Madd Props to Judge Barry Tatum

Once again, a story of a True Patriot doing the right thing. The difference here is that it is this American's job, not just duty, to do so. I bet this Judge gets thrown off his Seat by the end of March for such Patriotism and devotion to our Constitution. It is quite unfortunate that Americans don't support our True Patriots more than they do. Anyway, read the story...I have received permission to republish the entire article. God Bless America while there are still Americans to bless.


Reprinted from NewsMax.com ( with permission)

Judge Orders Migrants to

'LEARN ENGLISH'

NewsMax.com Wires
Monday, Feb. 14, 2005

Some consider it unorthodox and others say it is unconstitutional, but nevertheless a Tennessee judge has ordered some Hispanic mothers in child abuse and neglect cases to either learn English or risk losing their children.

Despite criticism from some legal corners, Wilson County Judge Barry Tatum, a first-term jurist and former attorney, has defended his decisions, saying he made his rulings because the women need to assimilate American language and culture for the betterment of their children. He has made five such rulings already.

"Here we have an American citizen who runs the risk of losing out on all the opportunities if she's not assimilated into the culture," Tatum said in an interview with the Lebanon Democrat newspaper, though he admitted he's never removed a child from a home because a mother did not speak English.

In an October case, Tatum ordered a Mexican woman reported to the Department of Children's Services for child neglect to learn English to a fourth-grade level within six months, according to her attorney. If she didn't, he would begin parental termination proceedings.

"The court specially informs the mother that if she does not make the effort to learn English, she is running the risk of losing any connection — legally, morally and physically — with her daughter forever," Jerry Gonzalez, the Nashville attorney who represents the woman, told the Los Angeles Times, reading from the court order.

Judges often give parental advice in juvenile abuse or neglect cases. But opponents of Tatum's rulings say language differences are no reason to remove children from homes, no matter how difficult a barrier it can be. "That's treading on sacred ground," Susan Brooks, a family law expert at Vanderbilt University Law School, told the Times.

Opponents also say that a judge's order in such cases should have to do with correcting any behavior that led to the abuse or neglect, a standard that does not involve rectifying language barriers, the Times reported. And they say the orders violate constitutional protections.

As for his client, Gonzales said Tatum's order could not be fulfilled because she has a sixth-grade education level and six months is not long to learn the required amount of English.

"I daresay the judge himself, an educated man, could not learn to speak Spanish to a fourth-grade level in six months," he told the Times. "He gave her an impossible task."

Perhaps, but this type of unorthodox thinking is nothing new for Tatum, a Lebanon resident. He's sentenced a father to report to high school with his son because of the boy's repeated absences. Also, he's helped pick up trash with teens he has sentenced to community service and visited prisoners in jail.

Some local residents applaud Tatum's rulings. They say while his order to the Hispanic mothers may be improper, "the general sentiment is, if people are going to be in this country, we all have a moral obligation to learn to speak the language," Lebanon insurance agent Bob Bright told the Times. "I know if I was in Mexico I would make an effort" to learn Spanish, he added.

English-only advocates say requiring immigrants to become immersed in English-only courses not only brings good results, but the assimilation it breeds makes for better citizens.

In California, home to most of the nation's Hispanic immigrants, such English "immersion" courses work well.

English First, a group advocating English as the nation's official language, says since the passage of Proposition 227 a few years ago, which required all public school instruction to be done in English, fluency rates among students with limited English skills have nearly doubled.

"There can no longer be any doubt that English immersion was the right path for California's immigrant students," said Mauro E. Mujica, chairman of U.S. English, Inc.

"Hundreds of thousands of children will find new opportunities in higher education and employment, doors opened by the power of English fluency. Under the guidance of a sensible language policy, we have outlined another great chapter in the American immigration story," he said, noting that Prop. 227 passed with 61 percent of the vote.


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