<p>Cobrat, </p>
<p>I think you are doing a superb job of illustrating the problem.</p>
<p>At my offspring’s school when my offspring attended it, at least, it was not against the rules to play cards–only to gamble $ or anything else of value on the outcome. Moreover, you are simply evading the real point I’m making. It’s not about the cards–really. </p>
<p>If you are participating in a group activity, talking in a language to some people in a group with the apparent intention to avoid having your conversation understood is rude. If you want to have a private conversation, have it before or after the group activity or withdraw from the group activity. Now, imagine a school where fully a third or more of the kids speak the same language and they often speak it so that non-members of the group can’t understand them. Gee, I wonder why the other groups might be offended. </p>
<p>Do you really think the most likely reaction is to pick up your cards and go home? I don’t. I think the most likely reaction is to say “Lets not play with the kids who belong to the group that talks their own language to one another when we are around.” Then that group of kids think “Oh, they are bigots.” </p>
<p>Adjust my example. A group of kids is playing cards. Some of them start passing notes to each other. The same group always does this. That make up about a third of those playing. They never share the notes with the other kids. If the other kids ask to see them, they say “Oh, it’s private.” Do you really think nobody is going to think they are cheating? Do you really think what was said is "none of their damn business?’ Do you really think that over time, the other kids in that group–the ones who didn’t get to see the notes–aren’t going to take an active dislike to the ones who do pass notes?</p>
<p>My example is NOT the same as the Midwesterner who butted into your conversation. He was not part of your group. If, on the other hand, he was part of your tour group and you gave the tour in Chinese and ONLY in Chinese, would he be wrong to object ?</p>
<p>When kids go to school together diversity accomplishes very little if the various groups don’t interact with one another. And, if one group persists in speaking a language other than English in the school hallways, in the cafeteria, sitting on the bus during a school field trip, etc. they are not benefiting from diversity nor do the other students who attend the same school benefit from it.</p>