Local Radar

Magistrate sets up Spanish classes for Officers and county employees
web posted December 9, 2005

EDGEFIELD – The Edgefield County Magistrate’s Office has set up classes to teach Spanish to county employees who have to deal with the growing population of Spanish speaking people in the county. “We’re not going to learn to read and write (Spanish), we just want enough to be able to communicate with them,” Judge Brenda Carpenter said.

The classes, which were first set aside for law enforcement and the judiciary, has opened the remaining slots in the class to any county employee. The $1,800 cost of the class is being paid by the county. Piedmont Technical College is providing the instructor and the materials for the classes which begin in January. “We wanted to wait and get the holidays out of the way,” before starting Judge Carpenter said.

The classes begin on January 10, 2006 and will continue for eight weeks. The majority of those taking the class are law enforcement officers who have the most contact with the Mexican population. Though detractors may say it is the responsibility of those who immigrate to our area to learn English, “once they are arrested it is our responsibility to be able to explain the process to them,” Judge Carpenter said. Explaining their rights and what charges they face is required in them being afforded the right to make a defense.

Judge Carpenter said she started forming the class back in Augusta and Piedmont Tech had cut the rates dramatically for the county to make it affordable.
 

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