"But don't the teachers come from other countries and have heavy accents?"

[RandySF]

I never thought I would hear a question like that here in San Francisco. I'm not ashamed to say that we have a child in San Francisco USD's pre-school program. His school is fairly close to where we live and he loves the teacher, her assistants (he's leaning Spanish from one of the assistants) and his friends. It's a large class of 24 (Mostly boys. I feel sorry for the teacher) and are mostly children of immigrant families from Latin American, East Asia and the Middle East. As a matter of fact, his best pals come from Mexican, Filipino and Moroccan backgrounds. So, based on his experience and the progress of our neighbor's kids who go there, it was an easy decision for us to enroll him in Kindergarten at the very same school.

One day at a park, I was talking to another dad that I know through my wife's coworker. He seems like a bitter person, always running down everything about SF and boasts of his plans to move to Maine. When I told him where we were planning to send our son, he replied "But don't the teachers all come from different countries and have heavy accents?" I reminded him that my wife (an immigrant from the Philippines) has a "heavy accent". I also bit my tongue from also reminding him that HIS GERMAN WIFE also has an accent. I also wanted to ask him if it's not so much an accent, but the origin of the accent, is what we cares so much about. I suppose I should expect that kind of attitude anywhere, but I was still surprised to find it here.

[arcane1]

1. I pass an elementary school in SF every morning

and it's interesting, and hopeful, when I see kids being walked to school w/their parents, and practically every race and culture and nationality is represented. I always think to myself "these kids will likely be the most open-minded regarding race and culture than any others in American history :)

[driver8]

2. My kids go to a Spanish Immersion program in our local schools.

Most of the kids are Hispanic or Armenian.

I ran a 5K with my daughter last weekend, and it was so cool to see her interact with girls with different ethnicities. Also, because of the program she is in, several of her teachers have "accents". It doesn't seem to bother the kids at all...

[CreekDog]

3. Growing up in SF and nearby, I had plenty of teachers with accents

from Denmark, France, Mexico, Montreal and France (again).

they were all good teachers and as for their accents --it doesn't matter. if they speak English properly, the accent doesn't matter and it didn't for me.

you were right to confront that. :hi:

[SheilaT]

4. You really should have pointed

out his wife's accent.

He does not deserve a pass, not after what he said.