WOW I take the afternoon off and pick up the wife and kids and what do you guys do!!!
OK this is getting nasty, unfortunetly. I'll see if since Chris took offense at my 5 word response if I can clear up at least my point of view.
First off - Chris - call me a Jew, call me a skinny white yankee, call me a nerd, if its true and a statement about me i'm fine. And yes i'm proud to be Jewish, otherwise I would not over 5 years on this board mention it.
Now Second off - Maybe you and I read the "joke" completely differently.
1. Chris said "Yes it's sad, and True SOOO True, that in this day and age we actually help students who speak English as a second language NOT FAIL MISERABLY in School." I read this joke as having NOTHING to do with English as a second language, PERIOD.
2. Chris said "Bruce, the joke was in regards to spanish class in school, Spanish class is either an elecative or required for NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING AMERICANS " WRONG Chris, and if it was I would never have posted my response. READ the first line of the "joke":
Teaching Math In American Schools In 1946:
I read this as a progression of change (if you remove the last line) from teaching MATH in MATH Class with a challenge, to the dumbing down of our public schools to where the 1990 "joke" has the question, the answer and a focus on touchy/feely/politicaly correct question NOT MATH in a MATH class.
Second on this part, since the entire "Joke" is about Math in a MATH class, presumable (my assumption which I based my 5 word answer on) in an english speaking public school, that last part makes the assumption that the MATH Class for ALL students is now NOT taught in ENGLISH as a PRIMARY language but rather English as a second language in the USA.
SO to Chris, if my answer offended you, I will hope that my above answers the CONTEXT by which I posted my response. It was aimed at the fact that in MY OPINION America schools and government have forgotten about the idea of working towards a Melting Pot of different immigrants working TOGETHER to a common USA language. My grandparents on both sides came from Europe, they did NOT speak Engligh they spoke Polish, Russian, Yiddish... and when they came to the USA in the early 1900 they learned to speak English as a primary language to do business and become PART of this great country. Did they speak their native tongue among family and friends from the old country, sure, wouldn't expect them to do anything else. But running a Tailor shop, Pop would speak engligh to everyone unless they spoke in his native tongue first and could NOT speak english. He then ensured that they knew where to go to learn and helped them become part of our language and culture with OUT loosing their identity.
My 5 words were NOT meant to offend anyone of ANY non-USA origin, race, religion or others. It was meant as a personal comment on the fact that if you go to France and become a legal French Citizen you can NOT do business or interact with the government if you do NOT speak French. Same in Mexico, Peru, Cheq republic and so on...
OK I hope I made myself clear. I did not read every response or post, but I felt if my FRIEND in cyberspace Chris felt I had taken a pot shot at folks who are taking English as a second language to become part of our prime language culture I was not.
Trep