Wednesday, October 30, 2002

Foreign language education needed
now more than ever

I suppose in a world where English is the language of power it's not too often that we, as Americans, are forced to utilize another language in our everyday lives. However, this doesn't mean that learning to speak a foreign language is a waste of time.

In fact, there are many reasons why learning a foreign language is a valuable thing, especially for youth today. Why then are our legislators suggesting that we remove the foreign language requirement for high school students in the state of Georgia?

The world today is becoming more interdependent than ever. We are moving closer and closer toward a global community. If we want to facilitate global unity, then it is important that we learn to appreciate and embrace other cultures, including other languages. One way to learn to value our multicultural global society is through learning a foreign language, especially in high school.

Our high school foreign language classes do more than just teach students to communicate in another language. They also teach aspects of culture and cultural appreciation. These classes aren't just about learning to translate; they're about becoming more aware of the world around you.

Without these classes, students will graduate without ever becoming aware of and learning to value what happens outside the borders of their own country. And without that knowledge, how can they be expected to compete in a world that continues to evolve as a global community?

Perhaps this is a question we need to make our legislators aware of before they rid the curriculum of our foreign language requirement.

Emily Crisp

Tyrone