They don't even have to teach through to grade 12--they can just actually TEACH French. The fact that we don't really learn any grammar or real sentences until high school in many provinces means the curriculum is just useless. I understand it's way too hard to offer immersion in every school but they could at least teach useful language constructs from the very beginning so kids actually have some way to USE the French they learn instead of just learning holiday vocabulary and doing simple crossword puzzles. <_<
Yup, that sounds about right. They should do a better job, or just get rid of it.
I just don't see why we need to be bilingual. I understand our history with the colonies and language rights through the constitution, but it just seems too concentrated to one area for the rest of the country to pretend we're bilingual. It'd be like if we all had to pretend-lean Inuktitut as well because of the Northwest Territories.
I think it should be a demographic and demand thing. Like, I live in an area with a large Italian population, so in addition to French my elementary school also offered (not required) Italian. Now, ignoring that that really wasn't a good experience either XD Again, just colouring, crosswords puzzles, and bingo. In the later grades, we got some new teachers and since everyone but me was already fluent and would speak Italian to their parents and grandparents at home, they really upped the difficulty. Tested on language constructs like you were saying... but, I wasn't taught them lol It was just assumed we were all fluent due the area and it being an optional course, so while lessons were still time-killing crossword puzzles, tests were difficult and focused on the language they assumed I spoke fluently at home. :(
Anyway, getting side-tracked. I don't think we're really bilingual. Even with politics, we throw in a one sentence in French into a primarily English speech. It's just lip-service. I sort of view New Orleans as being like America's Québec. But, French isn't their second official language. Actually, Spanish would make more sense as their second language if America had to adopt one given demographics and demand (like I said above), and several places are starting to adopt that unofficially. So, I don't think that sort of thing should really be forced by legislation. That's not how culture should be formed. It should be natural and more self-realizing.
I don't have a problem with people learning other languages. It's a good thing to have. My dad majored in languages (I don't know why I didn't ask him for help in the French and Italian classes XD). I would have loved to haved learned one properly. But, our public schools do a really crappy job and there isn't much of a purpose to it being mandatory.
With all of that said tough, still not a reason to ban non-French speaking people from using public services in Québec. When it comes to front-line public service, I expect them to be able to communicate in both official languages. And if not, they should make every effort to accommodate them because they're the public service and we're the public. If someone from Québec was turned down in Alberta, I think it would be just as bad. And even then, what about tourists? People go to parts of Europe, for example, all the time from all over the world and don't speak the language. They get by because of helpful people offering the services, though I'm sure they're secretly annoyed. But still. I don't see how that concept shouldn't apply to Québec. Not to mention if you're an English-speaking citizen in Québec. You pay taxes that go toward public transit for example, but you wouldn't be able to use it. Makes no sense.