Judge Orders Man to Speak English @Home

[chequita guevara]

Can you say blatent violation of 1st Amendment? I knew you could.

Man ordered to speak English to daughter

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By Jean Ortiz

Oct. 14, 2003 | PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) -- A Hispanic man who spoke to his 5-year-old daughter in Spanish has been ordered to use primarily English around the girl as a condition of his visitation rights.

Sarpy County Judge Ronald E. Reagan said the child does not understand Spanish because she only met her father, Eloy Amador, seven months ago.

Amador, who was released from jail after serving a five-year sentence for drug possession, told the judge that he spoke Spanish to the girl to share his culture, not to force a language on her.

``I don't come to her speaking in Spanish, but there are times where I try to teach her what hair is in Spanish, what hand is, stuff like that,'' Amador said during a Sept. 15 hearing on visitation.

The judge did not oppose such instruction, but said the rest of the communication should be in English for the sake of the girl's education.

``The principal form of communication during the periods of visitation is going to be English,'' Reagan said. ``That does not mean that you can't instruct and teach her the Hispanic language.''

The ruling was a victory for the girl's mother, Michaela Krayneski, who requested that Amador speak English as a condition of visitation.

Calls to Krayneski's lawyer were not returned Tuesday.

Amador's attorney, John Allen Sellers, said he was surprised that the judge ``would consider a restraint such as this based on racial or cultural differences of the parents.''

[MrFun]

This is stupid . . . . .

[SlowwHand]

Why? The mother's wishes count for nothing?

Also,
To become a U.S. citizen, a prime requirement is to be able to communicate fully in English.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Why? The mother's wishes count for nothing?

Also,
To become a U.S. citizen, a prime requirement is to be able to communicate fully in English.

Then with that Texas slang of yours, how in the world could you possibly be a US citizen??

[Snotty]

So let me get this straight. The guy teachs his daughter a few words in spanish. The judge rules he can teach his daughter a few words in spanish. And this was a victory for the mother?

[SlowwHand]

You know MrFun, I once worked as a Reading One-On-One teacher with at-risk children, and your point is real.
My vowels, well, I'll just say it was interesting.

[FrustratedPoet]

What a non-story this is.

"Man teaches his daughter some Spanish vocabulary. Judge lets him do it"

``The principal form of communication during the periods of visitation is going to be English,'' Reagan said. ``That does not mean that you can't instruct and teach her the Hispanic language.''

And the problem with this is.......?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Why? The mother's wishes count for nothing?

Also,
To become a U.S. citizen, a prime requirement is to be able to communicate fully in English.

The prime requirement of being a U.S. citizen is being born in the United States, which, presumably, the daughter has done.

And no, in this specific case, I don't think the mother's wishes count for anything. If she wants her daughter to be able to speak English, then she should teach her daughter to speak English. If the father wants his daughter to be able to speak Spanish, he needs to be able to speak Spanish with her, instead of teaching her a few words hear and there.

I would hope this man appeals.

[Harry Seldon]

Sounds like she was hoping to get rights restricted. I'd chalk it up as a loss.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
You know MrFun, I once worked as a Reading One-On-One teacher with at-risk children, and your point is real.
My vowels, well, I'll just say it was interesting.

Glad to have made a legitimate point this time around -- much to my surprise.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
And the problem with this is.......?

It's a violation of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States by forbiding a man to speak to his daughter in his native language. A judge has no right to dictate what language a man may or may not speak in his own home.

[FrustratedPoet]

I think it's quite funny that the judge's name is Ronald Reagan.

[MrFun]

Ronald Reagan, idiot, lunatic, moron -- who cares what his name is??

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
It's a violation of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States by forbiding a man to speak to his daughter in his native language.

Nobody has forbid him to do that.

[SlowwHand]

Che, if you would dismount from your high-horse you'll recognize I meant "Naturalized Citizen".
The mother has custody. End of discussion.