Should Speaking English Be a Graduation Requirement?

on May 18, 2011 at 12:41 PM

speak english The "English as a national language" debate is rearing its head again. But this time, it has nothing to do with illegal immigration. Well, not exactly. The new battleground for fluency is centering in our schools.

A school board in New London, Connecticut, has just passed a requirement that all students attain a certain level of English proficiency before being granted a diploma. OMG! They actually expect kids to be educated before they graduate? Call the men in white suits! These people are cah-raaaazy!

Seriously folks, the most depressing part of this little news story is that it's news at all. Kids coming out of public high schools with a diploma in hand should have something to show for it. An education.

And in America, part of that education is in the language used on street signs, in office buildings, in doctor's offices, and on street corners. In France kids come out of school with a knowledge of French. In Germany with German. And so on.

And yet, every time this subject comes up, people cry out that schools are trying to quash bilingualism. Even in news stories about the New London decision, community leaders who praised the move railed against teaching kids MORE than one language.

That isn't, and should be, what English proficiency requirements are about at all. America has made great strides in incorporating additional language instruction into the curricula, and we still have a ways to go. English is not better than other languages by any means. It's never a bad thing to give our kids extra skills, skills that can be used to make them competitive on a global scale.

But the word extra denotes that there has to be a basic level in there somewhere. In this case, that's English, a building block of education in the United States. Again, in other countries, that building block is different. But we aren't in other countries, are we? We're here, in America, where there is officially no national language (check your textbooks, the Senate has never voted on English), but where life is easier if you have a grasp on English.

That's what we want for our kids, isn't it? For them to be prepared for life? For them to have it as easy as possible to enter into the "real world"? A high school diploma is supposed to represent that a child is prepared for grown-up life here in America. Without ensuring they have an English proficiency, that diploma is meaningless.

Do you think this school is on the right track? Do you know the requirements for language in your area?

Image via antwerpenR/Flickr

About the author Jeanne Sager

writes articles for The Stir by day, slays closet monsters and bounds through bedtime stories with her elementary schooler by night. Diet Pepsi courses through her veins. The Phineas and Ferb soundtrack reverberates through her brain.

Filed Under: school, issues

Comments (35)

Nonmember comment from Anon

on May 18, 2011 at 1:46 PM

Where I come from, you had to pass 3 years of HS English in order to graduate. How could one do that without having a basic knowledge of the language? ... I agree with you - in a country where we have adults suing the schools for not forcing them to learn to read [English], how can we graduate kids (with a regular diploma) who can't speak English? And what parent would want that for their child - assuming they plan to be in the USA for a while?

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meatball77

on May 18, 2011 at 2:06 PM

Um yeah. Every state that I'm aware of requires students to pass english classes consisting of literature and writing for graduation. I don't see how you could pass a class that requires you to read Hamlet and not speak english.

Sounds like a rule meant to bully and stigmatize immagrants as the requirements already exist at a more strict level than this rule allows for.

cholita1978

on May 18, 2011 at 2:34 PM

First of all I'm an inmigrant, when I came to the US I had to do 5 years of HS instead of the regular 4 because the first year were only english classes, I hated it at the beginning but it helped me learn english faster. My Junior year my mom and I move to a different county, more latino products and people, so I had to transfer to a different school, what a difference, this HS had all kinds of bilingual classes, so the same kid my age who came to this country before me, didn't speak english fluently, or at all, because all of his/her classes were in spanish, except for one in english. So I honestly do not agree with that program, it doesn't help the kids it just puts them more behind. So if it's a requirement to speak english when you graduate I agree

Nonmember comment from Annie

on May 18, 2011 at 3:44 PM

I am absolutely embarrassed and shamed by my fellow Americans who think it's perfectly ok to say disgusting, hateful and racist things about people who aspire to have a part in our country. But that said, you're right: this isn't about immigration. This is about basic education which is, fundamentally, supposed to prepare young adults for a future in this country. If they cannot speak English fluently, their chances at success professionally are drastically limited. Graduating high school seniors, immigrant or not, who are illiterate shows a failure in basic education.

Facebook comment from Mahala Dixson

on May 18, 2011 at 9:03 PM

I think it is perfectly acceptable to expect them to speak English by the time they graduate. If I had to take Spanish class and had to be able to know some Spanish before I graduated, then they can learn some English. I have nothing wrong with bilingual people I think it's awesome, wish I was acutally better with my Spanish! It will help them get a job if they speak better English. If we moved to another country that primarily spoke another language and we were going to school there, I'm sure we'd be expected to know that other language by the time we graduated. I don't have a problem with immigration for the most part, I just wish them the best in school as I do anyone else, I want to see all students succeed.

mommaofemma

on May 18, 2011 at 9:05 PM

when I went to HS you had to take Spanish....

Facebook comment from Rochelle Denisha Gregory

on May 18, 2011 at 9:17 PM

It takes years to learn a language--as anyone who's tried to learn another language can attest. It's not something as simple as one day you don't, the next you do. These students aren't going to learn fluent English overnight. It takes time and practice. And, does this principal really think that these students don't want to learn English?? Of course, they do. Give them time because holding them back will only encourage students to drop out of high school. But, then again, if he kicks out the lower performing, non-native speakers it will certainly make his school look better "by the numbers." How productive or effective is that going to be for this community??

Nonmember comment from Sarah

on May 18, 2011 at 9:32 PM

I didn't realize graduating hs was an overnight process. In our state we're required to pass 4 years of English, which is acceptable. In 3 years of Spanish I was able to read signs and actually able to hold conversations with people native to the language. A boy from Poland came to our hs and graduated with us and made a bunch of friends. Why is this even news? It's nothing to do with immigration, it's education.

on May 18, 2011 at 9:33 PM

Facebook comment from Sandy Mason

on May 18, 2011 at 11:02 PM

Yes! Everyone who lives in the Country they live in should be able to Speak that countrys language! In order to be Prepared for furthering Themselves In Within that country! AmericA is No Different!!