Monday, March 5, 2012

Middle school girl reprimanded for saying ‘I love you’ in native language


When I read the title of this article it automatically caught my attention, although I did not see any significance till I read the article itself. A Catholic school in Shawano, Wisconsin reprimanded a student for telling her friend “I love you” in her native language. Miranda Washinawatok was also not allowed to play on her middle school basketball game because the teacher took offense to her speaking in her native language. Since the incident theschool officials and teacher have sent letters of apology, but Washinawatok’s mother is trying to get the teacher, Julie Gurta, fired because the letter did not read as an apology but instead continue the accusation of the her daughter’s guilt.  In the video, Washinawatok says that the language is part of her culture, and this plays an important role in the fact that the teacher was Polish and would not want for their to be restriction put on her language. There was a clear denial of language in this case and the school and its staff definitely took the wrong actions toward the student. This only goes against the fact that this was a Catholic school, and the past struggles that people of that faith had to experience in the past. One has to realize that Native American tradition is part of this girl’s identity, which includes the language, so the unfair punishment toward the girl should have been avoided.

The history of past discriminations of the Native American has been a major hill that has to be overcome.  Native Americans have been victims to harmful punishment that was both physical and emotional in the past. The United States cannot say that they never have wrong Native Americans in the past, when there is clear evidence that genocide of the culture, tradition, and of the people was in fact happening in the past. One can look at the Catholic missionaries among others that went onto the Native American’s land and set up missionaries to convert the Indians to their religion, until the Indians finally established their own. Although one can argue that the only reason a “religion” based on that of the Protestant and Catholic religions specifications that surround them was established was so that they could continue practicing their traditions and cultures that were being restricted by the federal government. Tisa Wenger wrote in We Have a Religion, that the Native Americans understood the value of naming their practices under the label of “religion” since their freedoms would be guaranteed and that they were defending their tribal identify. This may also apply to this case in which the student may make claim that she has the right of freedom of speech guaranteed to her by the civil discourse of the United States, and that the teacher was and is to be reprimanded herself for breaking a law. One can say that the Native Americans have been placed outside of the scope of the freedoms that are guaranteed to the people of the United States. 

7 comments:

Charlesha L. said...

After reading the article and this blog it is apparent that discrimination no matter how small the issue may be still happens. This issue is proof of the existence of discriminatory actions in private schools. This case states that the use of Menominee native language according to the reaction of Julie Gurta is threatening to the function of the class room. I agree with Ms. Gurta that it was not acceptable for the three students to speak that language during class time because it could have been a distraction but i do not believe this incident needed to blow up the way it did. The teacher could have gave her a warning to not do it while in class instead of restricting the students free speech rights and causing such a pointless altercation.

Carrie B said...

I find this to be a really interesting case. This case involves a private, religious school. But, to what extent is this a case of culture over religion? Surely, the two are inherently interrelated, but to what extent did the fact that it was a Catholic school play a roll? Interesting case, with a lot of historical precedence.

bethd said...

After reading this article in full I am left with a few questions. Was the girl reprimanded for a disciplinary action or was the teacher actually upset that she was speaking her native language? If the latter is true than I would see how that is a violation of her rights. Also if so would it be considered a religious discrimination case just because it was a catholic school as opposed to a racial discrimination case? It is a little difficult to see where exactly this case would fall without more details on what really transpired.

Amisha P said...

I can understand the teacher’s point of view, what if the students started a conversation in Menominee, and it could have led to something much worse like bullying. The teacher could have gone about the situation differently, but I still see her point of view. Also, in the article it does not say whether the teacher had previously asked the student from not speaking the language. Maybe the teacher had given her many warnings and this incident was the straw that broke the camels back. There is a time and place for everything the student should have waited until lunchtime or after class to tell her classmates, “I Love You.” I do not necessarily think this an issue about Native Americans, many teachers ask students to only speak in English in the classroom. I would be another story if the teacher asked the student to refrain from speaking during lunch or before class started.

Noorin K. said...

It is sad to see that people are threatened by the smallest display of diversity and can discriminate so greatly against it. Julie Gurta could have punished the children by detention because it can be distracting to other students. Even though there was nothing harmful or hurtful being said, it is uncomfortable to hear something right in front of you that you don't understand. There is a time and place for everything and this was not the place or the time to speak in another language unless the topic of language was being discussed in class. Julie Gurta should not have taken away their freedom of speech. As a teacher, she should have encourage it in another setting.

jacobr said...

I truly enjoyed reading this article as well as the comments from the blogger. However, I believe that there are several issues at stake that were not addressed. First was the teacher attempting to reinforce English as a primary language so that the student will be assimilated into American culture for the students overall benefit or harm? If the teacher’s intentions were to insult the student by inferring that the student’s negative tongue was inherently inferior to English then the teacher was in violation of law. On the other hand if the teacher was simply reinforcing daily instruction with the intentions of better preparing this particular individual for the challenges of English dominate Society then the teacher is not culpable for any subsequent that may have resulted.
Secondly, while United States is English dominate Society it has always been standard policy to promote and encourage diversity in every segment of our great nation. Many native languages other than English and perhaps Spanish are threatened with extinction due to lack of awareness, educational as well as cultural dominance by the English speaking majority. As current and future generations embrace English as a primary mode of communication many native languages are forgotten due to lack of use. Also many native languages have been dictated as inferior forms of communication as compared to English. Many native speaking individuals become extremely ashamed of their native tongue and abandoned utilization in favor of a nationally recognized language. Language is the driver of culture to encourage or demand in individual or group of individuals to abandon the history and culture is a crime against humanity. If this teacher truly had the student’s best interest at heart she should have perhaps attempted to learn his native tongue and encouraged both English and his native language equally to promote diversity intolerance in a public school environment.

Sachin G said...

I find this article arousing because this is a first that a teacher discriminated due to a native language. We all know discrimination is present in this country in all parts and all forms. I think that what the teacher did was downright wrong and an offense against native American religion, its an offense against any religion. The language is as important as the culture and the traditions of the religion.I hear Hispanic friends in class talking in Spanish all the time, never once did any professor question it.I think the teacher should certainly apologize to the students family.