Road Agency to Continue Using Spanish Pending Legal Guidance

By Becky Ogann

DES MOINES (AP) - Iowa's transportation department plans to keep using Spanish and other languages in official notices pending legal guidance from the attorney general's office.

Spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher says lawyers are reviewing agency practices following a Polk County court decision upholding the state's English-only law in a case involving voter registration forms.

Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, a Sioux City Republican, is objecting after seeing a department public meeting notice in a newspaper that was printed in Spanish and English.

He says he's concerned with "this type of frivolous spending."

Gray-Fisher says the agency has printed public meeting notices for years in multiple languages and will continue to do so until they hear otherwise.

Friday, May 9 at 8:43 PM Dear Melting Pot wrote ...

part of what makes America America is it's diverse cultures. It's the land of the free, not land of the same. I think it's the English speaking folks who should take some time and try to learn to communicate with those who do not speak English. After all, we weren't natives to this country either, so I think we need to respect other cultures and languages. Yes, it's hard to learn another language, but I bet all these different cultures could really teach America some things.

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Friday, May 9 at 5:52 PM What melting pot? wrote ...

If America is supposed to be a melting pot, how can that ever happen when we encourage people to speak different languages and keep their cultures separate? Multi-lingual policies are a step backward and only weaken our nation. What's the point of doing that?

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Friday, May 9 at 4:16 PM Immigrant wrote ...

Agree with Whisky_NW. My family immigrated to the U.S. 7 years ago. They went to the ESL class twice a week and passed the driving test by themselves. Even though they are over 55, they still try their best to learn English. Why? Because English is the ONLY OFFICIAL language in the U.S..

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Friday, May 9 at 2:54 PM Whisky_NW wrote ...

I don't think this issue is about "English Only Laws", it's about squandering our tax dollars. The road signs in this state are in English, I think you should speak English prior to obtaining a driver's license here. This also isn't an issue of what people around the globe do, it's a matter of practicality and right now the budget is tight, this seems to me to be an area where we can cut some of the fat. People will learn English a lot faster & if it's mandatory. Have a nice day.

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Friday, May 9 at 2:39 PM Anonymous wrote ...

A melting pot is a country diversified by many legal immigrants who want a better life in a country they will call their own. They come here realizing it will be tough and there will be many things to learn to survive on their own. What we are going through is an invasion from Mexico and the government is allowing it because of the north free trade agreement. Google Amero!!

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Friday, May 9 at 2:14 PM Anonymous wrote ...

stop waisting my money

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Friday, May 9 at 1:27 PM Adam wrote ...

English only laws are ridiculous. Once you travel the rest of the USA you realize that Iowa is behind the times. If we all stuck to tradition we'd still be living in caves. The USA is still a melting pot, and its like a lot of people forgot that.

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Friday, May 9 at 1:21 PM D wrote ...

English ONLY PLEASE!!!!

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Friday, May 9 at 1:10 PM Kalona wrote ...

I Thought are Language was English in this country

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