A kindergarten child asked me today "Do you speak Spanish?" - I said no. Another child had asked me the same question this morning. I shrugged off the one in the morning, but the second time around, I started wondering. It was a white skinned child and innocently asked.
Yet.
I worry that many children are hearing antagonistic talk about immigrants in general in their homes (directed I am sure mainly to spanish speaking Mexicans - who tend to be dark skinned or atleast light brown skinned and very different looking from white americans). I worry that their parents are railing about "spanish speaking kids who have taken over our school systems and hospitals and social security" and all that. The parental animosity towards people who are not like them will show up in childten's behavior.
Am I over reacting? I hope so.
This was written about 5:00 PM on Friday August 10, 2007.
