Jun 12, 2012
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A California school district is defending its decision to allow a valedictorian to deliver his graduation speech entirely in Spanish even though many people in the audience only spoke English and felt excluded from the ceremony.
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Jessie Ceja, the principal at Orestimba High School in Newman, Calif., said the valedictorian had earned the right to deliver the speech any way he saw fit.
“The student earned the right as valedictorian, I feel, and if he felt that way I decided to give him that opportunity,” Ceja told Mattos Newspapers.
The student, Saul Tello, Jr. said he wanted to deliver a Spanish and English language version of his speech – but the district said there was only time to deliver one.
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He told the local newspaper he had no intention of making a social statement by delivering his speech in Spanish. He said he did so to honor his parents.
Prior to his speech, Tello apologized in English to the non-Spanish speakers attending the graduation ceremony.
However, that decision resulted in telephone calls to the school – and concern among some school trustees – who believed at least some of the speech should have been delivered in English.
“I think that there has to be some acknowledgement that English is the official language of the state, that you have to be proficient in English to graduate an that a sizable portion of the audience does not speak Spanish,” trustee Tim Bazar told the newspaper.
Local residents were also disturbed by the speech and some called for the school board to address the matter.
“I don’t blame the student for this; however, the administration should have stopped it way before graduation night,” wrote Bill Mattos in a column for the newspaper. “If you want to provide folks who only speak Spanish better information, then provide the speech in Spanish with handouts, or have the students include some Spanish in a mostly English speech. But the entire speech should have never been given in only Spanish.”
Mattos said English is the first language of the nation “and in my opinion there was no place for this sort of change, especially in Newman.”
Another local resident noted, “Thinking of all the money spent teaching students how to speak, read and write English only to have a valedictorian speak to his classmates and families in Spanish seems a mighty big waste of money.”
School superintendent Ed Felt defended the student’s speech and the principal’s decision.
“We are a community with two dominant languages, and both should be recognized,” Felt told the newspaper.
He said the school did not have a right to order the student to deliver his speech in English – citing First Amendment concerns.
“We could request a student deliver a speech in English, but we would have little to enforce that if the student chose not to,” he said.
Principal Ceja said the speech was a perfect way to cater to English and Spanish speakers, noting that the welcome was delivered in both languages – and the salutatorian address was delivered by an English-speaking student.
Tello told the newspaper that he was upset by the controversy his speech received, calling critics “close-minded.”
One letter-writer noted: “I do not believe the OHS student intended to be divisive, but certainly his decision to deliver the speech in Spanish, excluding non-Hispanic attendees from the joy of listening to the top student, created a division.”
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This is silly. The only reason people are upset is because they are sensitive to Hispanic immigration. Mary Anne Marks gave her salutation in Latin in 2010 and everyone thought it was wonderful (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYewkFKPPhs). Please pick your fights better, the economy sucks and the WH is out to lunch. That's what we need to worry about.
No, we're "sensitive" to ILLEGAL Hispanic immigration. Now, this boy's parents have been here long enough that he's graduating from high school, but that haven't learned enough English to merely listen to (not read or write) their son's speech? If they're here legally, then they haven't been motivated enough to learn the language of this country and that suggests that they have little to no interest in naturalizing. If they're here ILLEGALLY, then they're part of the reason this economy sucks. Americans are losing jobs to illegal aliens and being expected to provide services to their kids, legal or not–service such as educating this young man.
We speak English in this country. If he wanted to deliver his speech in Spanish he should have done it at home!
I wonder if this principal would have sanctioned a deaf valedictorian delivering her speech in American sign language without an intepreter for the hearing? The effect is the same, without the insult.
English is the given language of the U.S. My Great grandparents came from Germany and they knew that English was the given language and must use it. This is why we were the great melting pot it is english is what helps bind us as a nation. I do not want anyone to give up their heritage but when we allow someone to divide us no matter what the reason we will eventually divide the nation and lose what is special about this country. Time to quit worring about one person and think of the whole. Was it okay to ruin the majority of students and parents day for the value of one.
I realize Spanish is the state language of California, so was I surprised by reading this article? No. Poor choices by CA educators and leadership, was one of my primary reasons for leaving that state years ago. It was bad then, and I see it's only gotten worse….
I agree. California is now a Turd-World toilet ruined by the illegal alien locust, Queers & Liberals. Thank God my wallet & I were able to escape the Peoples Republic of California yrs ago. The greatest moment of my life was stopping at the AZ Stateline, dropping my pants & telling Arnold to "kiss my a**, I'm free now". America WILL become another Mexifornia if Affirmitive Action, Communist Obama is re-elected. NObama in '12!!.
That was just plain rude. He may have thought he wasn't making a "statement" but he certainly did – that he didn't take into account all the people who don't speak Spanish. They don't have to learn Spanish unless they want to but people living in the United States of America SHOULD speak ENGLISH. Why don't his parents make an effort to speak in English while living in the USA? That was really, really rude. It should not have been allowed and shows the lack of judgment the Principal has. She should be let go and a person with maturity hired in her place. What a sad situation! All those other parents were waiting to hear a speech for ALL of their children and they couldn't understand it. How very unfortunate. If he wants to speak Spanish, then, maybe he should go to a country where Spanish is the official language and he can speak it freely.
I was raised in a Spanish-speaking country. My parents always taught me that it was VERY RUDE to speak English in front of people who do not know English. This young man may have attained the honor of Valedictorain but he sure could use being taught some manners and some intuitiveness as to what is right and what is just plain wrong. I would be embarrassed to be his parents! Something is definitely missing in his education along the lines of manners.
HANG THIS BASTARD…
The administration is mainly to blame as they should have allowed the time to read it in both languages, otherwise it should have been read in English. The First Amendment only protects what you say not, the language in which it is spoken. The administration can't use that as a defense. It would not have violated his First Amendment rights to require that he read it in English only. More than 80% of the population of the United States are English speaking as their primary language. The precedent is set that this is an English speaking country and the official language is English. Why, because another precedent has been set in stone. Our laws and all records are required to be recorded in English. This politically correct crap has gone too far. Want to do business or work in this country, learn the language.
Actually, Thomas, the US does not have English as an official language, although it's our de facto one, and as far as I know, that our laws and records are in English is a matter of custom, not law. For that matter, some Congresscritter delivered a speech in Spanish in Congress that's part of the official record. That so many in this town don't speak English and that this young man delivered his speech in Spanish highlights the reason we SHOULD have English as the official language. What happens when Spanish-speaking communities in the US decide to hold meetings and pass ordinances in SPANISH and are not required to provide English translations? Executive orders require that English-language documents be translated into other language but nothing I know of requires that official documents in other languages be translated into English. For the record, SPANISH is the official language in Mexico and 21 other countries.
I'm all for keeping your native language alive no matter where you live, but when addressing the public or being a member of the workforce, it should always default to English. We accomodate non-native English speakers all the time with handouts and posting warnings in multiple languages, but there comes a point where you need to assimilate; difficult though it may be. Hell, if I can sit on a ferry boat and then a bus for 6 hours and learn enough French to get around Paris for 4 days, you can learn enough English in a few years to figure out your son's Valedictorian speech.
can we graduate in Mexico AND ONLY SPEAK ENGLISH?
Mex GET OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!
Another slap in the face to those that paid for his education through their taxes. I have no problem with you being proud of your heritage but this is America and you owe your success to this country and not the one you or your parents left.
ENGLISH,,,,,,,,,,, SO THAT's HOW THEY REPAY US TO OUR FACES FOR PUTTN THE DREAM ACT ,,,,,,,,,,,,, FUCK U WET BACK.
The idiots that arranged the event should have allowed him the time he wanted to present his thoughts in Spanish and English.
why do folks from Mexico come to this great U.S.A. , SLAM IT, SAY THEY OWN IT PUSH THERE CULTURE ON US , MEAN WHILE THERE MEXICO IS IN BLOODY , SHAMBLES.
I love how the principle says he couldn't tell him what to say because of his first amendment rights….. but how often do you hear of principles banning christian and patriotic songs or subject matter? Funny when you do hear of them banning something it's under the flag of not wanting to offend someone but when it's something they personally agree with it's a first amendment right…..no wonder our youth are so confused.
Times change. Spanish is here to stay. I agree, he should have made his speech in English or split it up if he wanted too. Being a valedictorian, he earned it. Idiots like Danna Rice want to control everything. The native Americans didn't have a choice when anglos got here.
I think he should have to live in Mexico where they speak Spanish and crime, drugs and murder run rampant. They can't run the country they stole from the natives how can they run another one.
I think he should have to live in Mexico where they speak Spanish and crime, drugs and murder run rampant. They can't run the country they stole from the natives how can they run another one.
How funny the principal cites the first amendment. How about the same consideration when a student wants to thank God for their blessings?
Had he. He been white and tried to thank God he would have been kicked out of the graduation!!!
Jeez, the last time I checked the map this was THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! My family(Spain, France, Ireland) had to learn and speak English when they immigrated! Why can't any other cultures immigrating now do the same? Why are we bending over backwards and going broke as a nation for coddling immigrants these days? Why do we kowtow to them-spanish culture when it was NOT DONE for any other immigrant culture since America was established? Shall I list all the others before that learned English language and culture until the last 50-60 years? Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, Swiss, Indian, Russian, Irish, and the list goes on and on…….Why do we bow down to the Spanish immigrants of today? Now, we know why we have become a broke, almost pathetic nation!
AMEN LISA!!!
I hate the fact that this here country has been beaten down to this point. When I signed up for the Army in 96 I was willing to sacrifice my all to protect this great nation. Now we cant even communicate because us US citizens have to learn a foreign language or get looked at like we are morons by the Spanish speaking peoples of the world, or in my case, along with the Spanish, the Asian speaking world. My town is full of Korean stores where you as a white person cannot even walk into without being given the stink eye and told "no english"
Jeez, the last time I checked the map this was THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! My family(Spain, France, Ireland) had to learn and speak English when they immigrated! Why can't any other cultures immigrating now do the same? Why are we bending over backwards and going broke as a nation for coddling immigrants these days? Why do we kowtow to them-spanish culture when it was NOT DONE for any other immigrant culture since America was established? Shall I list all the others before that learned English language and culture until the last 50-60 years? Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, Swiss, Indian, Russian, Irish, and the list goes on and on…….Why do we bow down to the Spanish immigrants of today? Now, we know why we have become a broke, almost pathetic nation!
If you want to speak another language, go back to that shit hole of a country you came from. We speak ENGLISH in this country. And if you want to be technical, 31 states have ENGLISH as there official language.
If my kid was graduating in that class I would have walked right the hell out of there! The students should have all walked out too to really make a statement! This is AMERICA people, we NEED TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!
The students should have goyyen up and left the aassembly.That is the only way we will ever regain of this country.This Spanish/American crap is getting very old very fast.It's tiresome and boring…
The students should have goyyen up and left the aassembly.That is the only way we will ever regain of this country.This Spanish/American crap is getting very old very fast.It's tiresome and boring…
Although I don't think it should have been read in Spanish I have to pose this question: To all the people who say "This is America – people should learn English!" (By the way we speak American, not English in this country. In England they actually speak English). So I ask this – when YOU go to another country do YOU learn the language there? Or do you just expect them to communicate with you in English? Don't "expect" people to learn English here if you can't do the same in a foreign land.
Kelly, the comparison is not apt. This young man's parents presumably came here intending to make a life here and live for the rest of their lives. When I've lived and worked in another country, I've learned the language. In fact, I worked there BECAUSE I learned the language. But the Americans you're thinking of are probably taking a 1- or 2-week tour (and even then many take classes to learn a few polite phrases). And you can bet that Americans who deal with foreign tourists learn the language of their customers, just as foreigners who deal with American tourists learn at least some English. It's good business.
"He said the school did not have a right to order the student to deliver his speech in English." I bet they could've ordered him not to include a prayer! I hope the whole thing was a prayer!
BS about him not making a statement. Even if he didn't the school was by allowing him to do. In their minds now all these ignorant American's now know how it feels to be left out. They should be fired for letting this go on.
As a military wife i have met a multitude of races and i have traveled a bit. When in he US i speak English and English only, i don't care what you race is. Now when i was in Hawaii they to speak English but some of the elders still spoke fluent Hawaiian or pidgin English. Being that Hawaii had its own language far before being taken over by or gift i came to a happy medium as my southern drawl who'd not all's me a fluent pronunciation of Hawaiian i quickly picked up pidgin English, which basically every state has their version of pidgin English. Now when i went to Korea i immediately learn as much Korean as i could possibly wrap my brain around out of RESPECT for the people and country i was in. I always had someone with me to help me out a bit
I could understand if he had made a simple sentence or two in Spanish as a special message to his family, but the whole speech was a disrespect and excluded all of the English speaking graduates and attendants.
First off this was the land of mexico way before california was even here so quit complaining and 2ND think about who picks ur agriculture on fields so they can pay us hispanics so little for the labor work we have to go through its not easy and 3 rd have a lil respect its the land of the free right?
are they fuckn serious about this??!
sorry im on my bfs lol but ya i cant believe this omg just bc it happened one time there doing this commotion its sad … makes me mad lol
California residences please go check out you own State Constitution. It one of only two state Constitutions that define and list English as there states official language. The thing about California's is that it can never be changed and your state representative and the state can be sued for not protecting the English language.
Please Google the Ca State Constitution and check out Article 3 Section 6 and you'll be amazed that Ca is getting away with not doing there oath and jobs base on there own Constitution. Other states can but should not be in Ca as it's law.
The state employed Superintendent Ed Felt should be fired as the states Constitutions over rides the federal first amendment as there is nothing that enforces or is listed in the US Constitution for or official language at the Federal levels. Then the law has to move to the States laws and levels. remember this is country of 50 nations too and state Constitution laws for each. Feds laws can and should not interfere with laws not on there books and are on the state levels. Works both ways sorry.
Keep it up liberals and all you who want the USA to be bilingual. You wizz off enough conservatives and they will send you the same message that we conservatives in Wisconsin sent to the dems and public sector unions.
We conservatives are far far more numerous than you on the left and when we are angry enough at all the destruction of OUR American values that you socialists try to push down our throats, you WILL HEAR FROM US. And it will be SO overwhelming that I promise it will scare you.
The TEA Parties were and are just the very beginning!
Jessie Ceja, the principal should lose his job over this as he was giving the finger to all Americans by allowing the spanish only speech! Make time for both languages or give it in English! I bet this would never happen in Mexico.
Jessie Ceja, the principal should lose his job over this as he was giving the finger to all Americans by allowing the spanish only speech! Make time for both languages or give it in English! I bet this would never happen in Mexico.
Todd, are all of your articles so poorly written with a complete lack of proofreading?
In the Philippines, all students are taught English at an early age. They have their own languages, but learn English anyway. Mexicans who come here either legally or illegally increasingly come here and have no interest in assimilating. They form their own little mexicos inside our country.
The Superintendent and Principle both need to be fired! They should have never condoned the speech be in any language other than English. If there had been time to do both then yes, I would be OK with that but, only in Spanish? The Super and the Principle both should have known this and if time did not allow for Spanish then English should have been used.
That's my verdict. (Opinion)
Who gives a rats ass?
I don't mean that about Your opinion. I mean, why is everyone enraged. He could of said what ever he wanted in what ever langauge, he earned it. I guess I don't understand why people waste so much energy being angry over this stuff.
@Jason people love to waste time majoring in the minors ~ I agree with you on this one…who gives a rats ass!!
So this was a public school, right? This was an education paid for by the tax paying property owners, right? Oh and most of all it was an education paid for by the AMERICAN DOLLAR not the PESO, right? So if he is so loyal to Mexico, perhaps he should have sought his education in the metropolis of Mexico….I do not think he is a real American nor does he wish to be.
The school admin means- he can say whatever he wants, as long as he doesn't mention Hay-sus.
The shame in all this is the divisiveness engendered by the multi-culturalists has robbed us of much of the pleasure of absorbing the many Latin culturees into the AMerican mix. There's no way a Valedictorian in a public school should exclude Americans from his address by delivering it in a foreign language. It is, at a minimum, rude and inconsiderate. The super was a fool. The kid should have been allowed to deliver in both languages to accomodate his home and his heritage. That would have been sweet. Spanish, properly learned, is a very beautiful and rich language, but E Pluribus Unum comes first. Aggressively demanding accomodation for Spanish is an irritant that has poisoned relations between natives and immigrants. No other group gets or ever has gotten or demanded similar special treatment. I am confident however, that over time, new Latino immigrants, like their predecessors, will fully assimilate and become as American as anybody. But, beware the damage race and ethnic hustlers do! By the way, one of the main things all those blue-collar, low-wage immigrants want for their kids, is English proficiency- survey says!
1) The speaker and administration forgot the most important goal of a speaker–to reach the audience. If large sections of the audience could not understand what he was saying, why bother to speak?
2) Why apologize before committing an "offense"? Don't intentionally offend and a pre-apology is unnecessary.
3) And I don't understand the administrator's defense of the student's "free speech". If the Principal really could not enforce any rules on his speaking, why forbid both languages in the first place. Talk about inconsistent!
4) From the comments of the student and the administrators, it seems that the real issue was time. The speech could have been "trimmed" to fit the space, if any of them really wanted to do address both English and Spanish speakers.
5) The student's free education was provided in English. He did not honor the gift he was given. Why would his father be honored by this action?
6) Is this a community of illegal immigrants? I am pretty sure that a US Citizenship test still requires English proficiency.
7) Seems to me, they both earned the attention that they clearly wanted, but may not like the consequences that come from notoriety.
What's the bet the School superintendent Ed Felt and Principal Ceja would have broken thier legs tripping over each other to shut up a white student valedictorian who wanted to include thanks to thier GOD. Was Ceja serious when he said “The student earned the right as valedictorian, I feel, and if he felt that way I decided to give him that opportunity,” or was it only for "Essay".
I can see that MOST people that have commented on this issue DON’T know how to read nor have the skill to COMPREHEND what they are reading. Tello earned the right to give his speech, and his plan was to give the speech in Spanish and English, but was told that there wasn’t enough time. It is NOT his fault. He nor anyone else said that he didn’t know English, so stop attacking the language issue what you should be attacking why the school didn't stretch the graduation to permit Tello to give his whole speech. You say that if you live in this country you should learn the language, I agree. But I challenge any of your parents to move to a different country and learn the language when most IGNORANT racists there do everything in their power to suppress them. Tello gave his speech to honor the two people that gave him everything he needed to succeed. I’m sure that EVERY SINCE OF YOU would have done the same thing to honor your parents. I suggest that everyone get over it.
I can see that MOST people that have commented on this issue DON’T know how to read nor have the skill to COMPREHEND what they are reading. Tello earned the right to give his speech, and his plan was to give the speech in Spanish and English, but was told that there wasn’t enough time. It is NOT his fault. He nor anyone else said that he didn’t know English, so stop attacking the language issue what you should be attacking why the school didn't stretch the graduation to permit Tello to give his whole speech. You say that if you live in this country you should learn the language, I agree. But I challenge any of your parents to move to a different country and learn the language when most IGNORANT racists there do everything in their power to suppress them. Tello gave his speech to honor the two people that gave him everything he needed to succeed. I’m sure that EVERY SINCE OF YOU would have done the same thing to honor your parents. I suggest that everyone get over it.
Utter bull, Natali. " language when most IGNORANT racists there do everything in their power to suppress them"?! Fact is, public schools offer free or low cost classes to adults who want to learn English, as do private organizations for literacy. I volunteered with one such years ago. English-language TV offers Spanish subtitles (and vice versa). What's more than likely is that his parents are here illegally, working 2 or 3 jobs, and simply haven't made the time or taken the effort to learn English because so many in this town speak Spanish and there's been no imperative for them to do it.
Tello made a very bad decision in giving his speech only in Spanish, since he chose that language when the school restricted his time. He insulted the hand that has provided his education and the "better life" his parents presumably came for, the hand of the American taxpayer (and note that the FEDERAL government heavily subsidizes public schools). If you think this encourages anyone who's not Hispanic to want to amnesty illegal aliens or give "Dreamers" a free pass, think again.
I like how Felt defends by citing the first amendment, you stupid motherfucker, the ENTIRE BILL OF RIGHTS WAS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH, if you want to speak spanish, and "honor your tradition", then hop the fuck back over the border, we have too many english speaking, hardworking AMERICANS that deserve the jobs that you fucking brown bastards take like free welfare.
I like how Felt defends by citing the first amendment, you stupid motherfucker, the ENTIRE BILL OF RIGHTS WAS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH, if you want to speak spanish, and "honor your tradition", then hop the fuck back over the border, we have too many english speaking, hardworking AMERICANS that deserve the jobs that you fucking brown bastards take like free welfare.
Also says that they would have had no way to enforce him to perform the speech in English. That's bullshit, during a graduation ceremony, if you start cursing, slinging slurs, or doing something else stupid, like an entire speech in another language, administration is on your ass before you can think about it, and you have the chance of loosing your diploma. It would have been as simple as saying no, and citing the fact once again, in case Tello forgot, that this is AMERICA, where ENGLISH is the language WE speak. If he wants to go to an AMERICAN school that teaches ENGLISH, and then turn around and piss on the entire school and ENGLISH SPEAKING community by performing his speech entirely in spanish, then he deserves to go back to school once again to try and comprehend what language we speak in this country, because he is obviously incompetent, valedictorian (which doesn't mean shit, nowdays) or not. I think it is also curious that the principal that allowed this is also mexican… With the direction this country is going, I wonder if the principal is even competent in the English language, because his administrative and decision-making skills suggest otherwise.
Also says that they would have had no way to enforce him to perform the speech in English. That's bullshit, during a graduation ceremony, if you start cursing, slinging slurs, or doing something else stupid, like an entire speech in another language, administration is on your ass before you can think about it, and you have the chance of loosing your diploma. It would have been as simple as saying no, and citing the fact once again, in case Tello forgot, that this is AMERICA, where ENGLISH is the language WE speak. If he wants to go to an AMERICAN school that teaches ENGLISH, and then turn around and piss on the entire school and ENGLISH SPEAKING community by performing his speech entirely in spanish, then he deserves to go back to school once again to try and comprehend what language we speak in this country, because he is obviously incompetent, valedictorian (which doesn't mean shit, nowdays) or not. I think it is also curious that the principal that allowed this is also mexican… With the direction this country is going, I wonder if the principal is even competent in the English language, because his administrative and decision-making skills suggest otherwise.