It seems that parents have a responsibility to prepare a child for life in the USA and includes ensuring they are able to communicate effectively in our country's language. What would be the case for an English only speaking child to be entered into a foreign public school system? Alternatively, somehow the means (monies) to provide such services need to be accounted for WITHOUT jeopardizing the current curricula. With such a broad movement to cut government spending, it seems reasonable to expect the parents of non-English speaking students to pay for those extra and special services.

The question is whether or not the district failed to meet the requirements due to the Arabic speaking students or the other 50 languages that are spoken by stendents of Dearborn Public Schools.

typo: students not stendents

Denny is on the right road to a solution, teach 'English' without additional cost. How is that possible? Adults should teach their kids 'English' and they should learn the language themselves by becoming students again and paying tuition. Use the existing adult education structure to offer 'English' speaking classes for Arabic speaking folk, Adult Ed already offers Arabic speaking lessons at $47 per person, and that includes all classroom materials etc, should be easy to offer the reverse for English . $47 tuition to learn your country's native language? A bargain!!
This may become the most popular class in adult Ed, (right behind volleyball) and, best of all, it does not cost the city $$ and keeps the Feds out of our business.
Here is a link for the classes: http://www.dearbornceonline.org/

Payment and registration is on line using credit cards, can't get any easier than that. Much less cost than getting the Feds involved.

If you don't want to speak the language go back to your old country...... In this country and most of the world english is the language... so if you choose to live hear and enjoy the benefits of living here, at the very least learn how to speak...on your own..not in our english speaking American schools

When You come to the United States it's not a secret what language is spoken here !!
English !! I am an Armenian American. My father spoke Armenian when his family came to this country and learned english on his own. His family made No demands on the school system or the U.S to accommodate his Armenian heritage. He became a U.S citizen and loved it.

I an sure the Polish and Italian's and German's and on and on made no demand's on schools or the government to accommodate their culture's !!

I have to agree with most of the above comments, when my relatives came to this country, they came knowing one of the only hardships would be the language barrier, a very small price to pay for the freedoms our country offers, they asked for nothing and definetly were'nt cartered to, laws were'nt changed just for them.My wife and sister inlaw and myself recieved nothing more then the other students recieved which has always been the best in the Dearborn School system. I served for my country, as many of my fellow brothers & sisters that did, AND manyof them never returned to enjoy the freedoms they were protecting, as we were reminded this past Memorial Day weekend, it's time for the CITIZENS AND OUR GOVERNMENT to wake up, This is AMERICA, and our freedom comes with a price and if paying for a class to learn our language this is a SMALL price to pay! If you don't like it you can always return to your homeland.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!

As and Arab American , learn how to speak English. I was born in MI but never lived in MI, and when I came to MI, there was no special treatments given. I picked up a book and I read and I read. So, yes, if they do not want to learn , go back to where they came from. I am tired of paying for idiots.

Rita and others,

Getting assistance through the adult educational program to learn English sounds like a 'no brainer ' solution then, and the cost is nil to taxpayers as the adults pay a minimal fee, $47 , to participate. One problem. Currently the adult educational program only offers to teach Arabic at this price. Time to contact the Adult educational program and advise that 'English' needs to be added to the curriculum. Who wants to make the call, to spread the word, to get involved?? Obviously someone who speaks English will have to start the ball rolling.....

I didn't mention that my grandparent's sopke armenian at home, so my farther and aunt's learned english by reading books and in school without any special programs,again all of the Polish and Italians and Germans and so on I am sure did the same. If you really and i mean really want to learn somthing work at it !! Quit looking for handout's.

this is america you choose to come here and be an american its your job to learn english / its not the tax payers jobs to fund these for foreigners........enough is enough .....no more ......we are leaving the city because of the law suits and the mayor and his agenda stripping dearborn of it's once great glory days and the city of detroit renting here in the neighborhoods and not living with rules , from the muslim's is just to much to take ...my youngest son a junior at dearborn high anf my granddaughter who is 6 yrs old should not be exposed to what these detroiters are bringing to this city ....its just wrong and nasty......done

also .......let me tell you after 28 yrs here and Im from Plymouth and my hubby from sterling hgts..what a shame this is happening to this city....when my neighbor a police officer told me what is going on in east dearborn it blew my mind .its like OMG ....I was shocked .......and ashamed.........that not only our country would allow this ...but our state and and our city this is bad and at the cost to the Tax payers here ..shame on you Dearborn and MIchigan.......wanna know e-mail me I will share you the details on whats happening

Linda, is your police friend asking residents if they are US citizens like in AZ? That is pretty shocking, showing your ID to a police officer and then hassling him about it. Of course,, we do it all the time in banks, airlines, credit purchases, but that is not 'profiling'. If Arabic folk want to pay and learn English, then they are paying their way, not the taxpayer.

Any child attending American schools should be required to know English prior to enrollment. That puts the burden back onto the parents, where it belongs. Parents would have to figure out how to learn the language (which they should since they live in this country) and then teach it to their kids, or provide lessons in another way. There are English speaking American kids that need extra help in so many other ways, and the money used for ESL/translation issues should be directed towards them.

I agree with almost all of the comments made. I would like to add: the federal government has no buisness in local education...period. Also why are the drivers tests offered in Arabic in Dearborn? All traffic signs are in ENGLISH! I even stopped going to Lowes because of all the signs being in Spanish. What is up with that? I know that there are a lot of Spanish speaking people in the US. Detroit area, not so many that we should use multi language signs. English is the predominant language here, use it or leave.