Conquer Club

US Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic leads school to apologise



A school in New York state has apologised after receiving complaints because a student recited the US Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic.

The school's foreign language department arranged for the pledge to be read in a different language each day for a week.

Complaints were received from people who lost family in Afghanistan and from Jewish parents, an official said.

Neither the US nor New York state has an official language.

The school district superintendant, Joan Carbone, told the Times Herald-Record newspaper that the Arabic pledge had "divided the school in half" and that she had received numerous complaints.

A statement from the district apologised "to any students, staff or community members who found this activity disrespectful" and said the reading was intended to "promote the fact that those who speak a language other than English still pledge to salute this great country".

An Arabic-speaking student read the pledge during morning announcements at Pine Bush High School in Pine Bush, New York, on Wednesday.

Officials said the school's foreign language department organised for different pledge translations to be read in celebration of National Foreign Language Week.

English only from now on

Many students reportedly shouted their disapproval during the recitation, and later complained on social media.

Later in the afternoon, the school's principal made a school-wide announcement to explain why the pledge was read in Arabic and to apologise to those who took offence.

Ms Carbone said the pledge would only be read in English in the future.

The school's student leader, Andrew Zink, who is in charge of the morning announcements, told US media that he knew the reading would attract controversy.

He permitted it to go forward, because he believed it was "the right thing to do".

"What makes you American is not the language you speak, but the ideas you believe in," he said.

mrswdk wrote:

US Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic leads school to apologise



A school in New York state has apologised after receiving complaints because a student recited the US Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic.

The school's foreign language department arranged for the pledge to be read in a different language each day for a week.

Complaints were received from people who lost family in Afghanistan and from Jewish parents, an official said.

Neither the US nor New York state has an official language.

The school district superintendant, Joan Carbone, told the Times Herald-Record newspaper that the Arabic pledge had "divided the school in half" and that she had received numerous complaints.

A statement from the district apologised "to any students, staff or community members who found this activity disrespectful" and said the reading was intended to "promote the fact that those who speak a language other than English still pledge to salute this great country".

An Arabic-speaking student read the pledge during morning announcements at Pine Bush High School in Pine Bush, New York, on Wednesday.

Officials said the school's foreign language department organised for different pledge translations to be read in celebration of National Foreign Language Week.

English only from now on

Many students reportedly shouted their disapproval during the recitation, and later complained on social media.

Later in the afternoon, the school's principal made a school-wide announcement to explain why the pledge was read in Arabic and to apologise to those who took offence.

Ms Carbone said the pledge would only be read in English in the future.

The school's student leader, Andrew Zink, who is in charge of the morning announcements, told US media that he knew the reading would attract controversy.

He permitted it to go forward, because he believed it was "the right thing to do".

"What makes you American is not the language you speak, but the ideas you believe in," he said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/31989874

GoranZ wrote:If a family moves to foreign country they should learn the language of the country, and should try to familiarize with the customs in that country... or they can return in the country they came from.

White and Jewish bullies? You are mixing something here... If Arabic speaking classmate wants to speak Arabic(and others dont want) he can freely go to Arabic speaking country, same applies to Jewish, Chinese, Macedonian...

Democracy means respecting others not just demanding rights

GoranZ wrote:If a family moves to foreign country they should learn the language of the country, and should try to familiarize with the customs in that country... or they can return in the country they came from.

White and Jewish bullies? You are mixing something here... If Arabic speaking classmate wants to speak Arabic(and others dont want) he can freely go to Arabic speaking country, same applies to Jewish, Chinese, Macedonian...

Democracy means respecting others not just demanding rights

Symmetry wrote:When I moved to the US for a year as a kid, my second major culture shock was the pledge of allegiance.

saxitoxin wrote:

Symmetry wrote:When I moved to the US for a year as a kid, my second major culture shock was the pledge of allegiance. First day in my home room class, suddenly there's a speaker in the classroom that i hadn't noticed. Everybody stands up and puts their hand on their heart and starts chanting their loyalty. I had no idea what to do. I stood up and tried to mimic what everyone else was doing, but of course, I hadn't been forced to memorise the words, so I was basically mumbling.

Thankfully, the next day, my homeroom teacher told me that all I needed to do was just stand up while the propaganda was broadcast. So that's what i did, stood up, but stayed silent.

It really is kind of creepy.

What was your first major culture shock? (If it involves the gym teacher inviting you for after school "tutoring" feel free to skip this question.)

TA1LGUNN3R wrote:I'm American and I find both of those scenarios confusing as well.

-TG

mrswdk wrote:

GoranZ wrote:If a family moves to foreign country they should learn the language of the country, and should try to familiarize with the customs in that country... or they can return in the country they came from.

White and Jewish bullies? You are mixing something here... If Arabic speaking classmate wants to speak Arabic(and others dont want) he can freely go to Arabic speaking country, same applies to Jewish, Chinese, Macedonian...

Democracy means respecting others not just demanding rights

The GoranZ guide to respecting others

Step 1: refuse to tolerate their language or customs.

GoranZ wrote:

mrswdk wrote:

GoranZ wrote:If a family moves to foreign country they should learn the language of the country, and should try to familiarize with the customs in that country... or they can return in the country they came from.

White and Jewish bullies? You are mixing something here... If Arabic speaking classmate wants to speak Arabic(and others dont want) he can freely go to Arabic speaking country, same applies to Jewish, Chinese, Macedonian...

Democracy means respecting others not just demanding rights

The GoranZ guide to respecting others

Step 1: refuse to tolerate their language or customs.

Logic 101
Whats the point of a foreigner to settle in another country in order to make his new country like the country he just left.
1. He wants to eradicate the current natives in his new country.
2. He wants to spoil the new country he is living in and make it exactly like the one he already left.
3. Both 1 and 2

Conclusion: If you want to speak Arabic / Chinese / Jewish / Another language, do it in surrounding that wants to listen to you. Or get a f*ck out.

Army of GOD wrote:we would get yelled at if we didn't stand up and pledge our allegiance. It was the stupidest shit.

nationalism is a terrible thing.

Symmetry wrote:Well, except my brother in law- he gets upset if I don't stand up and keep silent during the national anthem before NFL games.

GoranZ wrote:Logic 101
Whats the point of a foreigner to settle in another country in order to make his new country like the country he just left.
1. He wants to eradicate the current natives in his new country.
2. He wants to spoil the new country he is living in and make it exactly like the one he already left.
3. Both 1 and 2

Conclusion: If you want to speak Arabic / Chinese / Jewish / Another language, do it in surrounding that wants to listen to you. Or get a f*ck out.

The school's foreign language department arranged for the pledge to be read in a different language each day for a week.

Donelladan wrote:

GoranZ wrote:Logic 101
Whats the point of a foreigner to settle in another country in order to make his new country like the country he just left.
1. He wants to eradicate the current natives in his new country.
2. He wants to spoil the new country he is living in and make it exactly like the one he already left.
3. Both 1 and 2

Conclusion: If you want to speak Arabic / Chinese / Jewish / Another language, do it in surrounding that wants to listen to you. Or get a f*ck out.

Did you read the whole first post? Did you notice that it was a choice to promote foreign languages made by the school ?
It is not like any random arabic kid decided he wanted to speak arabic at school.
Every day it was another language. People only complained when this language was arabic

The school's foreign language department arranged for the pledge to be read in a different language each day for a week.

Sure, you got to learn the language of the country you are living. But that is not at all the point of the OP. Please read again.

Army of GOD wrote:American?

Symmetry wrote:

Army of GOD wrote:American?

Wrong, it's Christian.

Symmetry wrote:What is the official language of the US?

Donelladan wrote:

GoranZ wrote:Logic 101
Whats the point of a foreigner to settle in another country in order to make his new country like the country he just left.
1. He wants to eradicate the current natives in his new country.
2. He wants to spoil the new country he is living in and make it exactly like the one he already left.
3. Both 1 and 2

Conclusion: If you want to speak Arabic / Chinese / Jewish / Another language, do it in surrounding that wants to listen to you. Or get a f*ck out.

Did you read the whole first post? Did you notice that it was a choice to promote foreign languages made by the school ?
It is not like any random arabic kid decided he wanted to speak arabic at school.
Every day it was another language. People only complained when this language was arabic

The school's student leader, Andrew Zink, who is in charge of the morning announcements, told US media that he knew the reading would attract controversy.

He permitted it to go forward, because he believed it was "the right thing to do".

Donelladan wrote:

The school's foreign language department arranged for the pledge to be read in a different language each day for a week.

Sure, you got to learn the language of the country you are living. But that is not at all the point of the OP. Please read again.