Reply #9: First, as a teacher [View All]

[Frances]

I am very concerned that you were prejudiced against a student because of his accent.

I was born in Alabama and still have a southern accent. I hate it when someone prejudges me because of the way I speak.

As for Kerry, I think he did live in Europe as a child because of his father's work.

I worked very hard for Chris Van Hollen to be elected to Congress from Maryland's 8th congressional district. Chris's father was a diplomat and he lived in other countries as a child. I think that experience made him more open minded.

I suggest that you visit Boston and speak with the people who were born there so that you can see for yourself how they talk. I lived in the Boston area and I loved the people I met there. Yes, they had a distinctive accent, but they were good people.