WTF Schooling? v.IMMIGRATION

[copperhead]

Hey look, I found this article in the national news this morning:

 

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/12/15/OLHSCLASS.ART_ART_12-15-07_B1_M08PJ5M.html?sid=101

 

Students struggle as immigrants do

Saturday, December 15, 2007 3:18 AM

By Holly Zachariah

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

FRED SQUILLANTE | Dispatch

 

POWELL -- The students had a role-play project: assume a Latino identity, build an imaginary life in your home country and develop a workable plan to immigrate to the United States.

 

Try it legally, Erica Vieyra told her 40 senior Spanish students at Olentangy Liberty High School. Fill out the correct documents, follow the proper steps. And then, after they spent days completing the actual paperwork from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, she took out her red ink pad and stamped a big, fat DENIED across every request.

 

Now, she told the students, come illegally. Forge your documents, find a way across the border. Then, research real ads and find a place to live in Columbus. Figure out what it would cost, how to get food. Plan how to survive.

 

The students had to go to real businesses and ask for Spanish-language job applications. They had to visit a bank and ask for new-

 

account documents written in Spanish.

 

Vieyra promised them that the process -- even in make-believe -- would frustrate them. But they would gain, she hoped, an understanding of what is one of the most important political and humanitarian issues facing the U.S. government today.

 

After three weeks of work, the students presented their projects yesterday and discussed their conclusions. Most said it was a grueling experience to even pretend to walk in an immigrant's shoes.

 

"I can't begin to fathom how they can survive here," said Yana Lyon, 17. "Everywhere you turn if you try to become legal or help yourself, there's a roadblock."

 

For her project, Yana assumed the identity of 28-year-old single mother Margarita Sola, a barmaid in Tijuana, Mexico. Yana had Margarita stay at a Columbus Knights Inn until she found a $7.50-an-hour job at Chipotle. Eventually, she rented a Town Street apartment for $320 a month because it was close to a bus stop. She quickly found a man to marry to gain legal residency.

 

At first, Yana didn't want to participate. She said as much to her father one night. She told him it was stupid, a bunch of busywork. He walked away from her and emerged from the basement a few minutes later with a faded box. It contained the paperwork from Yana's adoption from a Russian orphanage in 1994. Yana knew about it, but she'd never seen the papers.

 

"You tell her you already did it," Robert Lyon told his daughter as he handed her the box. He was supportive of the project, Yana said. But he sensed his daughter's trepidation at exploring a subject sure to be emotional for her.

 

"This project was about me," Yana said. "I realized that, for a grade, I was about to re-create what my parents had to endure to give me the opportunity to live the American dream. That scared me."

 

This is the fifth year that Vieyra has assigned this project to students in her Spanish V class. Each year someone, a teacher perhaps, maybe just a friend, cringes: "They say, 'That's such a hot topic. Are you sure you want to go there?' "

 

She always answers yes. But she cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.

 

"These kids will become our leaders, maybe even the people who make the laws," she said. "At the very least, they'll certainly be the people who vote on them. Shouldn't they learn something about it all now?"

 

hzachariah@dispatch.com

 

It pisses me off to no end when teachers try to force their politics upon young impressionable stupids. Teacher's shouldn't teach opinions, they need to be teaching facts. What does illegal immigration have to do with teaching kids how to speak a foreign language?

[hot_wire]

Cool project. Very real world example. Wish my spanish class did projects like this! There's more to Spanish than understanding the language. To communicate with Mexicans, it helps know where they are coming from, and understand their culture.

 

I don't think that the teacher imposed her views on the students. She let them figure out, first hand, the realities facing immigrants to our country. Nothing wrong with a little empathy!

[s13]

You have empathy for illegals?

[AngryBMW]

I would not have completed the project. I would have told my teacher that I dont agree with Illegals and that I would NOT participate. If there was an issue, I would have gladly taken it up with my principal and board of educators.

 

I went to Olentangy; I have argued many times with teachers about trying to push their beliefs onto me or my fellow classmates.

-Marc

[Guest Subjugator]

Unfortunately the teacher has one huge misunderstanding about how it works....One guy comes over and gets a job, then, that one guy brings his brothers, uncles, cousins, in-laws and whoever the hell else is even remotely related to him over and gets them jobs with the same company. Then, they go home, take their money with them, and send a brother in law or friend back in their place, and cycle very year or 2.

And the few who have tried coming back legally that i know, the US wasn't even the problem, it was mexico's corrupt ass that slowed them down. Maybe this is only this way in the restaurant industry, but i doubt it.

[Tractor]

This is bullshit, "She always answers yes. But she cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.

 

"These kids will become our leaders, maybe even the people who make the laws," she said. "At the very least, they'll certainly be the people who vote on them. Shouldn't they learn something about it all now?""

 

Empathy for what? Illegals who are criminals of the US, Mexico, and international law?

My child will never go to school and deal with that BS. If by some chance they do the school will hate me more than they did when I was a student.

 

Evan

[87GT]

I wouldn't do the assignment. I would present this as my final paper.

 

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r250/trowabarton420/1180376774264.jpg

[El Karacho1647545492]

RON PAUL RON PAUL RON PAUL RON PAUL RON PAUL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ron paul

[stevethepirate]

ive done this project.... i still support building a fence (and using some damn mines around it just to make sure!)

 

the point is that we cant take a LEGITIMATE stance on an issue if we dont know both sides. sure, we can say that we are against all immigration... but it makes the argument that much stronger when we can say that we DO know what these people are up against.

[Devils Advocate]

MMMMMM, Sure smells like Freedom in here!!

[HAOLE]

 

the point is that we cant take a LEGITIMATE stance on an issue if we dont know both sides. sure, we can say that we are against all immigration...

 

Someone get this kid a Band-Aid, his heart is bleeding!

 

The only stance on this issue is, they are breaking the law. They are stealing from you everyday and you don't see it. I was just in California last weekend visiting family. They are having to shut down hospitals there because the illegals have over run the state. There are so many illegals some of the schools are now teaching in Spanish not English, at the taxpayers expense.

 

I have no sympathy for them. The way I see it, we need to end the law that gives the children of illegals citizenship just because the kids are born here. Send them all back to Mexico, strip the kids of the citizenship, they should not have been born here anyhow.

[Lustalbert]

It is difficult for an illegal to get a job and move here....

Good. Apparently it is not difficult enough if a Highschool kid was able to get an appartment, job, and bank account while posing as an illegal.

 

Whats next in the progression of this project thinking? "You cant be against drug dealers unless you have tried to make a living trying to sell them"

[Guest hotrodmama024]

Can i ask who thinks its appropriate to teach Swahelie? i know i am not spelling it right but sound it out. They are trying to teach this to the 3rd grader's at Hawthorne Elementary. Why should our kids have to learn this language? Now i understand spanish, japenese, german, or french. I remember those. But wtf is that?

[HAOLE]

Can i ask who thinks its appropriate to teach Swahelie? i know i am not spelling it right but sound it out. They are trying to teach this to the 3rd grader's at Hawthorne Elementary. Why should our kids have to learn this language? Now i understand spanish, japenese, german, or french. I remember those. But wtf is that?

Funny the schools are teaching Swahili, when more than half the kids can't speak English properly.

[87GT]

Foreign language should be first taught in elementary school. It should be a language that most of the world speaks though. Swahili is not that.

[Guest hotrodmama024]

Thats what i thought! If my daughter is going to be taught some stupid foreign language like that, there will be a fight with the school district.

[Science Abuse]

Oh My God Some Students Are Learning Things About Stuff!!!!!!! Tharz No Place For Empathy In Society!

 

Here's a question: Have you every looked into the paperwork involved with those above processes? This is absolutely a great foreign language project, they did tons and tons of boring legal doccuments in spanish. It's a working use of the language.

 

 

If I were tasked the same project, I would pose as a British governor. I'd sail here on a large ship with men and muskets, kill everyone I found when I landed, and establish a colony. Ya know, doing things the American way.

[ImUrOBGYN]

Some of you are fuckin appalling. Really. I've lived all over this country and never have I seen such a large percentage of the population so ignorant, thoughtless, bigoted and close minded as I have this far up north. And it's the south that supposed to be that way. They're more accepting out west and south than here. What kills me the most, is the majority of you who run your goddamn mouths so negatively, have no actual experience with any of these 'illegals'. Personal, business, or otherwise nor just how the process works. I, however, do. And for those of you who preach the fuckin gospel to come in here and present yourselves as people who'd rather shit on someone from another country than to try to at least understand just a bit, I truly hope you understand that if there was a hell, you'd surely be going to it.

I am sickened by the complete lack of empathy, understanding and bigotry here. Not a damn one of you would live in this country if it were like many other countries in this world. You'd do what you could for your family. I've lived in Mexico. And not just for vacation. Actually lived there and not in the "tourist area" or whatever. How many of you immersed yourself in the culture there? Or anywhere else, for that matter? How dare you form such uneducated, ignorant opinions of your fellow man!

If you want to blame someone, blame companies here, blame the government. These illegals don't get paid under the table by any company. They have taxes removed just like everyeone else, except they don't get to file for their taxes back. That's all governement money. Why the hell do you think it's so easy to get a fake SS card? "Oh, but Christian, the money they do get, they send back." Oh, and you spend all yours here? First, they do spend money. They have to live here. Second, how much of your money actually goes back into our economy and not to China's, etc? Psst, guess how many products and automobiles we buy are made in Mexico? Well, probably not as many jobs as our "American" companies are giving to the Indians. Uh, that's actual Indians, not Native Americans. I know some of you don't quite get the concept of native american, etc.

 

Alright now. Let's have it. Bring on the flaming so I can truly see who you are. I know I could go on explaining myself, but time runs short as I'm heading out of town. What drives me crazy is the inexperience and uneducated opinions of some of you here. How quick you are to form these opinons when you really have no idea what the hell you're talking about.

 

Sorry, I know this turned out to be too long for the forum.

[HAOLE]

Some of you are fuckin appalling. Really. I've lived all over this country and never have I seen such a large percentage of the population so ignorant, thoughtless, bigoted and close minded as I have this far up north. And it's the south that supposed to be that way. They're more accepting out west and south than here. What kills me the most, is the majority of you who run your goddamn mouths so negatively, have no actual experience with any of these 'illegals'. Personal, business, or otherwise nor just how the process works. I, however, do. And for those of you who preach the fuckin gospel to come in here and present yourselves as people who'd rather shit on someone from another country than to try to at least understand just a bit, I truly hope you understand that if there was a hell, you'd surely be going to it.

I am sickened by the complete lack of empathy, understanding and bigotry here. Not a damn one of you would live in this country if it were like many other countries in this world. You'd do what you could for your family. I've lived in Mexico. And not just for vacation. Actually lived there and not in the "tourist area" or whatever. How many of you immersed yourself in the culture there? Or anywhere else, for that matter? How dare you form such uneducated, ignorant opinions of your fellow man!

If you want to blame someone, blame companies here, blame the government. These illegals don't get paid under the table by any company. They have taxes removed just like everyeone else, except they don't get to file for their taxes back. That's all governement money. Why the hell do you think it's so easy to get a fake SS card? "Oh, but Christian, the money they do get, they send back." Oh, and you spend all yours here? First, they do spend money. They have to live here. Second, how much of your money actually goes back into our economy and not to China's, etc? Psst, guess how many products and automobiles we buy are made in Mexico? Well, probably not as many jobs as our "American" companies are giving to the Indians. Uh, that's actual Indians, not Native Americans. I know some of you don't quite get the concept of native american, etc.

 

Alright now. Let's have it. Bring on the flaming so I can truly see who you are. I know I could go on explaining myself, but time runs short as I'm heading out of town. What drives me crazy is the inexperience and uneducated opinions of some of you here. How quick you are to form these opinons when you really have no idea what the hell you're talking about.

 

Sorry, I know this turned out to be too long for the forum.

 

The Mexicans want to come here, fine. Do your paper work just like my relatives did and wait in line.

 

http://www.stickergiant.com/Merchant2/imgs/450/ema002_450.jpeg

[HAOLE]

IMHO being a bigot in this case would mean that you think the Mexicans should get a free pass, and everyone else in the world that wants to come here should wait in line. My stance is not of a bigot, it is plain and simple about the laws!

 

Nothing irritates me more than going to a restaurant in Ohio and having to get out my Spanish-English dictionary to place my order.

[87GT]

My grandparents came from Italy legally. They got normal jobs with the state. My grandpa on my mom's side worked in construction for the canton and akron area. He designed and built roads that still exist today. He had had kids. They became mechanics, some became nurses, and one still owns a titty bar.

 

If people from Mexico or any other country want to come here thats fine. Just do it legally.

[Science Abuse]

Nothing irritates me more than going to a restaurant in Ohio and having to get out my Spanish-English dictionary to place my order.

Ummm....you weren't at Abuelos, were you?

 

I used to go to a Wendies that had, seemingly, a 100% mexican staff, even the manager. I wen there because the other option was a McDonalds. The Mexican staff never screwed up my order in the 3 years I went there, and I was in and out in under 5 minutes, usually under a minute.

I went to the McDonalds a grand total of about 5 times. Every time those mutherfukin white kids screwed up my order, and you spend at least 15-20 minutes in line for the privilage. To this day, I still use the phrase "Fuckin white people" often, because they piss me off.

 

So I disagree, I want the immigrants to make my food because they're the only one who give a shit about their shitty jobs. The wendies I stop at down here isn't half as fast at the mexicans in Powel. These fuckers have spoken the language their whole lives, and can't manage to take an order and accept cash at the same time.

 

My family came here legally, back when you just showed up at the Island, stood in line for a day, then got the hell out. If it were as difficult as it is today, your folks wouldn't have done it, either.

[HAOLE]

Ummm....you weren't at Abuelos, were you?

 

I used to go to a Wendies that had, seemingly, a 100% mexican staff, even the manager. I wen there because the other option was a McDonalds. The Mexican staff never screwed up my order in the 3 years I went there, and I was in and out in under 5 minutes, usually under a minute.

I went to the McDonalds a grand total of about 5 times. Every time those mutherfukin white kids screwed up my order, and you spend at least 15-20 minutes in line for the privilage. To this day, I still use the phrase "Fuckin white people" often, because they piss me off.

 

So I disagree, I want the immigrants to make my food because they're the only one who give a shit about their shitty jobs. The wendies I stop at down here isn't half as fast at the mexicans in Powel. These fuckers have spoken the language their whole lives, and can't manage to take an order and accept cash at the same time.

 

My family came here legally, back when you just showed up at the Island, stood in line for a day, then got the hell out. If it were as difficult as it is today, your folks wouldn't have done it, either.

 

 

I am not willing to sacrifice my country so frosty and fries are right every time. I agree about "whitey". Some people need to learn work ethics.

[hot_wire]

Hello, I are illegal Mexican immigrant.

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/249/455791741_a5dcb880bc.jpg

 

 

Can please, you help me speaks english?

[HAOLE]

Now there can be some exceptions to the rules...

 

 

Hello, I are illegal Mexican immigrant.

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/249/455791741_a5dcb880bc.jpg

 

 

Can please, you help me speaks english?