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Where I live, the logical choice would be Spanish. People are paid more here if they speak Spanish and English. But of course, I speak French.
I voted that schools should teach foreign languages because it's good for the brain and honestly learning another language helped my English usage tremendously. I learned about English by learning French.
Does anyone realize the cost associated with this on our Education System?
Alot it is!
That's another good point - if there are any federal mandates they (and not the states and school districts) should be the ones to pick up the tab ("unfunded mandates" in schools are indeed sometimes a problem). Likewise if the states mandate new requirements they shouldn't force the individual districts to pay for it.
Here's the problem with mandatory language education: foreign languages can be very difficult for some people who haven't grown up with them. So it's either give a special exemption for dumb kids (this defeats the purpose), keep holding them back forever because they can't learn the new language well enough (not an acceptable option), or pass them even if they can't succeed (also defeats the purpose of mandatory language classes).
Another reason why a specific language like Spanish should not be mandated nationwide - take a look at the bitterness from some about being forced into for example French in Canada or Irish Gaelic in Ireland when another language would have more relevance (such as Mandarin in the former case for someone in western Canada or a more widely used European language in the latter one). (At least those examples have at least an official language and/or national heritage justification for being required in said countries, unlike Spanish in the U.S. which does not have official status and is the "heritage language" of the land only in certain areas.)
A foreign language should be required, but which one should not be mandated. I do think that many schools should have more options, though. Yes, Spanish is very useful to know, but it should not be the only choice.
I recently checked the high schools I went to and one that previously offered Spanish, French, Latin, and Vietnamese now only offers Spanish and Vietnamese. The Spanish speakers take Spanish, the Vietnamese speakers will often take Vietnamese, and the other kids are the only ones who have to learn a language.
One of the other schools used to offer Spanish and German and now only offers Spanish.
Knowing a foreign language is incredibly helpful and wonderful for the brain, so it should be required, though, just not one specific language.
Spanish Is Overrated. I do not like Spanish. Teach Something Else:
I agree the U.S.A. schools needs to teach two languages, but
They don't need to teach more Spanish. Spanish language is overrated, and so is the culture. I never liked them nor their music with their talk about their corizons. I also don't like their consumptions of guinea pigs. Their names, the immigrating, the trafficing, and the everything else. I should consider it propoganda because the first culture, language, etc. I hear of ... is Spanish. Always Spanish. Not Portuguese, but Spanish.
I wanted to learn about other cultures! Perhaps German, Japanese, or Russian. But sadly we never will, because we were at war many decades ago, and I guess we are supposed to still hate them?
Also my opinion on Foreign Language requirements is for those who speak mainly or only Spanish and if they move to U.S.A. then they must learn fluent English. And if U.S.A. teaches an official second language, let it be perhaps French or Greek, then the native speakers of Spanish must learn Two more languages!
Last edited by In_Correct; 01-22-2015 at 03:42 PM..
Here's the problem with mandatory language education: foreign languages can be very difficult for some people who haven't grown up with them. So it's either give a special exemption for dumb kids (this defeats the purpose), keep holding them back forever because they can't learn the new language well enough (not an acceptable option), or pass them even if they can't succeed (also defeats the purpose of mandatory language classes).
Believe me, any kid that's able to learn all the "normal" school stuff will be able to pass a simple language class even if languages are not their thing. It is not that hard. Some people are bad at math but that does not mean we take math out of the curriculum, now, do we?
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Spanish Is Overrated. I do not like Spanish. Teach Something Else:
Spanish language is overrated, and so is the culture. I never liked them nor their music with their talk about their corizons. I also don't like their consumptions of guinea pigs. 
Their names, the immigrating, the trafficing, and the everything else. 
I should consider it propoganda because the first culture, language, etc. I hear of ... is Spanish. Always Spanish. Not Portuguese, but Spanish. 
Perhaps German, Japanese, or Russian. 
But sadly we never will, because we were at war many decades ago, and I guess we are supposed to still hate them? 
And if U.S.A. teaches an official second language, let it be perhaps French or Greek, then the native speakers of Spanish must learn Two more languages! 
