April 27, 2004

  • Well I'll be...


    I work at the California Department of Education, and a little while ago, we received an e-mail from our manager, whose complete text I am going to post here:


    Subject: Workplace Diversity


    More and more workplaces today contain largely diverse groups of employees.  Consequently, there are many poeple who speak a second or third language.  While I respect these employees' ability to master different languages (a skill I never mastered!), staff also need to be considerate of their co-workers feelings.  Please refrain from using a language other than English in the office unless you are on the phone with a person who does not speak English.  This will prevent other co-workers, who do not speak the same language, from being hurt or feeling that they are being talked about.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!


    I responded as follows:


    Hello,


    I am troubled by the announcement of this "English only" rhetoric in a department where education and knowledge are believed to improve people.  I would recommend that if someone were so insecure as to believe that someone is talking about them in another language, they should ask them directly.  Another thing for them to keep in mind is that there usually isn't a direct translation of a name into another language.  Hence, Estelle would still be pronounced Estelle in whatever language is being used.


    This type of stance makes a mockery of education and the education system.  I myself do not speak any other language, although I am taking classes in Tagalog, a language used in the Philippines.  You have successfully supported workplace diversity and undermined it in the same announcement.


    I object to this request and request that diversity training be established for the department.


    Thank you,


    Bobby G. Roy


    So what do you think?  Was I out of line?  What would you have done?

Comments (5)

  • ohmygod, i can't believe your manager told you guys that! i think there is a huge miscommunication. like, in my culture, when people talk, its usually really loud. so if someone saw us, they probably think we're mad at each other, but that's how we communicate. so maybe when people in your office speak a different language, its propbably not because they are gossiping. i think your manager and perhaps the entire office should do a culture diversity training. anyways, kudos for your response back to that manager!! you were not out of line at all!!

  • wow. i think you made the right steps and suggesting the diversity workshop is the best idea! i think your manager did a premature action to restrict a spoken language in the workplace. we shouldn't have to be resitricted to one language..i don't know what you call that rascism?!

  • i think it's great that you're direct and honest about the situation which your boss will probably commend you for. but i definitely respect your boss for putting it out there the way that he did. very neutral and obviously someone had probably come to him with that concern. i would hate to be in his position today.

  • Bobby Roy...you're fired...hahah jp..I knew you wouldn't keep your mouth shut about it, haha i know you Bobs! Ur basically telling ur boss " I spit at ur email *spit*!"hahah damn man..anyways we gotta kick it sometime, let's make it a family outting (all ur lil bros and grand lil bros and so on)...aight I'm at work right now and I shouldn't be on the internet haha laterz!

  • Whoa!!! GO Bobs!!!  Right on, man.

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