Friday
27Apr2007
SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Friday, April 27, 2007 at 09:51AM
Isn't multiculturalism wonderful? Today comes the news that one in five schoolchildren in Britain is from an ethnic minority - almost double the figure a decade ago. The annual school census reveals a Britain where one in eight pupils speaks a language other than English at home. The record figures include more than 40,000 children from Eastern Europe who have enrolled at schools since the enlargement of the European Union in 2004. Meanwhile, the number of primary pupils alone who do not speak English as their first language increased by seven per cent from last year to 448,000 - or about one child in seven. From talking to friends in the teaching profession, the cost and complexity of this vast intake of non-English speaking kids is putting a great strain on their efficiency. But hey - we're a rainbow nation and THAT is what counts, yes?
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Reader Comments (68)
Change all the road signs!
Bring in different language acts!
Preserve minority languages!
Hip-hip-horray, for the EU
I would say it's a fair enough exchange because for every British child who doesn't speak English at home there are around a hundred children in the colonies who are foresaking their own mother tongues to speak English (like me).
Sorry I guess that should be forsaking ;) But then English isn't my mother tongue...except for all practical purposes that is.
Curiously, DFES defines anyone who is a white European, American, Irish or from the Old Commonwealth as belonging to an ethnic minority. I would guess that the true proportion of ethnic minorities in English schools is more like 16%.
Even so, the speed of change over the past 10 years has been dramatic, and clearly shows how Labour wants to dissolve the people and replace them with another.
Sean,
Yes, that is the big point here - the destruction of all that we treasure.
David, isn't it a consequence of empire that you end up having loads of foreigners in the host nation.
Look at the other nations that didn't expand territorily, they have very low foreign
populations.
so isn't it something Britian just has to accept?
"David, isn't it a consequence of empire that you end up having loads of foreigners in the host nation."
Not necessarily. When Britain had an Empire, its foreign-born population would have been largely derived from the rest of Europe.
And there are non-Imperial powers, like Denmark, Sweden and Greece which now have large foreign-born populations.
Actually it seems a good point as the Commonwealth and various former colonies have provided the UK with a significant portion of its minority population.
Immigration isn't a bad thing per se. We've had it over here in America, at least since some foreign speaking, different color, religious fanatics arrived over on our shores on the Mayflower.
Just remember to turn out the lights when the last Brit leaves.
Daphne,
Do you mean white Brit? Or are you not too fussy about colour?
Most of them are Polish - like me. I dont see what the problem is here. One minute were going on about how wonderful it is the catholic church is booming in Britain then were slagging it off because we have to teacfh them english first. Most of the kids i helped with english in primary schools got it very quickly. Kids just do. The world and his wife has to accept immigration so we are getting ours from the EU - whats the problem?
Dawkins
Not fussy about colour. Just meant home grown.
Daphne I like a bit of home-grown but its usually for my peace pipe ;)
Alison,
The problem is that of uncontrolled borders and no limits on immigration. Mahons says that immigration is not necesaarily bad, and I agree. But the scale of immigration into the UK is unprecendented and the consequences of such are reckless incarnate.
David - that is a fair point.
Daphne,
Home-grown? In that case you could be waiting a long time for the last Brit. That's assuming global warming or WWIII doesn't wipe us out to the last peep.
Percy, you libertine! :)
David's point is exactly right.
Dawkins
GW and WWIII are remote possibilties, being taken over by sharia law is much more likely. I'm not "waiting", just worrying over you folks a little bit.
Daphne -
Your concern is much appreciated. Now, if someone could remind your government who your old and strongest allies are, I'd really appreciate it. I'd appreciate it so much I'd be off to Hew Hampshire like a shot. But as things stand, it's close to impossible for a Briton to emigrate to the US.
Daphne,
How can I break this to you gently? Being a Briton and being a Muslim are not incompatible, therefore it's not inconceivable that a Briton can follow sharia law.
I accept that re limits - but then again not really since there are so many lazy layabouts here in our underclass - we need them to do our jobs. If there were no jobs and the UK was not as successful as it is they wouldnt come. They currently fill all the jobs in shops and so on that noone seems to want to do in the UK & thereby make us richer. Plus im not sure why i feel any sympathy with teachers when it is their pensions and those of an inflated state sector that immigrants come in to work for. So they can quit whining. Til we get Nuuu Labours underclass sorted out they can come on over.
In other words we have no working class
Yes Pete M,
Our immigration laws are completely f**ked up. Maybe I could adopt you? Or you could pretend you're a Saudi student in need of flight lessons or a Mexican who just wants a below minimum wage job? Maybe we should ask Jeff the next time he posts what magic wand he waived.
Dawkins
But do you ALL want to folow codified sharia law?
The work-shy indigenous underclass is supported by a combination of soft welfare and crime such as drug dealing. If they could be forced to do an honest day's work, the demand for imported labour would drop dramatically. But don't expect it to happen.
Alison,
You have a point. I would stop Welfare and that would jolt the underclass into work. I ALSO agree with your point re pensions for the State Sector parasites.
Daphne
Don't worry, there is no possibility of Sharia law being adopted in the UK, and if I live another hundred years I'm sure I would still be able to sau that.
Daphne,
"But do you ALL want to folow codified sharia law?"
No. Do you?
Alison
The Polish are a fine, brave wonderful people. I think when everyone, including me, goes off an immigrant rant we have in mind unwashed, illiterate masses of third world peoples who don't assimilate at all and burden the social fabric with crime, welfare, disease and foriegn ideology. Cabbage rolls are a good thing, islam is not.
I hope you're right Colm, but your government seems to bend over backward to it's own detriment to accomodate the Islamists.
There'll be no sharia here. And i kid you not - eastern euros will put paid to that. I have a good friend, 24, Hungarian, works in a well known department store. Love her to bits. I have to reel in her overt anger towards some people on a near regular basis. She tells me that Britain is too soft towards people who dont deserve it - she is of course refering to home grown asians-in-love-with-islam & never hides her disgust when the (very) odd burqa 'babe' walks by.
I was even lectured by a South American the other day who moaned how 'everyone has rights in this country' and reads the Daily Mail. He has only been here 3 years.
"I think when everyone, including me, goes off an immigrant rant we have in mind unwashed, illiterate masses of third world peoples who don't assimilate at all and burden the social fabric with crime, welfare, disease and foriegn ideology."
Oh Daphne, do stop beating about the bush. You left out their colour! :0)
Peter -
"If they could be forced to do an honest day's work, the demand for imported labour would drop dramatically."
Your argument is far too obvious for anyone in Westminster to take it up soon. Immigration can be economically beneficial, but anyone who seriously thinks it's needed (as opposed to those who promote it for cultural reasons) while we have 5 million able-bodied adults being paid to do nothing is crackers.
To be fair though i live in London. Its a big buzzy successful wonderful city and people get here, work, play and make something of themselves. They can do it to. And because it breeds a sense of success and is rooted in such great history you get a bit of pride. I couldnt live in Bradford. But then again I couldnt live in Detroit.
Its a huge mess - just saw another coachload deposited at Victoria and others hanging forlornly around Grosvenor Gardens. The actual figure has been massaged again to cut the amount of money the Council has to provide emergency services. Madness.
The other week I heard debutante turned Marxist Teresa Hayter (pal of that other madcap heiress and terrorist groupie, Rose Dugdale) argue the case for abandoning all immigration controls on the grounds that they were racist. It was truly a marvellous night for a moonbat
Dawkins -
"Being a Briton and being a Muslim are not incompatible, therefore it's not inconceivable that a Briton can follow sharia law."
It is inconceivable if they live in Britain.
I disagree with your assumption anyway. A dog born in a stable isn't a thoroughbred.
Pete,
"A dog born in a stable isn't a thoroughbred."
Tell that to my mate James. His thoroughbred Airedale pupped in his stable last month. Mother and children doing well, thank you very much.
Alison -
Your Hungarian friend and South American aquaintance prove that some foreigners do have some redeeming qualities.
;-)
But seriously, I've known very many foreigners. Through blood and marriage I have relatives in 11 countries, I'ved lived in 5 countries (6 if you count Newcastle) and known bloody loads working and studying in London and travelling abroad.
Oh yes, and I have Poles on one side of me and Hungarians to the other.
I cannot remember any of these foreigners being complimentary about Britain and its mass immigration. The latest examples were from my Polish sister in law and Polish and Hungarian neighbours. The sister in law is sick and tired of a 'foreign London' and my neighbours predict violence if Bulgarian immigrants come in and undercut their wages!
Happy days.
Dawkins -
Allah be praised.
Half our trouble is we hate ourselves and love it when people rub our noses in the dirt, inlcuding, dare i say it, the Americans. Then we expect anyone who comes here to at least be polite. You either start mouthing off good about your country or you swim with the sh1t. The Daily Mail and its nation of Victor Meldrews should be taken out and shot.
...refills glass
Dawkins
Don't know where you're from Dawkins, but I'm from America. Americans come in all colors and it's a wonderful thing. I've never been anyplace in my life; neighborhood, school, work that hasn't been populated by a rainbow of skin hues. My current neighborhood is 40% non-white, up-scale, high earning, highly educated Americans, with a few fresh off the boat computer programers and physicists from India, Russia and China. We blend well, our kids play together and everyone gets along fine.
Stop beating around the bush with your racism accusation. If you thought I was a color other than white you wouldn't dare even breathe it. Do you know what my ethnicity is, do you know my children's, or my husband's? You're way out of line.
"unwashed masses" - yes, it usually means people that are not white. So what? Do you think their color is the defining ingredient of their ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, theology or disease?
Let me make this real easy for you: I don't like Islam, I don't trust muslims of any color or country, I think the Koran is a crock, and Mohahmed was a vile nutjob, not a prophet. I think Islam is an ideology, not a religion.
Are we clear now?
Alison: How many times do I have to tell you, refill the glass first. Priority of tasks must be observed.
Alison
We have the same problem.
Mahons,
Did you get laid last night? You're awfully funny and cheerful today! :)
Daphne
How can you say Islam is not a religion. It may not be one that you like but it is clearly a religion.
So is Alison, come to think of it..........
Daphne,
"Are we clear now?"
Yes. You're a bigot. Don't worry about it though. The world is full of 'em.
Colm
I just don't believe it is. I've read what was supposed to be the best english translation of the Koran and I did not find religion, as I understand it, within the book. I found edicts, inane rules, and poetry. I'm not buying it. I really wouldn't care or have an issue if the people following this ridiculous tract weren't so intent on imposing by bloodshed their beliefs via Mohahmed on the rest of us. I also don't like Christian Missionaries of any stripe.
A big chunk of it should be redefined as a cult.
Daphne - Decided lifes too short. Its Friday, ive some vino destructo, packing to go to France tomorrow (actually vino destructo probably nat-so-good as ive have to be at Heathrow at 5am). Weathers nice here and there & i think weve a nice few threads going here on ATW :)
Daphne: It is Friday, take it easy on poor old Dawkins who may have forgotten not to mess with Texas. Many of us Yanks descended from "the wretched refuse of the teeming shores" of Europe as the poem says. Certainly my ancestors could have been deemed the unwashed by the arrived-five-minutes-before-crowd. I think we should accept the fact that the majority of Muslims in the US are decent people of goodwill.
PLUS - not sure why but this seriously cracked me up earlier:
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/3332/hamsterroll0et.jpg
appealed to my stupid side and with wine in hand thats no bad thing!