Another "employees must speak English" story -- but it's right across the street from Yale!

[KamaAina]

Ouch. I've been to Atticus in the past. It seemed like anything but a reactionary bastion.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100122/ap_on_re_us/us_bookstore_english_only

A popular bookstore and cafe near Yale University wants its many Hispanic employees to speak only English around customers, sparking controversy in immigrant-friendly New Haven, where students fight for immigrant rights.

Atticus Bookstore and Cafe recently issued a policy stating that English should be the only language spoken on the floor and behind the counter. "Spanish is allowed in the prep area, the dishwasher area and the lower level. Let's make our customers feel welcome and comfortable," the policy states, according to New Haven Workers Association, a group of activists who said employees gave them a copy....

Deborah Malatesta, a member of the New Haven Workers Association, said the group plans to demonstrate Saturday in front of the bookstore. She said the policy is discriminatory.

The move comes in a city that was the first in the nation to offer identification cards to illegal immigrants. Yale Law School has been active fighting for immigrant rights, filing lawsuits over immigration raids conducted by federal authorities.

So Spanish is allowed, as long as it's in the back or downstairs? What about other languages? I daresay Italian is still spoken among segments of New Haven's senior population. And what of the poor foreign-language major who only wants to brush up on her French? :shrug:

[niyad]

1. "let's make our customers feel welcome"? my question is, what in the HELL is WRONG with the

customers that they don't feel comfortable hearing another language spoken around them, particularly when it isn't being addressed to THEM? are they so insecure? so uncertain, perhaps, of their own knowledge of their OWN language? so certain that THEY are being discussed, perhaps even ridiculed? what crybabies, in that case. I grew up in a world where there were dozens of different languages being spoken around me, and it never bothered me in the slightest. still doesn't, and never will? I don't have the ego to assume that others are talking about me, and don't care if they are.

perhaps the fact that I grew up speaking several languages has a lot to do with my viewpoint. this is why the "english only" crowd pisses me off. so many of them speak their native tongue far less well than I do--and english isn't even my second language.

[kenny blankenship]

7. this could be an indirect way for the business owner to say

"I have to monitor what my employees say to and say around customers, and since I don't speak your language(s) I can't monitor what you guys are saying unless you say it in English."

[niyad]

2. I am wondering at the level of proficiency that would be required on that job. I think, for example

of dear old chimpy, who was, in fact, born in new haven, and STILL cannot speak english properly.

[RB TexLa]

3. How about telling the customers if hearing someone speaking Spanish makes them uncomfortable they

should learn Spanish.

[MineralMan]

4. All that is needed is for Spanish-speaking customers to come in

and insist on speaking to someone who speaks Spanish. I could do that if I were there, since I have adequate Spanish skills to do that. I could also teach anyone to say, "Is there someone here who speaks Spanish?" in Spanish.

Screw these people, and let the locals just go in and refuse to do business until someone who speaks Spanish assists them. Policy gone.

[MrScorpio]

5. How about Portuguese? nt

[CTyankee]

6. Evidently, it doesn't apply to someone speaking French!

And as for Italian, don't even go there. The Italians here in New Haven are really "proud" that their forebears forbid Italian in their homes once they arrived in America...what a sad thing.

And the New Haven Register's Sound Off (anonymous) message board was full of really nasty statements against Hispanics.

I'm aghast but not really surprised...

[RB TexLa]

8. That's what America wants immigrants to do throw their culture away at the shore

and when the climb the ladder in the new country the Anglos expect them to help pull the ladder away from newer immigrants.

[CTyankee]

10. And they do it! Altho, I must say, some of those Italians do regret the fact that they

didn't get to speak Italian.

You may be interested to learn that in Glendale, CA there is a public school that has Italian, German and Spanish immersion kindergarten classes. 90% of their day is in the target language.

My 5 year old grandson is in the Italian program. He never heard Italian spoken before but now he is integrating Italian into his English just fine. This will continue thru elementary school and plans are in place for it in jr high and high school.

This program is so exciting I cannot tell you! I am hopeful that my grandson will be able to use this program to develop a world view that does not exclude everything but the U.S. because I am doubtful that our country will lead if we go in the direction I see it going now. He will have more options in Europe, pray god, and I am happy for it!

[w8liftinglady]

9. my whole family is from new haven-my grandma would have been screwed

she and my great-grandma spoke only Italian to each other-my great-grandma knew very little english.Here in Texas,I am fluent in Spanish..I expect to be able to communicate with my patients.
edit to say my grandma and mom both worked at Yale...this intolerance must be a relatively new thing...

[CTyankee]

11. The Yalies are not the problem! Atticus Bookstore has no relation to Yale.

It is the management of Atticus. Yalies go in there all the time and try out their Spanish on the staff.

This is a horrible black mark on New Haven. The RW conservatives have strongly endorsed this policy in the pages of the New Haven Register, a RW rag if there ever was one....