If you're of Spanish descent, how important is speaking Spanish in San Antonio? (New Braunfels: home, elementary school)

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by cindy2tx

I really appreciate the replies. I feel better about San Antonio now.

The reason I was offended when a Spanish person speaks Spanish to me is because they show they're obviously annoyed by me not knowing Spanish. Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Thanks again. It doesn't sound like San Antonio has the same issues as AZ and NV.

Thank you for clarifying. Your original post now makes more sense (initially it seemed offensive, taken out of context). I can appreciate your concern.

The only time I've had a Spanish speaker comment on my lack of Spanish was usually in jest, or by someone I knew to be obnoxious . Only time I've been discriminated against for my dark/hispanic looks was in Latin America. Never in the US (I'm from SoCal).

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Buffyfan

I have taught in two types of schools here in SA, a private school with many Mexican National students, and a Title One public school with struggling families.

ALL the wealthy children spoke Spanish/some English in the private school, (I barely speak Spanish, btw, and I did just fine). It is difficult to find children at the public school now who speak Spanish in their home. I was astonished trying to teach them songs in Spanish for Fiesta (I'm a music teacher), and they struggled with their ancestral language.

It is getting rarer to find young children in SA nowadays who speak Spanish in their home.

What district were you in?

My daughter's school has a huge number of kids who speak only Spanish in the home. Now, in her immersion class that's not surprising as they aim for a 50/50 ratio, but also amongst the English only classes (most grades have 2-3 of each) there are quite a few families who only speak Spanish at home. So much so that our PTA meetings are always translated.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Originally Posted by cindy2tx

I really appreciate the replies. I feel better about San Antonio now.

The reason I was offended when a Spanish person speaks Spanish to me is because they show they're obviously annoyed by me not knowing Spanish. Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Thanks again. It doesn't sound like San Antonio has the same issues as AZ and NV.

I think you are going to enjoy SA. Moderator cut: orphaned We moved away for a short time and were surprised at how different it was in other States. While not perfect I find SA to be pretty diverse and with tons of Hispanic people who are many generations removed it is not unusual for them to NOT speak Spanish. Gosh I wish I did though...my parents told me to take Spanish in high school but my friends were taking French so...

[blizzrd]

Originally Posted by cindy2tx

I really appreciate the replies. I feel better about San Antonio now.

The reason I was offended when a Spanish person speaks Spanish to me is because they show they're obviously annoyed by me not knowing Spanish. Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Moderator cut: Off-Topic

Thanks again. It doesn't sound like San Antonio has the same issues as AZ and NV.

The only thing I have issue with is the notion that people who speak spanish are Spanish. You do realize that people who are Spanish are from Spain right? There seems to be this thing where the word Spanish is used for Hispanics/latinos and its incorrect and offensive. BTW, to echo the rest of the people in this thread, no, you don't need to know spanish.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by blizzrd

There seems to be this thing where the word Spanish is used for Hispanics/latinos

Before Hispanic and Latino were umbrella terms the same groups were grouped as "Spanish people". A historical term which still carries cache along the East coast (where the op is from and Spanish Harlem was not colonized by immigrants from Spain either) and among African-Americans. No offense is meant even if we agree on it not being a perfect descriptor.

Hispanic and Latino are also inadequate terms because they gather different cultures and people under one term based on a single language. The equivalent of Hispanic would be Anglic and would treat all English speakers as one homogeneous group regardless of their ethnicity or culture.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by blizzrd

The only thing I have issue with is the notion that people who speak spanish are Spanish. You do realize that people who are Spanish are from Spain right? There seems to be this thing where the word Spanish is used for Hispanics/latinos and its incorrect and offensive. BTW, to echo the rest of the people in this thread, no, you don't need to know spanish.

Well, calling what we speak here "English" is just as incorrect using your criteria. We're not English nor is the language we speak the same as the English.

How stating Hispanics/Latinos (shouldn't that be capitalized?) using Spanish is "incorrect and offensive" is overblown, even Wikipedia states that Spanish is the "de facto national language spoken by the vast majority of Mexicans."

Ironically, I never met an Austrian who was insulted by the fact that they speak German; nor an Australian who was told they spoke English. Considering the histories of those countries and the origin of their languages, one would think they'd be even more sensitive to the fact; but alas it's not an issue nor do I think it is one here...

[Buffyfan]

Originally Posted by Chaka

What district were you in?

My daughter's school has a huge number of kids who speak only Spanish in the home. Now, in her immersion class that's not surprising as they aim for a 50/50 ratio, but also amongst the English only classes (most grades have 2-3 of each) there are quite a few families who only speak Spanish at home. So much so that our PTA meetings are always translated.

NEISD Title 1 schools. Wow...y'all have to translate your PTA meetings? I was told to not bother teaching them songs in Spanish.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Buffyfan

NEISD Title 1 schools. Wow...y'all have to translate your PTA meetings? I was told to not bother teaching them songs in Spanish.

SAISD. I'd expect Harlandale and Edgewood districts to be similar in terms of #s of Spanish speaking families.

The school just had a folklorico performance, and a few weeks ago performed Spanish songs at the PTA meeting. These were both the dual language immersion kids and the kids in the English only classes.

[IntentionallyBlank]

Originally Posted by Chaka

SAISD. I'd expect Harlandale and Edgewood districts to be similar in terms of #s of Spanish speaking families.

The school just had a folklorico performance, and a few weeks ago performed Spanish songs at the PTA meeting. These were both the dual language immersion kids and the kids in the English only classes.

We're in SAISD too. Our school has a (fantastic!) mariachi program, and there is mucho Spanglish to be had at school events. The recent Mother's Day mariachi performance was mostly in Spanish.

As for me, I'm a proud half-and-half born in SA, and my Spanish is very limited. I wish I knew more, but a lifetime around Spanish speakers and three frustrating semesters of Castilian Spanish in college did little to improve my skills. I'm lucky I can speak any language at all, I guess.

It's no big deal, and no one has ever given me grief about it. Good-natured ribbing, absolutely, but being able to comfortably laugh at yourself and your friends is part of SA culture.

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by IntentionallyBlank

being able to comfortably laugh at yourself and your friends is part of SA culture.

Amen to that! I love South Texas.