Reply #32: Having grown up in NYC in the 50s and 60s, with a large Puerto Rican population [View All]

[HockeyMom]

taking Spanish in school was a no brainer. My friends and everyone around me was speaking Spanish. All the signs, yes even back then, on the subways and buses were in Spanish. When I voted in 1969, the big lever machines were in English and Spanish. Just as in many foreign countries, including HAITI, English is a required language in school, Spanish SHOULD be a required language in US schools. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being fluent in two languages.

If you think you will never use it, a big HA to that. 40 years after graduating HS and living in another state, I am working in a poor, Title 1 school in Florida where the majority of the families are Spanish speaking. I am finding after all these years, it's coming back to me. I am finding myself actually TRANSLATING for the families, and teachers, with only 3 years of Spanish in school 40 years ago. Never say never. I have found that my feeble attempts are warmly accepted by the Hispanic community.