How do you feel about...

[VikingVagine]

... children speaking in other languages than the official one (of the country they are in) in school hallways and playgrounds?

Makes me jealous - I wish I could speak more than one language.

Why is this in AIBU ?

I think it is great. Why?

I feel nothing about it because it's none of my business.

I don't think it actually happens that often. Bilingual children tend to speak the official language at school, I think.

Can hardly stop them speaking in a different language.

I'd be a bit jealous that my schoolgirl french is so shite.

I think "aren't they lucky to be bi-lingual, I wish my dc had that opportunity."

What's the AIBU?

I remember crying for my mamma when I was in primary one and being told to speak English, was it not obvious?

DC were not punished for speaking Italian at school, just reminded it was nicer to speak English so everyone could understand.

I'm a teacher in France. I chat to other language teachers in English, and this is encouraged by the establishment. However we have pupils from Arabic families who get punished if they talk to each other in Arabic. I find this outrageously unfair, but almost all my colleagues think I'm BU.

I'd love to speak another language....

Je l'aime, pourquoi?

The children speak perfectly good French too by the way.

I agree with you. I definitely don't agree with Euphemia - why on earth should children who speak other languages be segregated from everyone else? For one thing it would seriously hamper their chances of learning the countries official language quickly.

Is it just because of the Arabic?

Or are they maybe trying to make sure they integrate with the French children?

Oak

I think Euphemia meant the children should not be sat next to each other during classes to encourage them to speak in the official language and interact with the other children. Rather than sticking together.

It seems to be the fact that it's Arabic, which is seen as A Bad Thing . The staff are paranoid the kids are saying bad things about them, but can't be sure as they don't speak any Arabic.

Maybe they should learn?

Fear comes from ignorance.

That's what I've said in the staff room, to which I am reminded that we are in France, so people should speak French. I ask why doesn't it bother them that I speak English some of the time, but apparently that's different.

I think it's a good thing to enforce the use of one common language at school, but if your school is discriminating against children that speak Arabic and allowing speakers of other languages to chat in their own language, then that is clearly very wrong.

If they were applying the rule fairly, then I'd agree with them.

It's purely because they're Arab, isn't it?
I hate how racist France is- you really notice it when you've been raised in a large British city. I'm so glad we left...

I wish my dd would. She has a second mother tongue that I'm trying to keep her fluent in, and there is another child who speaks it too, but they only speak English in school.

Ours are bilingual, although they slip back to the non English language when excited or under stress, or just when they feel like it. I'd go fucking nuts if they were punished for doing something that comes naturally to them (while of course not using it as a means of hurting/bullying anyone). Unless parents/children have agreed to speak only specific languages it's BS.

I've moved to North Wales from Scotland. Are you trying to insinuate that my children shouldn't be allowed to speak English in the playground? Would you force your children to speak Gaelic immediately if you moved to the islands? English is not the only native language of the UK, and if you can't deal with diversity, maybe you should move somewhere more homogenous.