Hi everyone.
God bless you all.
I'm currently in a bit of a pickle right now.
So, I have non-Christian parents who are immigrants from a foreign country.
Their English ability is currently not at a very high level (not that I'm necessarily trying to state that it ought to be).
They work as nail technicians in a nail salon.
Every two years nail technicians are supposed to complete five hours of continuing education if they wish to renew their license.
Apparently, some books we have were mailed to my parents from my state's State Board (I don't know when).
With a book, it seems like you can complete the course in the book, and affirm online that you've done it, and also pay money online (essentially, I don't think they try to test your knowledge, it's more of a, click a yes box to affirm you did the course and then you pay up).
Basically, per the orders of my father, (not that I'm necessarily trying to state that what I've done is therefore justified),
I think I affirmed for both my mother and father that they had completed the course in the book (when they hadn't).
I also answered lies on behalf of my mother and father on a survey the book people wanted us to complete.
A possible question you may have is,
"Why don't they complete the course? It could help them with doing their job the right way."
My response would be
The language used in the book is like an academic textbook, I suppose. Let's say an average native English speaker has a pretty decent level of comprehension of English and may encounter some level of challenge in trying to understand the text (which in my opinion, probably would still not be a very high hurdle for them). I'm sure my parents would have a very, very, difficult time trying to understand the text.
A possible question you may have is,
"Why don't you help them understand the text?"
My response would be
Well, I am willing to try to help them understand the text. But I think the language barrier between us and language obstacles in the way provide too much of a challenge for them to be willing to comply. I assume it would take hard work
and time, and I think my parents feel like they have enough going on in their lives.
A possible question you may have is,
"Why not go somewhere or use a course in their native language?"
My response would be
Based on what my father has told me, I think you can go to a school in a densely populated city (I think one option might be in a city about an hour and thirty minutes away) and have them teach you or help you through a course or something, but I don't think my parents want to do that.
In addition, (and I hope I don't come off as judgey here) I think I should mention that I think my parents would rather go through with the easy route of lying than go through with completing the course in the book.
Now some questions I have are,
1) When we go through the process of renewing my parents' individual licenses (as opposed to affirming they had completed the course), and they would like me to help, should I refuse to do so? Seeing as how they never truly completed a 2021 course (in the past it's been this way as well, so I believe their current individual licenses aren't "valid").
2) It's not like they're surgeons operating with illegitimate licenses obtained with very little knowledge on the appropriate subject matter, but I really, really, really shouldn't do anything regarding their current individual licenses and the license for the nail salon, right?
It seems to me the answer is to do nothing about them, and if they want me to help them lie, decline, even if they get upset or angry, right?
