A Stitch in Haste

I am on record as supporting making English the official language of this country, requiring all government documents to be printed exclusively in English, and eliminating all bilingual education in elementary and secondary schools.

But that is not the same as condoning suspending a kid for speaking Spanish on his own time:

Zach Rubio, a 16-year-old high school junior, was sent home from the Endeavor Alternative School on Nov. 28 for talking in Spanish at lunch and later in the day. Principal Jennifer Watts sent him home and suspended him through the following day.

District officials said Watts told the boy's father the suspension was a direct result of his speaking Spanish. Superintendent of Schools Bobby Allen reversed the suspension within hours of learning about it from the father, the district said.
...
[Rubio] speaks perfect, unaccented English and is also fluent in Spanish.

Fluent bilingualism among our schoolchildren — how scandalous!

By the way, did I mention that this occurred in Kansas? Land of Intelligent Design in schools and vicious anti-gay bigotry in courts?

I'm starting to think it's per se child abuse even to bring a kid into that state, let alone raise one there.

The Washington Post has more details. More thoughts at LP Blog.