Interpreter Education Online

Is Language a Barrier For a Mother?

Posted by Jinny Bromberg on September 25, 2009

If you checked the previous blog entry on Title VI compliance, you already know that all states are obligated to follow this law. Read more about how presumptions, miscommunication, and ignorance could lead to not only violating Title VI but also entrenching on basic human rights.

The article by Tim Padgett and Dolly Mascarenas talks about a woman, an illegal immigrant in Mississippi, who may lose her child because she does not speak English. The article reads: “State Department of Human Services (DHS), which ruled that Baltazar Cruz was an unfit mother in part because her lack of English “placed her unborn child in danger and will place the baby in danger in the future.” (08.31.09) This is not only a matter of providing correct interpreting services to this woman (she speaks Chatino, spoken in rural areas of Mexico, very little Spanish, and no English), but also a matter of judgment, illegal immigration, and the right to raise a child regardless of language barriers. It is also worthy of mention that upon arrival to the hospital Ms. Cruz was provided with a Spanish speaking interpreter, whose Spanish was quite different from one of Ms. Cruz and who did not speak or understand any Chatino. Although Ms. Cruz’s relative was there to interpret, the hospital declined their services and insisted on ones they have provided. It may be of question if Ms. Cruz signed the declination of interpreting services or if the hospital simply assumed that her relative did not speak any English. This behavior starts with lack of training to the staff, lack of available interpreters, lack of resources, but mostly lack of understanding. One can think that if we are surrounded by an increased number of properly trained personnel and enough interpreters, the behavior would decrease. The awareness of different cultures needs to be heightened, as well as tolerance which is achieved through understanding, communication, and education.

Is it just of Department of Human Services to judge if a woman is able or not to raise a child if she does not speak English? It is also mentioned that the child has been awarded to a foster family, as it was endangered. Is it upon others to make decisions on behalf of another human being if they do not simply share the same tongue and dehumanize them in such a way? To correct instances such as these, institutions should have provided training for staff in rules and regulations of Title VI, recognition of different languages, or even in understanding of handling situations such as Ms. Cruz had to endure. Well trained interpreters are crucial not only to a proper relationship between service providers and clients, but also in strengthening communities, heightening tolerance, and upholding basic human rights, but lack of available training persists to be the problem.