TX High School Students Made To Recite Mexican National Anthem, Pledge Of Allegiance

When you take a foreign language, part of the study is the culture.

One of the assignments when I was a kid taking German was to watch the tv show combat. It was about WWII in Europe.

Our assignment was to write down what the Germans said and review it for accuracy.

I'm pretty sure that would outrage parents today.

Personally, I see this as learning about the culture of a different country, not indoctrination.

Have you guys even watched the video?

This looks like a fun assignment that got the whole class involved.

What is more disruptive and more of an attack on these kids' education? The fact that their Spanish teacher is giving them a rich experience, getting them involved, and teaching them about the most significant Spanish speaking country based on their location, or the 15 year old girl with a chip on her shoulder and a cell phone in class?

Methinks this girl just wasn't interested in learning ANYTHING and was LOOKING for a way to get someone in trouble.

My 4th year French class took a summer trip to France. At least these Spanish students aren't actually going to *gasp* Mexico! That would be horrible!

Originally posted by Lemon.Fresh
reply to post by Erongaricuaro

 

It depends on with part of Latin America.

While the more urban areas stick to proper Spanish, the rural areas take on differences in the language.

Down here, we even have Tex-Mex or Spanglish, which everyone here and just south understands, but no one in Mexico City knows WTF you are talking about.

If you use proper Spanish, everyone will have an idea of what you are talking about, even though things can be taken differently.

That was the one verb that is used quite differently, but my example was used to make a joke, though no one laughed I see. Used commonly in Spain but nearly unheard here is the "vosotros" forms, informal 2nd person plural. I see that in the Bible when it's God speaking to the masses but rare otherwise. Perhaps that is why it is not normally used by other speakers here.

I don't recall ever seeing a Nazi salute here but in the US in school we used to cover our hearts when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (in English), whereas in Mexico, where I live, the hand makes a salute over the heart. That is not too much different than many countries having a military salute with palms out and American salute with palm down.

The Mexican national anthem uses some words and phrases that are not in very common usage. If the students grasp the meaning of those words and phrases it is sort of an advanced lesson. Considering the growing number of Americans retiring in Mexico those lessons could have a good pay-off. I just wish I had paid better attention in class when we were being taught Spanish.



Coro:

Mexicanos, al grito de guerra
el acero aprestad y el bridón.
Y retiemble en sus centros la Tierra,
al sonoro rugir del cañón.
Y retiemble en sus centros la Tierra,
al sonoro rugir del cañón!


Chorus:

Mexicans, at the cry of war,
make ready the steel and the bridle,
and may the Earth tremble at its centers
at the resounding roar of the cannon.
and may the Earth tremble at its centers
at the resounding roar of the cannon!




Estrofa I:

Ciña ¡oh Patria! tus sienes de oliva
de la paz el arcángel divino,
que en el cielo tu eterno destino
por el dedo de Dios se escribió.
Mas si osare un extraño enemigo
profanar con su planta tu suelo,
piensa ¡oh Patria querida! que el cielo
un soldado en cada hijo te dio.


First Stanza:

Let gird, oh Fatherland!, your brow with olive
by the divine archangel of peace,
for in heaven your eternal destiny
was written by the finger of God.
But if some enemy outlander should dare
to profane your ground with his sole,
think, oh beloved Fatherland!, that heaven
has given you a soldier in every son.

Originally posted by zorgon

Do they teach the Mexicans the American anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance to America?

From what I have observed the Mexican public schools teach quite a bit about US history and almost all my friends and acquaintances here know about quite a few American historical figures AND their general knowledge of American history is better than many of the American kids I have spoken to. Americans in general know very little about Mexico.

After all they want to become Americans, right?

Wrong. Many of them are interested in the US, in fact most seem to have a genuine curiosity about world affairs and many things a lot of American kids seem to have little interest in.

You know you cannot accurately paint them all with such a broad brush. Especially today it would seem few have an interest in doing more than visiting the US out of curiosity. This may be due in large part to the growing middle class in Mexico and the kids typically having all the conveniences and diversions American kids do. I see very few that do not carry cell phones, have X-Boxes, a laptop, and a stack of DVD movies and MP3 players, etc.

People in many of the ranchos are encouraged to migrate to the US for good-paying jobs. The "illegal" back door is being kept open for them by your own government and industrialists. By keeping them "illegal" they do not qualify for benefits or certain other privileges and have to keep somewhat a low profile, but that does not mean they are not wanted as workers there. I know of quite a few older folks here that worked in the US when migration laws permitted them to enter and work legally. They paid into the system and now draw their Social Security checks and have a good retirement in Mexico - something today's "illegal" system was looking to do away with.

Believe me, if you think it is as simple as "they all want to come here" you are missing the big picture.

ETA: Re-reading I see you weren't broad-brushing quite as I thought on first glance. Many do though so I intend this to anyone that doesn't "get it" about illegal immigrants. I really didn't get it either until I came her to live and understand it better.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


Sorry. Hard to see jokes and sarcasm on the internet

Was not trying to be harsh either . . . just showing everyone what it is.

As for vosotros . . . we learned that in Spanish I, and were told we would never use it again.

The teacher was correct.

Originally posted by Signals

More from the story:

Wearing red, white and green, students had to memorize the Mexican anthem and pledge and stand up and recite them in individually in front of the class.

She said she was particularly offended because the presentations in teacher Reyna Santos’s class took place during “Freedom Week,” the week after the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and on U.S. Constitution Day — the same day as Mexico’s Independence Day.

Where does Political Correctness end?

It's almost like we are afraid to teach values and morals anymore to our kids, let's just embrace some other culture....forget ours...

www.theblaze .com
(visit the link for the full news article)

edit on 17-10-2011 by Signals because: (no reason given)

What's so wrong with that?
Nothing.
How does that not teach our values or morals to our kids?
It doesn’t.
The right values and morals we should be teaching to our kids is that we are all human and we all share this big blue ball we call Earth.
Not that we are just Americans, this is what we do, this is what we believe and frack everybody else.
What's wrong with embracing other country’s culture?
Not a thing. Maybe our kids might learn about our similarities and better understand all our differences.
Will that make our kids less American?
No. If anything it will make them better Americans.
Will they turn into Mexicans?
No. That’s just stupid.
Will they want to cross the border and not be American anymore?
Maybe.
If all the people in this country thought the way this thread implies they should think, I couldn’t blame them if they did!

The teacher should have had the students learn the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish, there is an official Spanish version for use in Puerto Rico. There are also versions in Samoan and Chamorroan for the Pacific territories. During the Japanese occupation of Guam during World War II the islanders sang the Star Spangled Banner in Chamorroan as a sign of defiance against the Japanese (who banned them from speaking English).

I know this part is not PC but here I go. The United States is an Anglo nation founded by British colonists, this is why we speak English and have many other legacies of British rule. Deal with it. We may not have been here first, but we (the Americans) are here now.

The sad truth is that the United States is eventually going to have to 'return' the Southwest to Mexico. It is inevitable given the current demographic changes. The day is not far off where these students will be Mexicans by nationality. Sad but true.

Originally posted by ChrisF231

I know this part is not PC but here I go. The United States is an Anglo nation founded by British colonists, this is why we speak English and have many other legacies of British rule. Deal with it. We may not have been here first, but we (the Americans) are here now.

Good enough reason to not learn foreign languages.

I agree that Spanish class should learn The Star Spangled Banner in Spanish if they are going to learn Mexico's anthem. Learning Mexico's anthem I think is a good idea for reasons stated earlier, i.e., deeper understanding of the language. I am not crazy about them having to recite the Mexican pledge of allegiance and doing the hand gesture along with it, though they should perhaps see it demonstrated and given some history about it.

Also, I was not crazy about mandatory Spanish classes in grade school but in retrospect I wish I had paid more attention to it.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


IIRC the USA does not actually ahve an official language does it, so every language is equal in the eyes of the law and ther is no legal basis to be ab le to enforce any one over any other??

How can they ban reciting the American one and throw a fit if they dont recite the mexican one. Why did it have to be the pledge?

You have to take 2 years of a foreign language in Ohio to graduate.

I took German and learned about their culture, language and history.

My children would not have to participate, they would not lose gpa over it either. I guess living where i do there are things that may seem old fashioned to some, but it is just right for us.

Like the song says "We say Grace, we say Mame, if you ain't into that we don't give a damn..."

reply to post by Wildbob77

Why the Pledge of Allegiance and Star Spangled Banner should be recited and sung in English alone The Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner are public expressions of the loyalty, political values and love of country that unite Americans regardless of their differences. They have been recited or sung in our national language – English – since they were created. To recite or sing them in other languages directly undermines the spirit of national unity they are intended to foster. Americans and people everywhere understand the symbolic importance of reciting the Pledge and singing the Star Spangled Banner in English. As Paul Reyes, mayor of El Cenizo, Texas – the only U.S. city to have adopted Spanish as its official language – said about the Star Spangled Banner, “I wouldn’t go getting Mexico’s flag and coloring it red, white, and blue.”[1] Yet, today students in states from Arizona to Wisconsin are being asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish and other languages in the name of “diversity.” And the Star Spangled Banner has been composed in Spanish and broadcast in Spanish over the airwaves.[2] Public policy should discourage such attempts at linguistic balkanization. As the late Barbara Jordan chair of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, noted, "Cultural and religious diversity does not pose a threat to the national interest as long as public policies insure civic unity.” The American people overwhelming agree that public policy, and the taxes citizens pay, should be used to promote civic unity – not civic disunity, whether that means linguistic or any other kind. There are many areas in which the mindless promotion of “diversity” is harmful to our nation’s wellbeing – and language is one of them. For example, a 2006 Gallup poll found that 7 out of 10 Americans (69 percent) agree that it is only appropriate to sing the National Anthem in English.[3] A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll the same year found that support was higher among likely voters, 8 out of 10 (78 percent).[4]

www.proenglish.org...

I liked the line "Balkinization of linguistics" It serves to further promote separatist idealism imo.

Try to Google Students in Mexico recite American Pledge of allegiance, or anything remotely similar... it is not found.

Originally posted by Maxmars
When I was in school the class was studying foreign countries and many of us had to recite or sing their anthems or pledges... mine was Canada. Was that wrong too?

Or is this only wrong because it is Mexico we are talking about here?

.

edit on 17-10-2011 by Maxmars because: (no reason given)

I took french,german and spanish through out high school. Not once did I have to learn their national anthem and repeat it front of the class. That's not the issue though. Maybe it's just me but i think it's because this happened in Texas. There's been a lot going on down there with Mexicans. And I get the feeling that a lot of texans (or americans in general) feel that most Mexicans are here illegally.

reply to post by Signals


You do realize the *source* of your "source", right?

Glenn Beck. ("the blaze.com")

Yeah, that one. "Lonesome Roads" Beck. In faux *outrage*, and stirring the pot just in a pathetic cry for attention. When, as it has been pointed out, it was a language class, learning and teaching Spanish.

Beck reminds me of the ScareCrow from "The Wizard of Oz". If only Dorothy would show up, to help him find a brain.

Originally posted by Signals

TX High School Students Made To Recite Mexican National Anthem, Pledge Of Allegiance

www.theblaze .com

Students in a Texas public high school were made to stand up and recite the Mexican national anthem and Mexican pledge of allegiance as part of a Spanish class assignment, but the school district maintains there was nothing wrong with the lesson.

It happened last month in an intermediate Spanish class at Achieve Early College High School in McAllen, Texas — a city located about 10 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

(visit the link for the full news article)

ONE QUESTION...

Have you ever taken a foreign language class in high school? EVERY WORD SPOKEN IN CLASS IS IN THAT LANGUAGE!! IT DOES'NT MATTER IF YOU SAYING "HELLO" OR ASKING TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.. OR SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, it's all in the language your learning.. French, German or even... SPANISH!!!

It's sad, the smaller Glen Becks audence get's the more bat-S crazy he gets.and the more his sheep believe him .

Originally posted by antar
My children would not have to participate, they would not lose gpa over it either. I guess living where i do there are things that may seem old fashioned to some, but it is just right for us.

Like the song says "We say Grace, we say Mame, if you ain't into that we don't give a damn..."

And neither did this student. She was given an alternate assignment.

It doesn't matter how much people try to ignore this fact...but it still remains that no one was FORCED to do anything.

People need to read the article and look into it more than the thread title before getting all angry eyes and commenting.

Originally posted by demetriandlucy]


You've been duped. Reciting a pledge of allegiance does nothing at all. Literally nothing. It's merely speaking aloud.

I haven't been duped. I'm just old, I guess. Making a pledge or oath of allegiance or saying of any kind of vows means something different to me than it apparently does to most people in today's world.

Originally posted by Signals

It's almost like we are afraid to teach values and morals anymore to our kids,

'Cause Mexico's national anthem is completely antithetical to anything pertaining to "morals" or "values"?

ATS's moderators need to do something about all these #ing Stormfront posters.

Texas ought to learn russian .We don't want to be part of USA or Mexico.Hell,Russia is the leader of oil and gas and Texas has large oil reserves which the federal govt hides .Independence of Texas from the fascist american federal empire will be most beneficial.

Russia's skills in oil and gas will be highly beneficial to Texas.