Miranda Washinawatok, Wisconsin Student Punished For Using Native Tongue, Receives Apology From School (VIDEO)

The Sacred Heart Catholic School and the Diocese of Green Bay are issuing apologies to 12-year-old Miranda Washinawatok of Wisconsin. The teen was barred from playing in a girls' basketball game for saying "hello," "I love you," and "thank you" in Menominee -- the native tongue of the Menominee Tribe of Indians -- during homeroom, the Green Bay Press Gazette reports.

That may not be enough for the girl's family, however, who want the Sacred Heart teacher to be fired after finding the educator's apology to be insincere.

"She did not apologize," the girl's mother, Tanaes Washinawatok, told the Gazette. "What she has done is try to justify her actions against Miranda and diminish the character of a 12-year-old child."

Tanaes Washinawatok says her daughter was translating the three phrases for classmates when the teacher, Julie Gurta, "Slammed her hands down on the desk and stated, 'You are not to speak like that. How do I know you're not saying something bad? How would you like it if I spoke in Polish and you didn't understand?'"

The mother told WBAY-TV that Gurta only apologized for not notifying the family of Miranda's "behavioral problems" sooner.

"Language and behavior that creates a possibility of elitism, or simply excludes other students, can create or increase racial and cultural tensions" Gurta wrote in her letter, according to the station.

"I felt like her letter was an excuse for her actions," Washinawatok told WBAY TV.

Assistant coach Billie Joe DuQuaine also issued an apology, the Shawano Leader reports, saying he suspended Miranda without knowing the full story, and asks the family's forgiveness.

"Without knowing the whole story, I suspended her," DuQuaine wrote, according to the paper. "And I am sorry. I am asking you to please forgive me for (my) mistake in this incident."

The diocese's Director of Education Joseph Bound told the Associated Press that there exists a need for cultural diversity training among staff, students and families. Diocese spokesperson Deacon Ray DuBois said the diocese is working with a Washinawatoks relative to develop a program for use in the school this spring.

Comments

[VanTroi]

12:08 AM on 04/06/2012

She could be a model in NYC,she is very pretty.

[DamOTclese]

03:06 PM on 04/03/2012

She's in a Christian cult that rapes children. Duh.

[Victoria Institutions]

12:04 PM on 03/07/2012

This link may give some hint of what is actually in non-English vernaculars: http://vvv03vedpages.activeboard.com/t44674497/writ-petition-challenging-compulsory-malayalam-study/

[xanadu4024]

11:24 AM on 03/07/2012

ODD, while I see some punishment for the actual teacher the coach was not apprised fully of the situation and should have looked further before suspending her from team. He apologized, thats good enough for me,,on the other hand the teacher should have to try and learn some of the language,,and take an anger management class.
I saw where a "native American" thought both should be fired,,,,now hold on a minute,,. Why? because teacher over reacted? No let teacher learn from mistake if no other issues are apparent. The coach, well I was removed from extra curricular activities till we figured out I was right and teacher WAS wrong.
Take appropriate action,,,,not blow up the school for misunderstanding and over reaction.

[Wyvern Wycliffe]

08:11 PM on 03/13/2012

I would be satisfied with a court order forbidding the school administrators who committed this crime from ever having contact with children for the remainder of their natural lives, let alone ever setting foot in a school again. Short of that, nothing.

[Redcomanche]

08:25 AM on 03/07/2012

The teacher and coach both should be fired. I ask you, how long must we Native Americans be treated as second class citizens?

[MaForethought]

09:55 PM on 03/08/2012

Oihanke wanil; maybe forever.

[carelesscrowley]

11:34 PM on 09/10/2012

you dear, are a CLASSLESS citizen.

[Omamac]

07:07 AM on 03/07/2012

My granddaughter, whose Mother is from Serbia, has always spoken to her in Serbian – at our suggestion. She – the granddaughter – is now in kindergarten and enjoys teaching her friends phrases in that language, using the same method that apparently the girl in the article was doing. So far her teachers have approved, but I now wonder if we need to tell her to stop it.

[t and star]

09:10 AM on 03/06/2012

so jesus would have been kicked out of the school too? lol... he didn't speak english. they woulda kicked him out and said,"all this damn foreign talk!"

[spydrworks1067]

04:12 PM on 03/05/2012

Dropping the suspension off her school record would be nice.

[Wyvern Wycliffe]

08:13 PM on 03/13/2012

Putting half a million in a trust fund for her secondary education would also be a good start, in addition to a court order forbidding that teacher from ever being credentialed to work in a school for life.

[Valeria Genesini]

11:31 AM on 03/05/2012

Dear Miranda, from Italy all my support as mother of two young kids. I can imagine how you felt being mistreated like from a nazist from somebody who should be a religious and democratic teacher. You can always count on your family, on your new Italian friends, and trust me, there are many better people than that. Their excuses count to nothing. You just go on your way with your mother: she seems pretty tough and able to help you out.
Best wishes,
Mom Valerie-Ferrara-Italy

[MamaShoob]

10:12 AM on 03/05/2012

How embarassing as a teacher to hear of another teacher behaving this way.

[rosemaree124]

01:04 AM on 03/07/2012

This was a teacher in a Catholic school. They're working there because they can't cut it as a public school teacher. For the record, I am Catholic, attended both public and parochial schools, and was a public school educator for over 30 years.

[hilaritee]

10:55 PM on 03/04/2012

sounds like this teacher never had a multiculturalism course while in teacher's college. she should be educated on the dark history of religious based residential schools for native americans....although it sounds like she has a pretty good grasp of their tactics already.

[CapSen]

04:14 PM on 03/04/2012

Did Jesus speak English?

[Libby123]

04:56 PM on 03/04/2012

Sure! A lot of thee, thou and thy and [verb]eth. He and King James used to yak-yak-yak the night away. Forsooth!

[CapSen]

05:20 PM on 03/04/2012

I always wondered whether he had a speaking disorder ;)

[ifquilt]

08:56 PM on 03/04/2012

Probably and many other languages as well, He is after all the son of the Almighty!

[CapSen]

09:18 PM on 03/04/2012

English did not exist yet in his lifetime.

Jeez ;)

[CapSen]

04:14 PM on 03/04/2012

I wonder what HP policy is on people here commenting in any language other than English. Or the reaction of the predominantly English speaking commenters. I recently had a short exchange w/someone in Dutch, that went OK I guess ;)

[ifquilt]

08:57 PM on 03/04/2012

I wonder if Huff would be able to block that post if they were cursing at you in Dutch.

[CapSen]

09:20 PM on 03/04/2012

Probably not, but they could install a language pack lol.

I wouldn't care anyway. Most of the time people are more insulting in the content of their post than by the language they use anyway.

[Veneita]

09:30 AM on 03/04/2012

surprised to not hear them argue that as a private religious institution they have a religious right to ban the use of the native tongue. I also see the reverberation of that santorum idea that if you can do anything above the 3 Rs you're a snob.

"Language and behavior that creates a possibility of elitism, or simply excludes other students, can create or increase racial and cultural tensions"

If it wasn't for Biden and the Kennedys in public life, I would think that Catholics believed that ignorance is a cornerstone necessary to be faithful because one will do only that which the priests say . . .

[Patient Zero]

09:17 AM on 03/04/2012

Another foolish school teacher doing another foolish thing. We have all had to deal with teachers who are complete jerks. What is it about teaching that draws these sorts of people to it?

[Wyvern Wycliffe]

08:16 PM on 03/13/2012

Some people are drawn to the long hours, low pay, low respect jobs as a vocation, but others do it because they simply run out of other options. It's not really rational for someone to get a university degree and then decide "hey, I'll work this $20K/year job with zero benefits."