General Discussion

Snake Alchemist

(3,318 posts) Tue Feb 7, 2012, 11:50 PM Feb 2012

Court says woman with limited English can be kept off ballot [View all]

(Reuters) - Arizona's Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a city council candidate with limited English language skills can be kept off the ballot in a largely bilingual town on the Mexico border.

A Yuma County Superior Court judge touched off a furor last week when he disqualified Alejandrina Cabrera, 35, from running for city council in the town of San Luis over what he called a "large gap" between her English proficiency and that required to serve as a public official.

In a brief two-page ruling, the Arizona Supreme Court did not give a reason why it sided with the lower court, but said a written decision would follow "in due course."

The controversy has swept San Luis, a sleepy farming town hugging the Arizona-Mexico border, into the incendiary national debate over immigration.

http://news.yahoo.com/arizona-su…

One thing I cannot understand is how you can graduate from a US high school without a proficient command of the English language. Tried to post this on LBN, but it was locked for not being LBN?

83 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Court says woman with limited English can be kept off ballot [View all] Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 OP

Yet Republicans keep running. DCKit Feb 2012 #1

Don't fprget the Governator. Lunacee2012 Feb 2012 #6

I did not realize that she went to an american high school. pennylane100 Feb 2012 #2

...just say'n. SoapBox Feb 2012 #3

Easily ProgressiveProfessor Feb 2012 #4

One word - "Staffers" NashvilleLefty Feb 2012 #5

The problem is having a Latina on the city council. DCKit Feb 2012 #7

The suit was brought by the town's Latino mayor Nuclear Unicorn Feb 2012 #15

"The would-be candidate unsuccessfully tried to have the mayor recalled." Ouch!! amandabeech Feb 2012 #58

Staffers are ALWAYS key, but to correct your point on modern legal drafting, amandabeech Feb 2012 #59

Thought Palin wasn't running anyway? LeftishBrit Feb 2012 #8

I'm glad I'm not the only one JustAnotherGen Feb 2012 #13

Entonces? Que Tienes? me b zola Feb 2012 #9

She was mostly raised in Mexico and graduated from a school that allows Bilingual classes grantcart Feb 2012 #10

You listened for her proficiency, but you may have missed important facts of the story me b zola Feb 2012 #14

I am actually living in an area that is served by Yuma TV at the time grantcart Feb 2012 #18

Would the council hire an interpreter if a council member were deaf? morningfog Feb 2012 #22

not quite the same analogy grantcart Feb 2012 #23

The American with Disabilities Act does not classify ESOL as a disibility Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #28

What's wrong with using a translator? Vattel Feb 2012 #49

Her "limited English skills" would be an issue. Her position on issues would be even more important. pampango Feb 2012 #11

Why do they hate democracy? rucky Feb 2012 #12

Fuck Arizona's racism and bigotry. Vattel Feb 2012 #16

What if the law was that all English teachers must be able to speak English? nt Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #17

That law would make sense. morningfog Feb 2012 #19

Strawman. English proficiency would be a job requirement for an English teacher..... marmar Feb 2012 #20

Does not meet the definition of a strawman. Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #29

Based on what though? treestar Feb 2012 #21

I'm sorry, but I don't think the court is wrong on this one. Beacool Feb 2012 #24

The town is more than 80% Latino. She is proficient in the language. ETA EFerrari Feb 2012 #26

If she was running for state senate, would your argument be that 75% of the state is caucasian? Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #30

She isn't running for the state senate. EFerrari Feb 2012 #32

But you didn't answer my question? Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #33

I did. Your question is based on a faulty comparison. EFerrari Feb 2012 #34

So I can assume that you would argue that she should speak English in that case? Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #35

I don't think English should be a requirement. EFerrari Feb 2012 #37

I would think so. Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #38

Except we don't know what language is used in the council, on contracts or on legal docs. EFerrari Feb 2012 #41

Very true. Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #65

As a point of comparison, here on the east side of San Jose EFerrari Feb 2012 #66

Check out Grantcart's post #18, above. amandabeech Feb 2012 #52

No, thank you. EFerrari Feb 2012 #54

So a large minority of the constituency won't be able to understand her? Honeycombe8 Feb 2012 #67

There is no question to my mind that being bilingual is preferable. EFerrari Feb 2012 #68

Ahhh...I didn't know that AZ had an official language. So that's it. Honeycombe8 Feb 2012 #78

It should be challenged on a number of grounds EFerrari Feb 2012 #79

I can't believe that hasn't been challenged. But you know, I can sort of understand... Honeycombe8 Feb 2012 #82

Immigrants have a lower crime rate than the general population. EFerrari Feb 2012 #83

The issue is not whether she would lack of the skills necessary to do a good job. Vattel Feb 2012 #47

Does every city council candidate in Yuma county have to pass an English test to get on the ballot? varelse Feb 2012 #25

Probably only the ones who try to get the mayor recalled. EFerrari Feb 2012 #27

Hmm that would explain a lot varelse Feb 2012 #42

Even if all candidates were required to "pass a test" it may or may not be constitutional fujiyama Feb 2012 #81

a toy poodle should be able to get on a ballot is it gets enough signiture dembotoz Feb 2012 #31

+1 Blue_Tires Feb 2012 #36

The problem is the challenge by the mayor is based on a state law RZM Feb 2012 #39

The problem is that she does not meet all of the requirements Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #40

A law that should be challenged because it is unconstitutional EFerrari Feb 2012 #43

What provision of the Constitution does it violate? Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #46

Equal protection, ya think? EFerrari Feb 2012 #51

Not if the state can prove that proficiency in English is a bona fide occupational qualification: Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #56

In a town that is 89% Latino? EFerrari Feb 2012 #60

Latino does equate with an inability to speak English Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #69

But we weren't talking about ability or about losing Spanish proficiency as a good thing. EFerrari Feb 2012 #72

"as well as in conflict with Guadalupe Hidalgo" EX500rider Feb 2012 #73

Please use the Google. EFerrari Feb 2012 #74

Don't need "the google"... EX500rider Feb 2012 #75

You realize that law libraries exist because legal documents are not transparent, right? EFerrari Feb 2012 #76

Don't see it, sorry... EX500rider Feb 2012 #77

A fucking racist law. Vattel Feb 2012 #48

Perhaps it is racist to assume that one particular racial group is incapable of speaking English Freddie Stubbs Feb 2012 #50

classic Vattel Feb 2012 #53

Our biggest advantage over Europe & India is...the English language golfguru Feb 2012 #44

Thanks for bringing up the Canadian situation. amandabeech Feb 2012 #55

Actually, the official language of Quebec is English as well as the rest of Canada. nt Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #57

You might check the Wiki on Canadian Bilingualism. amandabeech Feb 2012 #61

Sorry. I was thinking about something totally different. nt Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #62

No problem. n/t amandabeech Feb 2012 #64

No, our major advantage over Europe and India is the MIC, not English. EFerrari Feb 2012 #63

A dozen years into the techno-21st century LanternWaste Feb 2012 #45

Excellent. No more George W. Bushes. sofa king Feb 2012 #70

i grew up in milwaukee--a town of germanic heritage dembotoz Feb 2012 #71

Wow that's crazy. Three years in a US HS and she couldn't answer which school she graduated from? fujiyama Feb 2012 #80