TX School District Plans to Force Some Students to Take Arabic Language, Culture Classes
- Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:22am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Some middle school students’ parents were shocked this week when they found out that two schools in their Mansfield, TX school district will soon be requiring Arabic language and culture courses. It’s a decision those parents say was sprung on them:
From CBSDFW:
The Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) grant was awarded to Mansfield ISD last summer by the U.S. Department of Education.
As part of the five-year $1.3 Million grant, Arabic classes would be mandatory at Cross Timbers Intermediate School and Kenneth Davis Elementary School. The program would also be optional for students at T. A. Howard Middle School and Summit High School.
Parents at Cross Timbers say they were caught off-guard by the program, and were surprised the district only told them about it in a meeting Monday night between parents and Mansfield ISD Superintendent Bob Morrison.
The DOE has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future.’ [...]
During Monday’s meeting Morrison stressed the curriculum would not be about religion, but about Arabic language and culture, similar to Spanish curriculum already in place in the district.
“This grant is a wonderful opportunity for the students in MISD,” the school district writes in a meeting announcement on its website. “Mansfield ISD graduates will possess the language proficiency and cross cultural communication skills to compete in the 21st century. Our students will be at an advantage in an increasingly diverse and economically global society.”
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Comments (462)
Slobaphobe
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:50amMandatory=graduation requirement.How about mandatory CIVICS and ECONOMICS instead?
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:52pmWhen Would they find time for Bomb Making and Environmental Activism classes?
FarSideGuy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:47amOf all the languages and cultures to learn about in this world and they pick ARABIC???? Just on the surface – a Semitic language like Hebrew or Arabic is about as far from Western-based languages as you can get! There are no cognates (at least in Hebrew except for “camel” and “sack.”) The alphabet is completely foreign, nothing at all like English/Spanish/French, etc. Teach the kids a language they can use to better their English skills, such as Latin (yes, I know its dead), French, or even *GASP* Spanish.
Report Post »—
On top of al that, the conspiracy side of me is seething! Quite a few people (including myself) believe Obama is a Muslim who would rather cuddle up with a terrorist than protect his own nation that elected him to the White House. The Department of Education does not just think up these plans overnight. This has been in the works for some time, with many, many studies by the gov’t to back it up as to why Arabic and why now.
—
This won’t be the last instance we here of this program, I am sure. Remember what Islam teaches about the “infidel”: Convert, Be enslaved, or Die.
Gypsy One
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:58pmYou are most likely ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!!!! This education system has turned into an indoctrination machine. No wonder home schooling is on the rise!
Report Post »wtd
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:43pmApparently, the school is backing down for now . . .http://tinyurl.com/4gubsmp
“Escovedo pointed out that the sixth-grade Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) test also teaches about the Middle East, and that instruction will continue, he said.”
In 2008, Michelle Malkin linked TEKS to the pro-Islam bias in Texas junior high school lessons here. . . http://tinyurl.com/46axya9
The fact that this grant was not announced early on (or was intentionally concealed) – by not involving (or alerting) the entire affected community, makes it appear the board attempted to undermine an earlier decision from September 2010 when “Texas ed board adopted resolution limiting Islam” . . .link: http://tinyurl.com/2dm6no7
. . .effectively opening a back door to indoctrinate even younger impressionable students.
FOUL.
Report Post »Grandpa
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:46amYet another reason to home school.
Report Post »KevINtampa
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 2:36pmThis is a perfect example of the power of the federal government after dependency is created on federal funds.
Another good example, the drinking age. In 1956 the Federal Highway Act (Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal-Aid_Highway_Act_of_1956) was signed by Congress as a security/defense measure, sound familiar?
Many state governors and legislators did not like this idea as many states had actually already built large freeways and collected tolls on it, a federal system would either utilize these roads, and or compete with them. In the end opposition states eventually caved, and we have the interstate system that we have today.
Now what does this have to do with the drinking age? Well, the drinking age is not something defined in our Constitution, therefore it is up to the state to decide it’s own age for lawful consumption and possession of alcohol.This is why many of us who are old enough remember drinking ages of 18 in states like Louisiana as late as the 1990′s.
So wait, if it’s up to the state why is it that all states have the age of 21? Well the federal government went back on it’s word. In 1954 as a part of the highway debates the federal government assured the states that it would never use the interstate system as a way to regulate new regulations because of the obvious financial dependencies on the federal government that would be created for the states.
Fast forward to 1984. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Drinking_Age). Here the federal government did what it promised in 1954 would never happen, it used the state dependency on interstate federal funding to enforce regulation it had absolutely no authority to otherwise enforce under the Constitution.
Louisiana believed the drinking age should be the age at which a person is considered an adult, so they told the federal government to shove it. Well, by 1997, after multiple law suits all the way up to the supreme court, Louisiana could no longer maintain it‘s roads or effectively plan its budget with the federal government threatening to remove all of it’s interstate funding, and so it was the last state to raise it’s drinking age to 21.
Now regardless of anyone’s politics involved with the drinking age, what happened here is vital knowledge to remember. The federal government promised a service. It promised it would never abuse the state’s dependency on this service. It then used the service to set a very important precedent under the guise of road safety. The precedent that was set can be found in South Dakota v. Dole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota_v._Dole). This was a very key ruling by the supreme it court.
South Dakota v. Dole provides a legal ruling that the federal government can blackmail states that have accumulated a dependency on federal funds. So, now if your state‘s public school’s suck, and you need extra help, the federal government can provide the funding with “strings attached”, just as federal interstate money now comes with “strings attached”. Think of what this means for a federal health care program. Sure everything is good at first, with “no strings attached”. But what happens in 30 years when there’s a new virus, plague, flu, or disease and the federal government recommends an untested vaccine. They can’t by law require you to take the vaccine, but they can say that with out taking the vaccine they do not need to provide you federal funds to health care.
This is why many fear large government programs that create dependency. The people who make the promises today WILL NOT be the people in power 30 years from now breaking those promises. It shouldn’t be said that “what the government giveth, the government can taketh away”, it should be said, “what the government giveth, the government can taketh away, unless” and when you succumb unwillingly to those demands, as the state of Louisiana was made to do, is when you lose liberty.
Report Post »ltb
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:46amThe people in that school district need to fire the Superintendent and every idiot on the school board who voted to take this money from the federal government. School districts in Texas build pretentious campuses they can’t afford, that look like college campuses, and that produce children who couldn’t reason themselves out of a wet bag. Of course, Uncle Sam is always happy to jump in and help out, just like a drug pusher is happy to give children free crack.
Report Post »FarSideGuy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:55amThe money is oh so tempting. That, of course, is how they got it through. I wonder if this “offer” came with other strings such as: “If you refuse this, we will cut your federal road money . . . ”
Report Post »—
Recall Arne Duncan and the whole department!
randy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:44amHow about we start forcing Illegal Mexican Aliens to learn English.
Every day in the news it is something else with these damn radical Progressives.
Report Post »I fear before this is over, there will be a a civil war in this country.
grandmommie
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:03amYes and it will most likely be between the muslims and the mexicans ‘cuz that will probably be all left standing in a few more years (months?)
Report Post »OneFunR6
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:05amFor my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery;…
…it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth,…
For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.
Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation;…
There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free– if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending–if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained–we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!
The war is inevitable–and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun!
What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
PATRICK HENRY
Speech made in the House of Burgesses on March 23, 1775, in Saint John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia.
Report Post »Rick in the Ozarks
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:48pmNO!!! If we force illegal aliens to do anything it should be GO HOME NOW
Report Post »yoheda
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 9:51amRegarding a possible Civil War in this country. Last week I visited the site of the Andersonville POW camp in Andersonville, Georgia, where about 1/3 of 45,000+ POW died in a little over a year that the POW camp was open. These were Yankee soldiers, but the same was true of the Union POW camps for Confederate soldiers. Then go to the Civil War battlefields and read about the true losses during the battles of the civil war. War sounds like glory, but it isn’t. Just study the battle of Gettysburg, if you don’t have time to travel, or read extensively. Also, read Battle Cry of Freedom to learn the multiple complex causes of the Civil War.
Please educate yourselves and do not throw the words, lets go to war, carelessly. Your children may be the ones who die or or be crippled for life. Use your anger as a motivator to educate yourself, practice critical thinking, listen to all sides of an issue to try to get to the bottom of the truth of the issue. One of the major problems in our educational system, we are not taught to do critical thinking. Look at the motivation behind the speakers words, ALWAYS look at who will both both financially and/or in power. All wars throughout history have been initiated by rich men and fought by poor men and women. The poor soldiers always loose, even when the battle is won. Don’t let yourselves be fooled into a situation where you will be the looser.
Report Post »rmblount
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:43amJust another reason why our children do not go to Government Schools.
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:03pmGovernment schools?
Report Post »Really?
Why don’t you google Mansfield Vernon Newsom stadium.
The school and the atheltic complex at Mansfield are all state of the art.
This government school has it all and is a great place to learn and play sports.
Home schooling or Moving are not options at Mansfield.
Comeandtakeit
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:43amMANDATORY ARABIC in MY state but nobody learns to sing God Bless America anymore???!! I DON’T THINK SO! I certainly hope these parents DEMAND this “grant” be rejected. DEFUND the DOE NOW and return control of the schools to the local school districts and parents.
Report Post »shadowrider
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:42amTime for Texans to Stand Up Against This Threat ! All those folks moving in on us are trying to take over!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:40amHow about you force them to learn English! In Texas especially, English is a second language!
Report Post »I guess the D.O.E. considers english a language of the past.
BubbaCoop
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:40amIf they’re going to force a language, should’t it be Mandarin?
Report Post »grandmommie
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:54amYep…that‘s the language that obummers’ kids are learning. At least that‘s the only one we’re hearing about.
Report Post »uzi4u2
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:34pmIf we force them to learn ANY language it should be ENGLISH. I work on a major university and I have never seen more people that can’t speak worth a damned. These are supposed to be educated people and they can’t express themselves worth a damn.
Report Post »This is why english should be made the official language here. Even germany is starting to see that this multicultural crap is just that. If you want to be mexican,iragi, iranian, german,french, what ever, find but if you live here you are supposed to be American first. As T. Roosevelt said, “there is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans”
MikeinIdaho
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:39amTime, past time really, to home school! I’d yank my kids out faster than you could say “new crusade”!
Report Post »Thighmaster
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:38amYikes! so we should be relieved that it‘s not Mandarin we’re learning? I don’t feel any better..
Report Post »TalonTed
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:35amMandatory? Really? Sounds very much like another Federally imposed program I’ve heard about. Can you say Obamacare? I knew you could!
Report Post »benrumsley
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:34amArabic? Will it replace the mandatory Spanish class?
Report Post »roxee
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:11amI guess The Georgia Guidestones are what is going down!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:34amTime to withdraw your students from those schools, to hell with the “wonderful opportunity”. When they start requiring students to learn Arabic and Spanish culture without a choice it is time to say, “enough is enough”, and oust Bob Morrison. Texas, you are the one state I thought was relatively sane, but I guess that just got shot to hell.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:57amMorniong Grandmaof5, I agree with you on the pulling of the kids out of these schools. The need by the fed‘s to ’mandate’ the learning of a second language is stupid and a blind grab for power by the latest administration. It is simply another example of the nanny state on a rampage.
I am attempting to learn spanish as I love some of the poetry in the native language; yet even with the spattering of other languages I have learned, I still am proud that English is my primary language and will defend it fully.
Hope all is well today, new computer is working, and my mother is doing better, she still complains about her hand and she has gone back to work despite the doctors insistance otherwise.
Also had some fun today, had to explain to my friend what a gelding is; never seen her turn that shade of red before.
Report Post »Whostolemypig
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:32amThat’s good, we have high school graduates that can’t read and write English effectively so to solve that problem they teach them Arabic. Makes sense to me!
The time is long past for cutting the Department of Education budget to Zero $.
Report Post »WAR PIGS CRAWLING
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:31am“This grant is a wonderful opportunity for the students in MISD”
….since when is opportunity synonymous with mandatory???
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:31amThe h*ll you say! Don’t stand for it folks. Make your voices heard, if they don’t hear you, home school your kids.
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:46pmIt will never happen. You obviously have never been to Texas and have never been to Mansfield.
Kind of sad to say but Football is King here. Mansfield has a state of the art stadium that would make you sick. Football and Basketball are very important at Mansfield and they score high every year in academics.
Report Post »Pulling your kid of school and home school are not options at Mansfield.
Oh, God!
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:31amYet another reason my kids do not attend public school here in the great state of Texas. The Department of Education has royally screwed up our education process, and dumbing down our kids and trying to make them more PC, has become the norm. Private school or homeschool. Only two solutions in my book.
Report Post »taebaggranny
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:53pm@ OH, GOD You are right..Most home schooled kids are way ahead of the PUBLIC school kids in ALL subjects..You NAY SAYERS ever wonder about that?? My daughter is a teachers aide in ca and she tutors kids for 3 hrs per day because the teachers are too busy teaching their own opinions to be bothered to teach READING, WRITING, and ARITHMATIC!!! One of my grandsons teachers told his mother that he had the RIGHT TO FAIL!! He was in the 7th grade..Any wonder that our kids are getting less educated by the year??
Report Post »country_hick
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:31amExcuse me? Mandatory? I’d rather have the kids have the option of Mandarin, Japanese, or Spanish. Give them something that will be useful!
Report Post »ihveit
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 7:59pmihv.. and who is going to teach these classes? radical muslims most likely.. its time sane people start taking this country back or within a few years english is going to be a lost language.
he*( most students cant even read english yet and the govt wants them to learn some other archaic language.
JUST SAY NO..
Report Post »AND MEAN IT
will
mdlwoods
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:29amMandatory? Not just no, but HELL NO, TEXAS! Let’em try it in West Texas, instead of those namby-pamby citified Dallas or Houston areas, and just see the outrage emerge!! If those parents don’t stand up and say no, we are doomed!!!
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:28amArabic is already taught at Amarillo Tascosa, Lubbock High and Lubbock Monterey.
Report Post »It is not forced but it is part of the Advanced classes.
So what is your problem?
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:17amWhiteTeaParty, he was pretty clear to me. The problem is “mandatory” and I agree.
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:34pm@TexasCommonSense
Then people or parents should come up with solutions instead of “Not at my School”.
Arabic is offered already offered in many school districts across Texas but it is part of a group of foregin classes. Our school district in Austin makes it mandatory to graduate with 1 Foreign class.
Report Post »Spanish, French, Arabic and Mandarin are the choices.
Our school district introduced it over 7 years ago. It was never an issue with anyone and I live in a Conservative school district in Austin.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:42pmWhiteTeaParty, mandatory and “culture classes” are the part that concerns me and probably everyone else against it here. The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is all that needs to be said against this. The Federal Government should not be involved! If Texas implemented this on its own I would vote with my feet and leave Texas. You can’t do that when the Federal Government is involved. That’s what makes the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution so great, assuming it’s followed.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:55pmWhiteTeaParty, by the way, the solution is to get the Federal Government out of the state’s schools and return the right of education to the states. We’re the United States of America, not the Federal Government of America for a reason.
Report Post »Atokaite
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:27amLet me see, Only about language, culture but not religion.
Report Post »TEXANS remember the Alamo. Only about Santa Anna, Mexican Culture, not despotic tyranny.
READ the Koran, all about culture, language, a pseudo religion, but not about tyranny, despotic rulership of Caliphates, etc.
TEXANS watch your six. Money given by the DOE ALWAYS comes with hooks.
Semper Fi
RLTW
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:38amBig problem is you can’t separate their archaic religion from their backward culture.
Report Post »Blazing
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:27amA good example of how the US Department of Education wastes money.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:39amAbsolutely, shut down the ED. It’s another Carter waste of money.
Report Post »HairRazor
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:50amStop this nonsense. Abolish the Dept of Education. Get the Feds out of our schools and stop the indoctrination of our children. The candidate with this on their ticket gets my vote.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:40amHairRazor, I’m with you. They get mine, too. We can thank Jimmy Carter for the ED.
Report Post »DAZED
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:45amLets create funding for physical education instead. That way Michelle Obama won’t have anything to complain about, by the way how were your superbowl snacks.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:21pmI agree .. DEFUND THEM NOW! and throw the teachers union out of OUR schools.
Report Post »taebaggranny
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:16pm@ BLAZING Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has introduced a bill to defund and abolish the Dept of Education..How about ya’ll E-Mailing your Senators and telling them that you want them to vote for this bill? Unless we cut off the HEAD of the snake it will continue to attack our rights as parents and citizens..Also, we have way IOO MANY Liberals teaching in our schools..If they want to believe the ir Utopia crap that’s fine but they should not be allowed to teach it in the classrooms of this country..
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:27amIn Texas?? The end must be near!!!! California – sure! But Texas????? Come on now!
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:35amCalifornia and a few other states are already gone. Now they’re working on the rest of us. Way too close to home for me. I‘ll be a major pain in their asses if my kids’ school district tries this !@#$.
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:37amIts outside of Ft Worth
My guess is they are just doing this to confuse the Mexicans.
So instead of Spanglish they will end up with Sparabic.
Should be fun in a few years when they start having
Cinco de Ramadan
Report Post »Stuck_in_CA
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:39am@82dAirborne
Report Post »“In Texas?? The end must be near!!!! California – sure! But Texas????? Come on now!”
My thoughts exactly! Come on TEXAS! Snap out of it! You are allowing the Left’s evil creep in STOP IT!!!
kreese
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:44amI remember, in California, when it was “suggested” that older teachers learn Spanish. So much for the “Melting Pot” tradition that made this a great country.
This is another reason to ABOLISH, not just cut the funding of the Department of Education. that department is one reason education has declined.
Report Post »GeekLisa
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:52amI’m sure that the school district is partly to blame, but it stems from a Department of Education bribe to obtain a grant for the district. I hope that there are protests and petitions forming. Foreign languages should be OPTIONAL or they should at least be able to choose their language.
Report Post »REDPILLREADY
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:57amNow the kiddies can read those arabic books “In Memory of Our Martyrs” celibrating Islamic suicide bombers found on the Tex-Mex border and greet the new wave of aliens in native tongue.
God help us!
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:05amThis reminds me of the Southpark episode
Report Post »where they dressed up the Mexicans to go
spy on Xerxes and the Persians
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:22am@82nd airborne
This is just a shift in tactics by the progressives, the infiltration of the state of Texas by the enemy comes from one direction as a distraction, while the commando team infiltrates from another. These progressives think that Texas will fall so easily? They are having their hands full with the folks of AZ right now, with Texas going after the administrations progressives as well, how can we lose?
Report Post »Immyfathersservant
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:24amThis is a grant applied for by the school district and mandated on it’s students to learn arabic “as a condition” to receive the grant. I think the parents of the children should have been surveyed to see if that should even attempted. Since the article states that it cought the parents off guard, it is obvious a school administration is acting in a rogue manner. Texans, reject this immediately. Whats next if you allow this to fly. The Federal Goverment is paying that school 1.3M dollars to remove the rights of those parents.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:14amHabla ingles ? que paso ? translator por favor .
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:19pmI agree .. I thought TEXAS would at least be a haven of safety for America .. I guess not so much! REMEMBER the ALAMO! Oh I understand they are now teaching that also as “neutral” G O D .. save us!
Report Post »rightwingheroes
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:26amNobody wants to learn that language. The government can not force a language on people. This is Obama and his minions forcing another program down our throats. How bout making sure everyone speaks English before teaching them another language.
DONT TREAD ON ME
Report Post »REDPILLREADY
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:37am‘Now kiddies, I want to hear more gutteral announciation on ‘Allahu Akbar!!!’ and little less Texas twang. Lets try it again….’
This is rank! My litmus test for president is pledged intent to axe the Dept of Ed.
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:38amhow about teaching english……..
cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:43amAmazing how this is happening with all that has been going on throughout the world. Yesterday David Cameron gave a speech about how destructive this activity has been in his country. They have established areas where the people live under Sharia law. It seems like America and Europe are going in opposite directions.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – conservative news and political humor
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:43amrightwingheroes, you’re exactly right.
The school district wants students at select schools to take Arabic language and culture classes as part of a federally funded grant.
The Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) grant was awarded to Mansfield ISD last summer by the U.S. Department of Education.
As part of the five-year $1.3 Million grant, Arabic classes would be mandatory at Cross Timbers Intermediate School and Kenneth Davis Elementary School. The program would also be optional for students at T. A. Howard Middle School and Summit High School.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:44amThey want you to learn Arabic so your can read the Koran in the original language. They want to be ready for the coming Caliphate. Can you see Rosie O’Donnell in a burka? Oh. Wait. There are no homosexuals in Muslim countries. Sorry about that, Rosie.
Dustyluv
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:45amIncredible. If we don’t end the DOE we will be under Sharia law.
They tech that crap in my school system and we will shut the whole school down.
Masfield!!! You are Texans. Shut this down!! Tell them HELL NO!!!!
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:49amHey moron, how much control do you think the Obama has over two small school in Texas (in Texas mind you, not Massachusetts)? Yes, people can be forced to learn things–it’s called the public education system smart guy. This is a local school decision–you know, the kind of that Tea Party-ers should love? Instead, The Blaze wants to reward local decision-making by applying national pressure. Doesn’t this strke you as just a bit of hypocrisy?
And not for nothing, but one of the big problems facing the current “war on terror” is the lack of arabic translators. Don’t you think this is a good solution?
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:55amPubliusPencilman, it’s a Federally-funded grant and should NOT be mandatory. If they want to teach it, fine, let it be voluntary. It’s not just a “local school decision” when the Federal government is involved.
Report Post »Hephzibah
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:01am@ Creestof, That is the best comment I’ve read in months! LOL!!!
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:02amPubliusPencilman, first of all, stop calling people “moron” just because you disagree with them. How about a federally-funded mandatory military service and firearms training instead? Sound far-fetched to you? They do that in Switzerland. In a free society, neither of these should be “mandatory”. I choose to keep our freedoms.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:02amSince I very much doubt any of you have any interest in researching this issue, let me try to fill you in on a few things.
Here is the website with info on the FLP Grants:
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/grants/flap/
Let‘s highlightsomething for you folks that don’t read too well: These are highly competitive grants that districts apply for! These are not commands handed down by the Obama Administration. This Texas school district applied for the program, and was lucky enough to be one of a few dozen districts in the country to get the funding. This was entirely local decision on theri part.
dhert
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:02amIf they were really teaching a “language of the future” they’d be force feeding them Mandarin Chinese.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:04amAgree completely with you there; the trend in history the last couple of generation has seen so many agendas of foreign language pushed upon the American people – Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, German, French, and now Arabic are to be ‘the language of the future.’
This smells again of Obama’s failed muslum outreach and apology tour nonsense; he is so blinded by the desire to fulfill the dreams of his father, and also rid the world of anything smacking of the last of British Colonial influence, including American English, he will take it all down in fire given the first opportunity.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:04amdemocratgirl, we’re not an open-carry state. Concealed-carry only and we’re not allowed even that in a school or school-sponsored event.
Report Post »booger71
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:05amCome on Texas, stand up and be Texans
Jackers
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:11amIt’ll start with two schools, then four schools, then ten schools, then schools nationwide… Too many people in America can’t speak English… What the heck are we doing pushing the Arabic language?
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:19amGet rid of this Carter era bastion of liberal decay. It should be the first on the chopping block after reality slams the Congress in the face with a collapse.
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:19amI’m sure Homeland Security is involved as well. Since they have no control over the border just south of this area, they want to make sure citizens can not only understand the Spanish speaking illegals, but the Arabic speaking ones as well. It’s just good customer service for these kids that will end up in the fast food industry.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:20amPubliusPencilman, it doesn’t matter if they apply for it or not. That doesn’t make it any more right. We have a right to be told about it before hand, and we have a right to protest it.
Report Post »Docrow
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:30amPull your kids out of that school now!
Thermopylae301
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:41amThere is a silver lining here. If the kids learn arabic they will be able to understand, without political corrected translations, how much arabs really hate us. How many times have you wished you knew a different language so you could tell what someone was saying about you? Know thy enemy.
Report Post »ConstitutionalPatriot
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:42amThe Government can attempt to force the issue through funding, if it is the Fed. because the Fed has no right’s in the state public schools. The State on the other hand has the right, but it must be forced equally throughout the school system. Why because you can leave the state or vote out the idiot’s that are pushing this.
Report Post »democratgirl
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:50amTexasCommonSense:
Report Post »My apologies. thanks for clearing that up (I do NOT agree to any kind of violence). This was a tongue-in-cheek comment. I personally, have a CCW where I live and we, as well, cannot carry into government offices. However, after reading a comment from someone else that during their own research, it was the local schools that aimed for that grant, I would be doing an investigation on each of the board members. Not only that, you should be able to withdraw your children from such curriculum. If Arabic is optional in colleges, then it should be optional in grade school. It is a very hard language to learn, BTW. I have tried to learn it, only because I was trying to see what all the hoopla was about several years ago, over the Koran. It was so hard for me to learn it, that I just got an English version of the Koran and studied it. The Koran is a very negative book. It starts out well (the original), but as it was added to over the centuries, it does call for violence and death to infidels (those who will not convert). I needed to learn the Koran so I would know what I was talking about to friends I worked with who were foreigners. Fortunately, they were not Islamic, so I was spared, but I was shocked, dismayed, and everything else after doing my 1-year long study on the Koran. Obama doesn’t scare me as much as the Koranic Muslims do – but, Obama’s policies are a very close second.
theaton
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:53amThe Government can force people to do anything that the people will allow them to do. Until the people get more interested in freedom and liberty and less interested in sports and brain-dead-tv, we will continue the slide to a police state.
By the way, many people want to learn Arabic. Our government wastes tons of money on translators. Learn Arabic get a million dollar contract.
Report Post »Shempy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:01amHow is this happening in Texas? Texas? Close down the Dept of Education and it’s bribe money, er, uh- “block grants”.
Report Post »Fed Gov says: “Sure…we’ll give you X-millions of dollars….but you have to teach your kids……effing ARABIC?” All I‘ll say is that we didn’t teach our kids Japanese and German during WWII, and things worked out just fine. Matter of fact, we made them learn English.
We–as a country– our giving our identity away
VRW Conspirator
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:02amthink about it…
if we all know what they say…in their native tongue…how can the MSM mislead, cover for, and down play their violent tendencies…
imagine what would happen if you walk into or near a group of Arabic speaking people that are bashing the US and Jews and Christians and spouting off about how great the terrorist freedom fighters are and you respond in Arabic ” if you don’t like the US, get the F out!”
you would drive the extremism underground and out of the mosque because ANY person in the mosque might actually be an undercover anti-terrorism agent who speaks Arabic fluently…no fear or problem with translation…
sort of like when you do to Disneyland and you see all the asians speaking Chinese or Japanese or the Euro-trash that goes there…and you catch them looking and talking and looking and talking and you know they are speaking about the idiot Americans…imagine being able to stop..walk over to their face and speak back to them in their own language…chew them out…and tell them to F off….
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:11am@TexasNo CommonSense
I would like to know from you how this is bad for the students in the Mansfield ISD? How is opening a kids mind to a different language bad for a student?
Report Post »You are obvious very upset about this because your spewing nothing but hate. Students all across this country, junior high and high school are already learning Arabic, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. Yes I grant you that they are not mandatory but they are learning them.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:11amdemocratgirl, I didn’t mean to imply you advocated violence. I didn’t take your post that way. This issue really got to me. If we were an open-carry state I might just do what you suggested to make a point. :-) After all, the second amendment was put in place so the citizens could defend themselves against a tyrannical government. With all that’s going on it sure seems like tyranny is on its way.
Report Post »SHTFMRadio.com -- Emergency Preparedness Radio Show
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:13am@rightwingheroes
They should pull the children and sue everyone involved.
Then when the courts come after them sue them also.
Complete and utter BS.
Be ready — http://www.shtfm.com — Are You prepared ?
Kaen
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:19amThats fine…Parents in that district should pull their kids from those schools and home school…leave them with nothing but their program…school will get de-funded and close…then… after the school gets de-funded and closed…everyone seek to re-admit their children to public school…oooops, there isn’t one anymore…guess we need to spend money to re-open the old one…Maybe then they will get the message.
http://explodingpuppy.blogspot.com/ ….opinions blogs…not for the weak.
Report Post »butchcoolidge
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:27amhahahahhahaa, I live in Texas, and grew up near Mansfield. TRUST ME, this will never fly…
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:29am“Flap” ing crazy. Would not happen with my children.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:30amWhiteTeaParty, perhaps you should read a little more closely. It’s not just about language. It’s also “Culture Classes”. Since Islam is such an iatrical part of their culture, it’s impossible to teach the culture without influences of Islam. As I’ve also said, it should not be mandatory! No hate being spewed from me. I simply strongly disagree with this.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:33amJust pull your children out of school on the day they do attendence for the funding. I have triplets and always pull them out on that day so I can reduce the size of government to the tune of thousands on one single day.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:47amTexasCommonsense,
I take your point about calling people “morons”–certainly unjust on my part. My only excuse is that if I just post a reasonable argument here, no one will respond. If I address my argument to “morons” I might actually catch someone’s attention and someone mught want to debate the issue.
Secondly, if you are not a middle-schooler, no one is forceing YOU to do anything. Chances are, you do not live in this school district (although feel free to correct me if I’m wrong), so really this is none of your business. Of course you have a right to protest, but it’s just dishonest and stupid to insist that this is a part of an Obama plot. The grant that the school recieved does not specify what language it uses the grant for–it was the district’s decision to teach Arabic. As I said, there are a number of good reasons for this related to the ability of the United States to deal with the threat of Islamic terrorism in the future. And what exactly is your good reason for not wanting kids to study Arabic?
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:57amPubliusPencilman, middle-schooler or not, the government shouldn’t make this mandatory. I have a child who is a middle-schooler. She and her sister actually attended a school in this district years ago. I didn’t like the district for other reasons and moved them out of that district after only one school year. I’m glad I did now. It’s not just about language. It’s also “Culture Classes”. Since Islam is such an iatrical part of their culture, it’s impossible to teach the culture without influences of Islam.
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:57amPeople who do not live in this school district have no business in calling or emailing the Mansfield ISD.
TexasCommonSense had no right in posting the phone number of the Supts office.
To the lady or man who pulls his triplets out of school on a regular basis just because so the school can lose funding you are not the brightest of folks. You are only hurting your children.
Reading most of these posts all I read is ignorance. This is sad.
At our school district in Texas, 1 Foreign language is mandatory to graduate from high school. Our school disctrict offers Mandarin, French, Spanish and Arabic.
Report Post »I know this will scare most of you but French and Arabic are the two most propular courses.
dawg of gawd
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:57amOne cannot forget the outsized influence Texas has on the content of school text books around the country. Many people disagree with said content and the process by which it was decided – Council of Trent circa 2010. There is a principle at work in both instances. As conservatvies we must be sure we see it.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:59amdawg of gawd, excellent point.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:00pmThis is what happens when the liberals take over the NEA !!!!!! People need to rise up against this crap !!
My Two Cents
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:16pmSuffice it to say that the current Mansfield ISD board members need not run for re-election.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:16pmTEXAS … for G’s sake .. TEXAS … my child would be out of that school so fast they wouldn’t know what happened! I don’t care what I would have to do … including teaching my child at home after working a full day! This is B U L L
Report Post »rodamaa
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:19pmThese kind of assault needs to stop. Whoever is responsible should get fired
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:25pm“The DOE has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future.’ ”
That simply makes no sense. The middle east has one asset, which is oil. If oil did not exist, the middle east would be as familiar to us today as Botswana, or Zimbabwe. We’d know about it, vaguely, but that would be about it.
Given the natural trends (and some unnatural) going on in alternative energy development, that one asset may soon become much less important in the grand scheme of things. So how is Arabic a language of the future precisely? A distopian future I assume?
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:25pmWhiteTeaParty, I posted the information because our voices need to be heard. They obviously didn’t care about our voices before accepting the terms of this grant.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:29pmMansfield ISD main e-mail: kimsherlock@misdmail.org
Report Post »home_of_the_brave
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:31pmI find it interesting and very telling that they chose arabic over mandarin as the “language of the future” and it was a federal grant so there’s our stimulus money at work. Global caliphate here we come.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:36pmTexas,
You didn’t like the school so you took your children out of it. That’s fine–you have that option. Harassing other schools just because you don’t like what they teach, that’s just ignorant nonsense. You claim to hate government intervention in local affairs, yet you are eager to attempt to take over other districts’ descision making process. Unfortunately, that makes you a hypocritical moron.
“Since Islam is such an iatrical part of their culture, it’s impossible to teach the culture without influences of Islam.”
Report Post »Just as it would be impossible to teach the culture of Medieval Europe without mentioning the influence of the Church and of Christianity, or the history of China without mentioning Confucianism, and yet somehow school manage to do this quite often without preaching. Hmmm…. Schools can and do read the Bible as a historical document, and yet you don’t seem to have a problem with that. Please, try to think harder.
PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:37pmHome_of_the_Brave,
Report Post »So all those people in the past decade who have learned Arabic and served our country as diplomats and translators for military intelligence are… what… ushering in the Caliphate? Don’t be so stupid.
mossbrain
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:40pmIdiotic, but isn’t Texas mostly run by republicans, can’t they stop this ridiculous program?
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:48pmPubliusPencilman, I never suggested anyone outside of MISD should call or e-mail. They can certainly find the contact information on their own if they wanted to do that.
I think you would agree with me in saying no influences of any religion should be taught in school. The examples you uses do not have their religious beliefs as engrained in their culture as it does in the Arabic culture. Islam influences every aspect of their life, including how they dress.
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:50pmContact this school district today and DEMAND they turn down this grant that is TAXPAYER FUNDED!
http://www.mansfieldisd.org/curriculum.htm
So not only are taxpayer dollars funding this but who is going to teach the classes? Obviously Muslims, so now we are funding Muslims and they are going to be indoctrinating our kids!
Report Post »Mikeyyy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 12:53pmi’m all about letting students and parent choose. But making it mandatory is ridiculous. DoE is retarded. Whew got that off my chest. I’m done ranting.
Report Post »Happy Killmore
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:01pmSo many Soviets spoke English during the Cold War era because they believed: “In order to conquer an enemy, you must speak his language.” Even though Reagan handed them their @$$e$ without firing a shot, it’s still good policy. Besides, maybe they will read the Koran and see that most English translations are sanitized and omit some of the really violent rhetoric of the religion of peace.
Report Post »FedUpAlready
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:08pmThis is America, we should be teaching English, and, American History to all Muslims coming to this country, NOT the other way around.. Do they teach English and American Culture in Wahabist Schools?
Report Post »When they stopped prayer in school,and the saying of the Pledge of alligiance to the flag or recognizing Chrismas for what it is, we should’ve put our feet down then. We have radical Islamists right across the border in Mexico, working with the cartels and they’re headed North. This is the start of the end of America as we know it! Picket, refuse to send your children anything to stop this nonsense!
Scrummy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:13pmMy family and I live in Pennsylvania and in our school district, the children are FORCED to learn Spanish. It starts a tiny bit in kindergarten, but comes on full force in first grade.
Report Post »jjoy
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:15pmI can hear it now… “Dial 1 for Farsi”, 2 for Spanish, 3 for english”…
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:23pmI really think you should remove the “commonsense” part from your name. After all, you posted contact information for the district and then insisted that you are not trying to encourage anyone to use that information. Somehow your protests are unconvincing….
Your insistance that Arabic culture is somehow “different” is false and ignorant. One could easily understand, say the Arabian Nights, without having to be a Muslim or be preached to about Islam. Similarly, if the students are taught that Constantine converted many of the elites of the Roman Empire to Christianity, that does not mean that teacher is promoting Christianity.
Report Post »Pairodimes
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:38pmI would bet this grant was created for a completely different reason. We need translators of Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages for the military and CIA. And we have had some very bad experiences with hiring native translators. Recruitment has also been poor due to the lack of students stateside studying the language in college. We are in our counter-terrorism war for the foreseeable future, so it makes sense that we would look to another source to create more people who can have this particular skill set. I think it is incredibly forward thinking. But I don’t like that it is mandatory.
Report Post »taebaggranny
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:40pm@ RIGHTWINGHEROS You are so right!!! Most of our kids are coming out of our schools barely able to communicate in their NATIVE language ENGLISH…So, is Obama’s Dept of Education getting us ready for the MUSLIM take over of our country??
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:57pmPubliusPencilman, answer this for me. Considering all the languages which could be learned, why Arabic?
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:58pmScrummy,
Report Post »I would be willing to bet that they are also FORCED to learn math. Is that un-American?
jbl8199
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:59pmWhy should Americans have to learn foreign languages in the first place? If anything it should be the other way around. Foreign people should be required to learn OUR English language.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:01pmPubliusPencilman, we’re not talking about the past culture of the Arabian Knights. We’re talking about CURRENT Arabic culture. Current Arabic culture is heavily influenced by Islam in almost everyway.
Report Post »WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:22pmNo one, not even the parents that are upset about the Mandatory Arabic classes are going to be pulling their kids from Mansfield.
Mansfield is one of the top ISD’s in the state of Texas, academically and athletically.
The schools and the athletic complexes are all state of the art.
Google Mansfield Vernon Newsom and take a look at the stadium. There are hundreds of universities that don‘t even come close to having a stadium like Mansfield’s.
I am surprised that Mansfield applied for the grant, they really don’t need the money.
Report Post »Just add it to the mandatory curriculum and let the student’s decide if they would like to learn that specific language.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:27pmPubliusPencilman, the explanation given was Arabic is the “language of the future”. Below is a list of Arabic States and territories. Most of them are under autocratic rule and have a very low standard of living. We’re expected to accept this as the future, really? Is this part of the fundamental transformation of our county of which President Obama spoke? I say they should learn English and study Western culture. Maybe then they can increase their standard of living.
Algeria
Report Post »Bahrain
Comoros
Djibouti
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebannon
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Tunisia
WhiteTeaParty
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:29pm@Taebaggranny
So what do you suggest we do? Have the Gustapo go to every school and spy in every classroom?
What you are suggesting is much more scarier then having to learn Arabic.
You don‘t like what the teachers are teaching then why don’t you try to become one and teach your little corner of the redneck world.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:38pmWhiteTeaParty, Mansfield is not considered to be one of the better districts in the area, despite what your web search gave you. It’s not a bad district, but there are many which are better in this area. My kids attended a school in Mansfield ISD for one year. I didn’t care for it much. I moved them out after that year.
Report Post »AKMIIKEUS
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:41pmThe ignorance and close mindedness of the Tea Baggers never ceases to amaze me.
I graduated with a B.A. in (Eurocentric) Humanities in 1996. Though a liberal secular humanist at heart, I had experienced increasing disenchantment in my final university years with the radical, theory-based dogmatism (for so it seemed to me) of my very left-wing academy.
I was also nagged by a feeling of educational incompleteness owing to my lack of a second language, of knowledge of any non-EuroAmerican history and culture, and of direct experience living outside the United States. Finally, being shouldered with over $30,000 debt in the form of college loans, I saw a future of economic insecurity—as a joke at the time had it.
Lo and behold, I stumbled across a solution to all these nagging misgivings in the unlikely form of an army veteran who told me of the possibility of becoming a linguist in Military Intelligence. If I passed the linguistic aptitude test and the security background check, I could be sent to full-time language school in Monterey, California, then stationed in Europe or Asia, have my student loans paid off by the army, and have the direct experience of the most academically demonized institution in the United States.
Three months later I had finished basic training (aka “Boot Camp,” which strictly should only refer to Marine Corps basic training, if I recall correctly), and my shaven-headed self was beginning his 64-week, full-time study of al-FusHa (fus-ha)– Modern Standard Arabic. My instructors were all native Arabs from diverse Arab nations, and they all had stories to tell. They also were walking cultural artifacts themselves, representing the civilization that produced them. Overall I found them intensely likable and fascinating.
Studying the language itself was a labor of love. Arabic is a largely ‘pure’ language, uncorrupted by loan-words and structures from other language families. Consequently, the language is itself an artifact of its ancient origins in the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian interior. The desert environment in which the language was born is literally perceptible in the language itself.
The irony of this experience is that I was being taught this language implicitly as the language of ‘the enemy.’ Yet the unintended consequence of introducing me to my Arabic professors and the beauties of Arabic language, history, and culture – its propensity, shared with the USA, to attribute the creation of the universe to a mythic superhero who “wrote” three conflicting and conflict-causing books several millennia ago notwithstanding – was to convert me into a person who greatly (yet in certain instances critically) respects, sympathizes with, and reveres ‘the enemy.
Pedagogically this experience is relevant in many respects. Our Anglophile tendency to glorify the richness of the English language, while justifiable, should not blind us to the probable glories in other languages. Students of all cultures should have the opportunity to share their pride in their language with non-speakers of it, and to learn about other languages from those who speak them.
I applaud Mansfield ISD and all the other ISD’s in trying to open up the minds of our children.
Report Post »Navyveteran
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:51pmI can’t believe this is happening in Texas. Cali, New York, Mass, or Illinois I can see but a conservative state like Texas? Wow how far that state has fallen
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:58pmNavyveteran, at ease, sir. We’re not falling; we’re being invaded by the federal government and the ED.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:16pmTexas,
Be a little better with your reading. The article does not say that Arabic is “the” language of the future. It means that it is “a” language of the future. Really, that’s just basic reading comrehension skills. You may take issue with the importance of knowing arabic, but I would be willing to bet the State Department and thw military would disagree. Feel free to take a look a the Mansfield ISD to see what their answer to the question “Why Arabic?”:
“The Arabic language is listed by the federal government as a ”critical language.” This means that our country has a shortage of Arabic speakers and in order to maintain a presence in the Middle East, we need people who not only are proficient in the Arabic language, but also possess knowledge about Arabid cultures and traditions. We are given a unique opportunity to provide students the opportunity to learn Arabic so they can pursue careers in diplomacy and international business.”
Diplomacy and International Business eh? Sounds to me like a Caliphate conspiracy! Give me a break Texas–I’m kind of suprised you can even operate a computer. And by the way: It’s Nights, not Knights. The Arabian Nights, otherwise known as One Thousand and One Nights. It’s probably the most well known piece of Arabic folk literature in the world. You obviously know nothing about the culture you claim to be so knowledgeable in. Now come on–if you are going to try to debate you are going to have to do at least the minimal amount of thinking.
TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:07pmPubliusPencilman, you’re right about the “the” verses “a” part. Congratulations on catching my type-o. Sure, it‘s critical for the military to use since they’re fighting Islamic terrorists. It’s not critical enough to mandate elementary kids to learn it. Make it an elective. There‘s no justification for the mandate and Government shouldn’t be involved at this level. The US is losing ground in education compared to the rest of he developed world in the subjects of math and science. This mandate doesn‘t help and I don’t want my tax dollars spent this way. I still say they should learn English. There are far more English speakers in the world than Arabic speakers, and if they would learn more about Western culture they may not be so intolerant of it. Liberals are al about spreading tolerance, right?
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:20pmAKMIIKEUS, expanding the education of children is fine, but do you really think this should be mandatory?
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 5:40pmI TOTALLY disagree, and although I KNOW what the DoE had in mind for this program, I choose to follow Sun Tzu’s advice to “know your enemy”. If you know the enemy’s language, do you all understand how much power you have over them? The for the most part know English! Why do you think THEY are taught the language of their enemy? “Assimilation”???
Report Post »I say teach EVERY student, from kindergarten on basic arabic and culture. NOT as a “see how cool they really are, kids!” program, but “see what kind of brutalities this culture embraces?” program.
reneeannm
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 6:21pmI wish I knew Arabic & Mandarin so I could understand what they are saying and NOT have to depend on interpreters that may or may not be telling the “real story”, sooo this could turn around to backfire on the “government”, if we all know what these folks were really saying and putting on their signs it might change the mind of some of these people who think the Muslims & Chinese just want “peace”.
Report Post »avenger
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 6:28pmhere ya go allllhuuuuu akkbbbaaarrrrr ! http://thereligionofpeace.com
Report Post »taz1668210
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 7:17pmAmen to that, it’s about the 1.3 million dollar grant that’s it, this is TEXAS people just say NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »DisillusionedDaily
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 8:04pmMost of the kids coming out of school these days cannot understand what they read or build a coherent sentence. Who was stupid enough to think they will take to the Arabic language or even understand Muslim studies. Their four years of high school are spent studying to pass the annual tests so the school will look good and get more federal money. Apparantly, someone high-up in the school system thinks that by learning their ways and language we can all live in peace and love each other. Fat chance!
“Universal education is the most corroding and disintegrating poison that liberalism has ever invented for its own destruction.”
Report Post »Adolf Hitler
tpnix
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 8:41pmLook people. This is a CIA sponsored program. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2010/12/cia_director_urges_renewed_foc.html
The CIA lost 7 officers to a foreign arabic translator. They are tired of depending on foreigners to do this work. WAKE UP!!! IT IS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR FUTURE ENEMY!!!!
Tom
Report Post »mhills51
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:24pmThis is one of the largest problems progressives and liberals do not get. In the muslim world they don’t separate religion from their day to day lives. Most of us go to work come home play with our kids try to do what is right in our day to day lives. Then we go to church on Sunday and pray. The muslims are at church 24/7. With this said you can not separate their culture from the religion. If your going to teach the culture you must teach the religion. It’s kinda funny for a group of people that hate religion they align themselves with the most religious (in their eyes) people on the planet.
Report Post »I CHOOSE THE RED PILL MR PRESIDENT
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:39pmIdiots. I‘m from Texas and I’m ashamed. Here’s a radical idea. Why don’t we teach our children how to read and write English first? Then let’s focus on getting them graduated. The farce that is the US government gets that accomplished to the tune of 90% or better then we can talk about “languages of the future.”
Report Post »naed5048
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 1:46amTx, govener should step in on this one… is this what you really want of America? to become a islomic state? where are the people? I for one , I’m not going to loose my freedom… If there is any state willing to seceed, I will be there…
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 4:07amJust what we need, more Muslim school teachers who will need to take off in the middle of a school year for a 3 week vacation to the Middle East and then sue the school when they get denied. Not to mention the propaganda they will be teaching the kids, maybe even field trips to Mosques as part of the culture element of the class.
Report Post »This is complete GARBAGE!
yoheda
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 8:35amAny organization who receives a government grant must apply for that grant. The Texas school districts apparently applied for these grants. They should have discussed this with the district parents before they applied for the grant. Probably there is a restriction stating that a certain percentage of the school population must attend in order to get the grant.
I too was fearful when I heard about this, but then after thinking about it overnight, I can understand why we need Arabic speakers. The military, the CIA and FBI, etc., all need to be literate in Arabic in order to do their work. I have heard that it is the culture in the Middle East to lie, and middle easterners will say one thing in English, then in Arabic tell what they are really thinking. I have also heard and believe Islam teaches the mandate of world domination, which I certainly my frightened of and do not want.
We need people to can understand Arabic to know what is really going on in the minds of these people. I believe these grants should have been given out more selectively, only to school districts where there was a interest and understanding of the importance of learning foreign languages, expecially the languages of our “enemies”
Report Post »momsense
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 9:33amAmen! This same president is part of a group that rejects anglo values and culture in favor aof a myriad of other cultures and values.—-why should anyone be surprised?
Report Post »Miguelito
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 11:36amChristians we must take our country back. We must rise up and PRAY! Prayer is the answer!
Report Post »jagr1850
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 12:23pma fine language to teach everyone is the universal “sign language” it could add value to young students….would not cost a cent to start the program….
Report Post ».the other crazy language can be teach by nazi pelos and obummu in kenya schools.!!
tommee
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 1:19pmTalk about mis-information and a straw man!
Missing from this story is that Arabic is ONE OF SIX OPTIONAL LANGUAGES students can study. Nobody is forcing anybody to learn Arabic.
Learning a second language for young students is a good thing!
Report Post »dr_funk
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 5:42pmI’ve been interested in learning Arabic, but only as a means of understanding and destroying our enemies.
Let’s put it this way: in a Mumbai-style attack here on our own soil, it would be quite an advantage to be able to understand what the Hajis are shouting to each other in between spouts of aimless gunfire, would it not?
Report Post »chickenbig
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 7:40pmyou people in texas should hit this one out of the park ! God Bless Texas !
Report Post »Jovan2
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 7:43pmPull the kids out of the school, thereby the school would not receive the per diems…and boom (oops) bet they would change their tune. It stated it was a grant, grants are requested, and filed for, so the problem is not with the uppers this time, it’s with the people who filed for the grant…Suggestion, find out who they are, fire their bums………and send back the grant money with a big NO THANKS!!!
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