Author: Brandia Deatherage | Published: March 4th, 2010

    The debate over the hispanicization of America continued at yesterday’s Beaufort County Board of Commissioners meeting.

    The new Beaufort County Board of Education Superintendent Don Phipps appeared before the commissioners to discuss concerns related to the Spanish translation of the Beaufort County Schools’ Code of Conduct, which can be found on their Web site.

    The Code of Conduct is, currently, the only material on the site available in Spanish.

    Phipps defended the necessity of a Spanish version of the Code of Conduct citing safety concerns.



    “It’s essential if you’re dealing with disciplinary actions,” said Phipps. “We want to have collaborative work between the student, the school and the parents.”

    At last month’s commissioner meeting, Commissioner Richardson presented a letter from Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, in which she used much the same argument to defend allowing Spanish on State Web sites.

    Three of the four Republican commissioners, Hood Richardson, Stan Deatherage and Al Klemm, were especially vocal in displaying their resentment and apprehension of thus accommodating immigrants. They cited ideological, patriotic concerns; and practical, financial concerns. Jay McRoy, the fourth Republican commissioner, kept silent on the subject.



    “We are an English-speaking nation…I really have a problem with us trying to cater to other languages,” said Richardson.

    He reminded the superintendent that legal immigrants are expected to know English, and inferred that the Spanish translation of said code is being provided for undocumented, illegal immigrants.

    According the United States Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the law states that, in order to be a naturalized citizen of America, one must possess, “an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write, and speak...simple words and phrases...in ordinary usage in the English language" as evidenced by their web site.

    Phipps, however, went on to justify the translation citing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.”

    “I think we could commit murder under Title VI and get away with it,” chided Richardson.

    Richardson, Deatherage and Klemm rejected Phipps’ interpretation of Title VI and asked to be provided with the specific law that required public school information to be translated into Spanish.



    “What are we required to do by law? How far does it extend? It’s one thing to be translating a code of behavior, but is it going to textbooks next?” asked Klemm.

    “Nobody has shown me a law yet that says we have to do it,” said Richardson.

    Phipps reported that the cost of the translation was $1800, and that it was funded by non-county monies.

    Later in the meeting, Deatherage declined that the discussion over said translation was out of the county’s jurisdiction.

    “We here are agents of the state and while we do their bidding…we also have to complain about them,” he said.

    In a parting show of thanks for the patience of the new superintendent, Deatherage acted as apologist for the commissioners, who, unlike Phipps, are no strangers to the Beaufort County debate over its changing demographics.

    “I hope you don’t think this is all coming down on you,” said Deatherage.



    “You’ve weathered the storm well,” added Beaufort County Board of Commissioners Democratic Chairman Jerry Langley.

    At last month’s commissioner meeting on Feb. 1, Richardson complained that at Spanish Language Parent Night the Mexican flag was raised at the same elevation as the American flag.

    At yesterday’s meeting, Richardson requested of Phipps that this never be allowed to happen again and that whoever was responsible be held accountable.

    “They need to be disciplined,” he said. “All they’ll probably get is a pat on the back for having ticked off Commissioner Richardson.”

    Phipps agreed that he would go over flag protocol at the next Board of Education meeting.

    This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now

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