Still More Arizona Controversy: This Time It’s Teachers With Accents

Arizona is on a roll. First the government passed a law permitting police to ask for legal documentation of anyone who “appears to look illegal,” then it banned schools from offering ethnic studies. Now the Arizona Department of Education has told schools they should remove any teachers whose speech is “heavily accented or ungramatical” from English classes.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in the 1990s Arizona hired many teachers whose first language is Spanish as part of its billingual education program. In 2000, citizens voted that only English be taught in schools, and teachers were required to switch languages accordingly. But now that teachers have made the switch, why they are being punished for something they cannot control?

Overlooking the fact that in reality everyone has an accent, the Department of Education did not specify what sort of accent is unacceptable. However one can make a good guess considering so many foreign-born teachers in Arizona are from Latin America. Would teachers with strong Texan, Bostonian or Canadian accents be removed? And how does one measure how heavy an accent is?

The principal of an elementary school with a large Latino population in Phoenix told the Wall Street Journal that the school’s teachers “are very good educators who understand the culture” of their students…I object to the nuance of punishment for accent.”

An accent does not indicate a person’s grasp of a language. If Arizona wants to ensure children are learning, the Department of Education should focus on the qualifications of a teacher that are actually relevant to the job.

Read more: arizona, education

bls.gov

quick poll

vote now!

Loading poll...

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Beng Kiat L.

1:32AM PDT on Jun 10, 2010

Thanks.

send a green star

Jen K.

10:23PM PDT on Jun 6, 2010

Has anyone seen the post about the AZ school that replaced all the black and latino faces on its mural with white faces? I guess all those people who blasted me will be writing me apologies now, huh?

Perla E.

9:56PM PDT on Jun 1, 2010

I LOVE ACCENTS. :)

All my teachers have accents and I love it! Sure, it can be hard to understand them at times, but I can surely live with it.

What better way to learn about people of different cultures than by direct communication??

PS: To those that do not like accents and think they are affecting education in a bad way, I LOVE YOU TOO!!

:D

Jacqie L.

8:00AM PDT on May 31, 2010

Studying a post graduate course in UK, the most effective and inspiring teacher was Spanish. Her command of English is superb, better than anyone else I know. She is so articulate and she could always find exactly the right word or phrase to discuss and clarify complex concepts. However, her accent is extremely marked. It doesn't interfere with understanding or communication in any way.

To think that an education system would risk losing excellent educators for an accent, is incredible. How will they be replaced?

Hakim M.

2:15AM PDT on May 31, 2010

i have a teacher from the phillipines , she has a really heavy accent but she is a really great teacher(she teaches algebra). Arizona is making a stupid mistake.

Beverly C.

2:45PM PDT on May 30, 2010

I can't help but think, when people try to carry such absurdity to this extent, that their motives are being driven by prejudice and bigotry. --In opposition to the philosophy of the "bigots", Richard Nixon thought Henry Kissinger could do his job, though even today (many years later) it's nearly impossible to understand what Kissinger is saying -BECAUSE OF HIS THICK ACCENT. --WHICH HE HAS NEVER LOST!

12:56AM PDT on May 30, 2010

Well said!

Gonzalo V.

10:07PM PDT on May 29, 2010

I've been looking over some of the messages and considering AZ's rationale for its actions. Here is my bottom line regarding AZ SB 1070 and like actions: I'm not convinced of the nobility of AZ's motives and its cause when the methods used are so unjust.

1:16PM PDT on May 29, 2010

THE QUEEN O F MISWORDING STRIKES AGAIN>>>Thank you for the freedoms you have won for us and Americans as a whole.

12:51PM PDT on May 29, 2010

To all the veterans or Current Servicemen and Servicewomen, Thank you to you and your families. We are very grateful to be living in a country where we can express our opinions without fear of retribution and for all the other freedoms you have earned for us and all Americans. G-D BLESS! Jen and Don