AIBU to expect my kids to not to told off for speaking English in a welsh medium school?

[Hairyfairy01]

I have 2 dc in year 3 and 6 who attend a welsh medium primary school and have been taught in the welsh medium since they started school. However both dc are brought up in an english speaking household. English medium education at primary level is not available in this area of wales. Both dc have reported to me that they get told off for speaking English in the classroom, corridors, lunchtime and playtime by both teachers and pupil members of the school 'welsh' council. Now I have no issues with encouraging the welsh language and totally support their scheme of rewarding pupils for speaking welsh in social situations. However I do have an issue of telling kids off for speaking english, not so much in lesson time, but more at lunchtime / playtime. Surely at these 'downtime' occasions kids should be able to speak whatever language they like, be it French, Chinese or whatever. I can only imagine that this is what happens in other primary schools where children's home / first language is different to the main language of the school occurs? Are they all told off for speaking French / Chinese etc? Feeling furious but not sure if iabu?

Try it and die, my DS old primary school teacher lived in Pwllheli her OH was a hospital consultant, she had to drive to Llandudno every day it was the only job offered to her because she did not speak Welsh as a first language.

What sort of punishment did your children have?

Serendippitty, so claiming to hate the English because you're Welsh is "just" national pride, is it? The constant ™We don't care who wins, as long as it's not England" is national pride, and not hatred of the English? Not to mention the frequent response of " If you don't like it, why don't you go back to England?"

in South Gwynedd there are no bilingual or English secondary schools. From Pwllheli, Porthmadoc, Bala, down to Tywyn, all are Welsh medium

Don't think I'm doubting you but I find that mindboggling. As mentioned I get the point about trying to preserve a language and I know it's up to the local authorities to decide what's what, but whatever happened to choice?

Coming at it from an alternative angle. Clearly live in a different part of Wales but DM taught in Welsh medium school (We had Welsh at home but attended English speaking local school).

DM always expressed how sad it made her feel that when the kids got into the yard they would all start speaking English, that it felt like they were fighting a bit of a loosing cause.

DH went to Welsh school and it's funny how many of his friends have refused to send their kids to one, but actually it's deemed pretty trendy to do it here.

We chose not to send ours to one as we do not speak it at home, but I know loads of people that do who don't speak it or intend to learn themselves.

I think it's bad that you aren't given an English medium option tbf, but I think as they do go they should really be speaking Welsh as when you start speaking in English it encourages the others to do exactly the same.

I fully believe that the OP has no choice in a Welsh medium school in gwynedd. I also live in gwynedd and there are none local to me that are dual or English stream other than a private school. We are currently looking to move to Conwy for exactly this reason. I want my dd to learn Welsh however I don't like the way the local schools go about it.
I will also say that as an English person living in North Wales there are a certain group of people who will go out of their way to tell you how much they hate the English. But there are these kind of arseholes everywhere.

People think we are purposely being ignorant or awkward in Northern Ireland for the DUP not wanting the Irish Language Act.

I think you're being a bit disingenuous there. The reason the DUP don't want the ILA is their loathing of anything and everything that is associated with "Fenians".

Dobby you are stuffed education wise in Gwynedd but friends say it's easier for their children to get government positions when they grow up. Look at the job ads

@Floottoot

Completely agree. There are so many Welsh people that absolutely abhor the English. You'd think it would mostly be the mindless thug type football supporters, but sadly it isn't. I've experienced racists of many types, but IME, the further West you go, the worse it is. I am Welsh by the way.

My sister is a dentist in West Wales. She has patients who refuse to see the other dentists there if they aren't white, if they have a hijab, if they have a "foreign" surname or an English accent. It's absolutely vile.

The hatred of the English is particularly rife at the moment during the World Cup. As I've stated upthread somewhere, go and take a look at the comments on one of the recently stories on Wales Online, about how the English flag was flown here in support of the team.

My 3 all went through the Welsh medium schools despite me and H not speaking a word of Welsh when we moved here over 20 years ago. It has opened doors for them all, it does give the edge in many jobs to know they are bilingual and all 3 have learned other languages with relative ease.
As for some hating the English, well 10 years ago I would have disagreed with you vehemently. However we have noticed a very strong anti English slant coming from the sort of people who have never left the village and never will, surround themselves with the same people they went to school with and hate any 'outsiders' trying to do anything to better their village. This year I was told I will never be a local and to leave local matters to those who are. We are currently packing to move 100 miles south

For a English-school based parallel - I used to do a lot of work in a school which was probably about 95% various Asian communities. They had a "no mother tongue in the classroom" policy which they had basically to eliminate the issues of a muttered comment and then the "Miss do you know what he just called you" issues - no more a sinister reason than that (so it's kind of understandable logic behind it at least as that routine could lose a hell of a lot of lesson time dragged out with a teacher who fell into that particular trap).

Playtimes etc... no problem.

Tryit - that's my experience too, the closed minded village mentality. Even though I'm Welsh, I moved West from Cardiff and they didn't even like that. We have lots of English people moving here because of the house prices and the lovely coastal areas and they're hated.

I'll never be seen as a local either, though I've been here nearly 20 years now. I really couldn't give a flying fuck though

Conversely, my parents moved to Wales in the 70s, worked in education, learned the language (enough to get by) and 40-something years on consider themselves Welsh - as do pretty much everyone they come across.

Some Welsh, have to be careful here, it is West Wales are incredibly racist it is not limited to the English. They live in this bubble that thinks the rest of Wales, the world is inferior to them. It happens in parts of Scotland too. The annoying thing is that the rest of us are tarred with the same brush.

Oh I consider myself Welsh, I've lived longer here than in England! Im proud of this country, I support Wales in all sporting events and know enough Welsh to get by and understand far more than I speak. However small minded twonks have turned me against this particular part of North Wales. Every village has its idiot, this place seems to have more than its fair share.

I remember seeing FWA (Free Wales Army) being sprayed everywhere with aerosol paint cans back in the 70`s. I remember the Abergele Martyrs as well.

An old GP once told me that there were genetic problems in these communities caused by too small a gene pool and the same was true of some parts of Ireland.

Serendippitty, so claiming to hate the English because you're Welsh is "just" national pride, is it? The constant ™We don't care who wins, as long as it's not England" is national pride, and not hatred of the English? Not to mention the frequent response of " If you don't like it, why don't you go back to England?"*

I don't know anyone who hates the English. Watched the England Belgium game at my local pub, wirh my English DH who has lived here happily for over 40 years, there was no anti English feeling peoe were supporting England. There has always been far more racism against the Welsh than by the Welsh. I think perhaps English people find Welsh Scottish and Irish national identity threatening because they have so little themselves.

welshmist I can totally believe that; similar has been said by a healthcare professional to my son in law. We see the same people in the same relationships on a 5 year cycle roughly. It would be laughable if it wasn't for the children. There's only 2 or 3 surnames round here and yes, they are all related!

English medium schools. Overseas they use English at all times.

Irish medium schools they use Irish at all times.

I suppose the Welsh schools are they same, otherwise why send them to a Welsh medium school? It's a way to absorb and use the language in all situations not just in class so yes I think yabu

Seren, it baffles many that the English cannot fly their flag with pride anywhere, anytime they choose, they are accused of racism. Can you imagine that happening in Wales, Ireland, Scotland. We watch the rugby and cheer on teams. DC`s live around the world, fly the Welsh flag, but cheer on Ireland, Scotland England when they are playing unless of course if it is against the Welsh. As for the English v Belgium, well that is not a fair example (giggle)

Try it. things have improved with the advent of people travelling for jobs. But there is a recognised problem for instance on Anglesey apparently. To be fair it is the same for other parts of the world that tend to be insular for one reason or another.

That is because the English/ UK flags have been hijacked by far right political groups in a way that has never happened to the Welsh or Scottish flags. Both Plaid Cymru and the SNP are vehemently anti racist.

Seren I know Plaid and the SNP are anti racist, but ordinary folk who vote for them can be absolutely racist. Some of the comments I hear and see are eyebrow lifting. They may hide behind avatar names on social media but the message is clear some (the vociferous minority hopefully) do not like outsiders full stop. I was talking to a French friend this morning, he said as individuals we have our own opinions officially as a nation it is a different kettle of fish.

There has always been far more racism against the Welsh than by the Welsh. I think perhaps English people find Welsh Scottish and Irish national identity threatening because they have so little themselves.

In what way do English people have less of a national identity than Welsh, Scottish and Irish people?