Judge in English-Only Flap Apologizes for Insensitivity

A judge who told a Mexican native she was dooming her daughter to life as a housemaid by speaking only Spanish to her apologized Friday to Latinos for making an insensitive choice of words.

But State District Judge Samuel Kiser refused to apologize for ordering the woman to speak English as well as Spanish to the kindergartner--an order criticized by Latino leaders across the nation.

“The order I signed stands, but my apology for a mischoice of words in trying to explain the reasoning behind it is sincere,” he said.

Three weeks ago, Kiser ordered Marta Laureano to speak English as well as Spanish to her 5-year-old daughter. At an earlier hearing this summer, he accused her of mistreating the girl by not teaching her English, saying “you’re abusing that child and you’re relegating her to the position of a housemaid.”

Latinos and bilingual educators said his comments conferred a stigma of inferiority on the Latino culture. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus called for his ouster this week.

On Aug. 29, Kiser apologized to housekeepers. Friday, he apologized to all Latinos.

Language surfaced as an issue during a child-custody hearing after Laureano’s ex-husband, Timothy Garcia, said he had taught his daughter the only English she knew.

Laureano, who was born in Mexico, speaks English fluently. She has said she speaks Spanish at home because she wants her daughter to grow up bilingual. She has promised to appeal the judge’s order, but so far has not done so.

About a dozen Latinos stood behind Kiser as he read his remarks, saying they accepted his apology.