It’s confusing me that the reason people are acting like we don’t speak more languages is that we don’t have good enough formal education.
I think this misconception stems from west-EU people focusing on white middle class people and seeing language as a "fun skill" to pick up on in highschool, not understanding the class based historical intricacies to it as you described.
I think that is the most common or at least the most visible experience, yes. There are school districts here where the policy is that if a child doesn’t speak English, they are not to speak another language in the classroom, other students are not allowed to translate, and the tests and assignments they receive must be in English. But these kids, again, tend to be segregated out of nearly-all-white schools and just end up as the quiet kid in the back and no one bothers asking why they “refuse to participate”.
Oh I thought you were adding onto the bit or w/e.
I think this misconception stems from west-EU people focusing on white middle class people and seeing language as a "fun skill" to pick up on in highschool, not understanding the class based historical intricacies to it as you described.
I think that is the most common or at least the most visible experience, yes. There are school districts here where the policy is that if a child doesn’t speak English, they are not to speak another language in the classroom, other students are not allowed to translate, and the tests and assignments they receive must be in English. But these kids, again, tend to be segregated out of nearly-all-white schools and just end up as the quiet kid in the back and no one bothers asking why they “refuse to participate”.