Should Schools Stop Requiring Foreign Language Classes?

Hoping to free up more options for students when it comes to high school electives, the House Education Committee approved two bills in Lansing on Tuesday that would eliminate the foreign language requirement for graduation.

Currently the following languages are taught at high schools in St. Clair Shores:

• French, Spanish at Lakeview, which also has German, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic through on-line classes.
• German, Mandarin and Spanish at Lake Shore.
• Mandarin and Spanish is taught at South Lake.

By eliminating the two-year foreign language requirement, the proposal hopes to give students not headed to college more vocational options in school, but the Michigan Department of Education opposes the bill, according to the Detroit News.

"Students, regardless of post-secondary plans, will benefit tremendously with at least one additional language to be competitive in the global marketplace," spokesman Martin Ackley said in the report. "World languages is essential for all of our students."

House Bills 4465-4466 would also modify required credits in physical education, the arts, career and technical education, science and math, according to the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.

The bill awaits a full house vote.

Readers were asked on the St. Clair Shores Patch Facebook page if they thought eliminating the foreign language requirement was a good idea. Readers posted:

• Candace Olivia: If students need foreign language at almost every university to complete degree requirements, why would we eliminate this requirement? COMPLETELY BACKWARDS THINKING.
• LouAnn Clemons Tances: I think learning foreign language especially from a young age is a good thing they should keep it as a requirement. 
• Michael Raab: Eliminate? You have to be kidding me. The HS requirements need to be upped, not dumbed-down. We're slipping away folks.
• Jan Windemuth: The dumbing down of American students continues.
• Heather Pomaville-Pieknik: So stupid!!!!
• Lori A. Knaggs: Oh ya, dummy down even more! What university will accept kids with no language?
• Debbie Lipski Cottrell: Two years of foreign language is required at ALL colleges! Why would we want to eliminate it from HS requirements.