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Feds probe AZ treatment of English teachers

by Associated Press (September 8th, 2010 @ 3:25pm)

Arizona's education chief says the federal government has launched an investigation into whether the state discriminates against teachers who are nonnative English speakers.

The probe was launched by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education. It's the most recent of several federal investigations aimed at Arizona, which has been in the spotlight for its law targeting illegal immigrants, Senate Bill 1070.

``It may be that the Senate Bill 1070 issue is causing some sort of campaign, I don't know, by the federal government against Arizona,'' State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne told The Arizona Republic.

The state Department of Education for years has been monitoring the fluency of teachers who instruct English learners. In April, the education department began instructing districts to fire teachers who weren't proficient in English.

Federal officials disclosed the investigation in a letter to the Arizona Attorney General's Office, Horne said.

Justice Department spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa in Washington, D.C. declined comment to The Associated Press on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Education did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Horne predicted the federal agencies will conclude the state has done nothing wrong.

``I'm sure they're going to find everything is fine,'' Horne said. ``Teachers who are teaching English need to be fluent in English, and if kids can understand what they're saying, it's not an issue.''

The state Department of Education has pushed a get-tough attitude on teachers who lack basic English skills or whose grammar is considered so poor that it could detract from a child's ability to learn.

Critics say the policy could eliminate talented teachers who have a positive influence on students struggling to learn English. Some believe the Arizona Department of Education singled out Latino teachers when it audited classes taught by bilingual teachers, criticizing them for pronunciation, grammar and not speaking English well.

Last 5 Comments

  • Reply Abuse Vote
    An example:
    Drum Man
    What is the difference between "Pick and Choose"? To these students with lousy English speaking teachers, the answer is this: "Pick" is when you select something. "Choose" is something you where on your feet. ;-)
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    We speak English
    ReverendEd
    In America! Our English Teachers, Need to Speak English! Simple! If the teacher cannot pronounce the words in proper english, that teacher is not doing the job and needs to be fired! I drive a Chevy! Not a "Cheby" I sit in a chair! not a "Share" "Ju no wha I meen??" I don't give a red rats behind if it's politicaly correct or not! Sorry but the Federal Government needs to Butt Out on this one! If this wasn't so serious, it would be laughable! Oh, by the way! My chevy is a pick up! not a "pee cup".
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    it is now very clear
    Iamtiredofit
    Obama is abusing his power in the same manner he has accused Joe of doing...the battle lines are drawn. For all you Joe abusers who is spending your money now in a vindictive way..Mr. Obama
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Horne's accent policy is at odds with the science
    abogada987
    of linguistics and language acquisition. Read this by the linguistics staff at the U of A: http://linguistlist.org/issues/21/21-2430.html. I recently toured the American South. Some oral English was scarcely intelligible, it was so heavily accented. Decipher what was being said was hard because of vowel substitutions such as a short A in place of long I, stretching words in that typical Southern drawl and odd idioms. I could have been a foreign land. But that was a large part of the charm of my visit there. Horne's want's to hammer hispanics to up his chances of election as AG's.
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Amazing,
    eddie c
    Arizona issues the order and Obama gets blaimed. This is how the GOP and all these "commentators" working for them function. I know teachers who were fired because of their accent. It had nothing to do with their skills. They didn't want them teaching white kids under the excuse that they might learn English with an accent!!! It's not news anymore how Arizona discriminates against Hispanics and you act surprised that we get investigated for it?
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