money behind it all. Or some hope of getting some if it wasn't offered.

Some vague bureaucratic notion of getting more Arabic speakers coming out of high schools for Middle East HUMINT and Civ Affairs work etc.

[Jamisjockey]

Spend some time on facebook and you'll wish they taught English in school.....

[Perd Hapley]

Part of me wonders if it wasn't some fed.gov/DoD grand money behind it all. Or some hope of getting some if it wasn't offered.

Some vague bureaucratic notion of getting more Arabic speakers coming out of high schools for Middle East HUMINT and Civ Affairs work etc.

The Arabic studies program, funded by a five-year, $1.3 million Foreign Language Assistance Program federal grant, was to begin this semester at Cross Timbers, then spread to Davis Elementary and Howard Middle schools in the fall and to Summit High School by fall 2012.

"The federal government sees Arabic, Chinese and Russian as critical," Escovedo said. "Our country has a deficit in Arabic speakers and people who understand the Arabic culture."

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Mansfield ISD has backed off and they should. 

IMNSHO, both Mandrin and Spanish would make far more sense.  China may very well become a dominant player in the future.  Spanish is the official language in more countries around the world.  And, yes, English still rules.

China may very well will become a dominant player in the future.

[Gowen]

Spend some time on facebook and you'll wish they taught English in school.....

wht u meen?  U bad mothn me n me frnds.

[makattak]

China may very well will become a dominant player in the future.

Only as much as Japan currently is. (probably not even that much.)

Catching up to technological change is easy. Driving it is hard.

My money's on South Korea.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

its a numbers game.  1 in 3 people on earth are chinese

[gunsmith]

Spend some time on facebook and you'll wish they taught English in school.....

dood! UR so rite! but then again, i never wanted to go to england anyway

[kgbsquirrel]

its a numbers game.  1 in 3 people on earth are chinese

1 in 5.

Most populous countries:

PRC - 19.5% of world total.
India - 17.3%
USA - 4.52%

The huge difference in population China had in the early/mid 20th century is lessening significantly as the rest of the world catches up, and their population control policies progress.

[seeker_two]

1 in 5.

Most populous countries:

PRC - 19.5% of world total.
India - 17.3%
USA - 4.52%

The huge difference in population China had in the early/mid 20th century is lessening significantly as the rest of the world catches up, and their population control policies progress.

Does this also take into account the nation of Taiwan and the disputed areas b/t India and Pakistan?....

[kgbsquirrel]

Does this also take into account the nation of Taiwan and the disputed areas b/t India and Pakistan?....

No, to Republic of China, and maybe to Kashmir.

[KD5NRH]

Hmm. Interesting.

Particularly since with English and German, you can do business in nearly every country that has indoor plumbing.

[MechAg94]

Particularly since with English and German, you can do business in nearly every country that has indoor plumbing.

That sort of gets at the core of what I was thinking.  While there are a lot of Arabic countries, none are really dominant globally and many are not very modern at all.

It occurs to me that  good class for high schools would be a sort of comparative language class.  Look at the basic alphabets and structures and origins of different languages from around the world.  Learn some basic words and numbers in a number of different languages.