Arabic mandatory at city public school

New York Post

Beginning next semester, all 200 second- through fifth-graders at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will be taught the language twice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science and music courses.

Brain washing?

“I like Arabic class. I like the words we learn. I thought they sounded funny at first, now I think they sound cool,” said Nayanti Brown, a 7-year-old second-grader. “I teach my little sister the words I learn.’’

Sounds like they are expecting it to take over the world.

Mohamed Mamdouh, who teaches the pilot program, said, “Soon, Arabic will be a global language like French and Spanish. These kids are like sponges. It’s amazing to see their progress.’’

I have absolutely nothing against learning foreign languages. This seems to be an odd choice for a language requirement.

I think they should be teaching the Arab kids ENGLISH. When I went to school a foreign language was an elective. It was not forced on you. I would love to learn Arabic, but it should be my choice.

if we all understood it it would be harder for the terrorist minority to plot behind our backs, this is proberly the reasoning behind this as ive seen english agencies and american advertising for staff with these quaLIFICATIONS

I would love to learn a new language, Arabic sounds good to me, or Japanese or Mandarin, which ever.

Originally posted by sekos
I would love to learn a new language, Arabic sounds good to me, or Japanese or Mandarin, which ever.

As would I. But would you want your kids to have it forced upon them? I think that's the bigger question.

It's so they can train kids to be spies.
Probably teaching them then when people say "hello" in Arabic, that it means "I have a bomb in my pants."

Originally posted by AnonymousCitizen

Originally posted by sekos
I would love to learn a new language, Arabic sounds good to me, or Japanese or Mandarin, which ever.

As would I. But would you want your kids to have it forced upon them? I think that's the bigger question.

I had French forced on me, it wasn't too bad.

Originally posted by AnonymousCitizen

I have absolutely nothing against learning foreign languages. This seems to be an odd choice for a language requirement.

I was against Culturalism when it was first introduced to public schools. No matter where a student is from - - you have to cover something of that child's culture in class.

I've since changed my mind in seeing how it helps create interest - - understanding - - and unity amongst the children.

So - - if there's an areas with a high Arabic population - - I think its great that the language is introduced in that public school.

reply to post by AnonymousCitizen
I don't see a problem with this. As long as it it just the language and not ideology being taught.

Back when I was in grade school they forced me to learn Arabic, too... as I recall, it was something called Numbers or some kind of black magic or whatever... I wasn't really paying attention.

No but seriously, if it becomes mandatory in every school, or even half of all (public) schools, I'm pretty sure there will be some outcry... Maybe they want them to be able to catch and interrogate Arabian terrorists easier when they grow up? I remember in school we were taught some Spanish like the days of the week, and those sinister number things that I never could quite grasp, either that or the bird outside the classroom window was always more interesting to me....

Haha the only things I've heard in Arabic have been "get on the ground/weapons down" sorta stuff. My ex taught me that stuff xD.
It's a BEAUTFUL language though. I have a friend who, for a speech class, said a prayer in Arabic. It is such a graceful language. It flows so well. Very mesmerizing.

reply to post by novemberecho


I agree it's a beautiful language and as you said it has a flow which is unique. I would love to learn Russian as well, that is equally as beautiful a language as Arabic IMO.

I agree that I don't see this as a bad thing, we teach French, Spanish, German and even Latin which is a dead language so why not Arabic or Russian. I can't see them ever teaching Japanese or Chinese though as IMO it's a lot more complicated to learn.

*insert sound of buzzer* wrong!!! All immigrants came here...there is no reason our schools should teach our children the language of another. It is a waste of taxpayers money and catering to many who aren't here legally. Where I live there is a large population of Hispanics and I think it is BS that our schools pay for Spanish speaking tutors to teach some kids in Spanish.

Now foreign languages as an elective is a different story.

All I have to say is WHEN IN ROME....


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Originally posted by groingrinder
I think they should be teaching the Arab kids ENGLISH. When I went to school a foreign language was an elective. It was not forced on you. I would love to learn Arabic, but it should be my choice.

Hilariously, even "electives" are mandatory; there was no opting-out of foreign language when I was in school, thus it's not truly elective.

Reply to post by eNumbra

Well...sort of...we had a choice of which language.


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reply to post by opal13


It's not a waste of taxpayers money because it's a public school and no-one is compelled to put their children to it.
The reason they are doing it is so they get an "International Baccalaureate standing"

The Arabic requirement becomes mandatory in September. But PS 368 is a so-called “choice’’ school and no kids, even those living nearby, are forced to attend it. If the school ever enrolls a student who objects to learning Arabic, administrators will deal with that on a case-by-case basis, Jackson said.

If someone doesn't want their kid learning Arabic then they have the choice of not sending them to that particular school.

In the UK when I was at school we had to take a language at our 1st year of secondary school and it was compulsory for 4 years. As I said I think it would make more sense to have Arabic and Russian taught rather than Latin but Latin is still the 4th most taught language.

reply to post by opal13


You must choose an elective.
/discussion



If an elective must be mandatory (shudder), then it should be fully elective; I should be able to choose any extra class I wish, not be stuck deciding whether I want to take French or Spanish. (my only two choices at the time)

reply to post by mclarenmp4


Dead languages are useful for a few things: when you don't want the meaning of what was written to change, you use a language that is static. Which is part of the reason why dead languages are used in science to name animals. Another is so that way you know what the disease in question is named that way for, as some diseases are pretty well defined by the dead language used to describe it. The 3rd reason is more to do with a religious reason: how can you tell when a text like the Bible has been mistranslated unless you know Greek, Hebrew, or even Latin (the main translation of Greek that early Bibles were written from). All sorts of arguments are made from the English that isn't necessarily the same in the original languages. Usually only nuances.

isn't there a very high muslim population around that area ?

might explain it

Sounds OK to me.

Arabic is a more important language to learn than say french. or latin.

That being said I say everybody should be learning chinese (mandarine, not cantonese) it could be the new language of business very soon i think.

And if you live in the US it's also good to know spanish. especially if you live in places like los angeles where if you don't know at least a little bit of spanish you can't even go to a local fast food stop and order.