When Paranoia Sets In

Maybe it's because I am around so many different kinds of people who speak different languages (i.e. At my last job I worked in a room with 6 cubicles. I was sandwiched between a Chinese woman and an Indian man and sat across from a Russian guy ... Imagine the background noise when they were all on the phone speaking in their native tongues at the same time) but this school principal was out of line.

Kansas City, Kan., resident Lorenzo Rubio is upset that his son, Zach, was suspended from the Turner School District's Endeaver School for two days.

He is even more upset that the reason Zach was suspended was not for fighting or causing trouble, but for speaking Spanish at lunchtime with his friends.

'My son called me on Monday and said he had been suspended for speaking Spanish,' Rubio said. 'I could not believe it. I went to the school and spoke to Mrs. (Jennifer) Watts and asked her if this was school policy. She told me, 'no,' but said 'We are not in Mexico, we are not in Germany.''

[...]

Allen said he was told by Watts that Zach was being disruptive and it is important that the teachers be able to communicate and know what the students are saying. He said there are programs in place for staff at Turner that focus on cultural and ethnic sensitivities and he has spoken to staff about what is acceptable conduct at the school. He did not say why Watts has not complied.

I bolded what I believe the problem is. Certain intolerant types are so afraid of not knowing what you are saying or thinking that they immediately feel threatened or paranoid that if they don't understand you, you must be talking about them. I've heard, time and again, people complaining about "them people speaking another language in America." My response has always been "What do you care? They aren't talking to you." I also witness this apparent paranoia whenever there is more than one black person together and talking. I cannot tell you how many times I have been interrupted, assuming there is another black person in my workplace, by some random person (usually white) who normally doesn't have anything to say to me and asked "what are you guys doing?"

My favorite story is the legendary IBM/Dallas tale about a black guy who was celebrating his last day at the company and he and some other blacks were assembling at the lobby elevator for a farewell lunch. The lady at the front desk allegedly called security and told them that "some black people are down here plotting against IBM." Now, I don't know if the story is true (despite having heard it from two different IBM/Dallas employees) but, at its extreme, that is how crazy folks are when they aren't in control of the language or the conversation.

That young man and his family have every right to expect an apology.