Dear ______________,

We, the undersigned, enthusiastically support world language programs in the elementary and middle schools. Most currently accepted research overwhelmingly supports the claim that learning a new language early benefits students, especially in crucial areas such as mathematics and science.

Offering elementary and middle school students a variety in world language programs supports the growing trend and urgency in multicultural education and diversity literacy. If a school district were to decide to choose just one language other than English for new programs in elementary and middle schools, this would strongly contradict the emphasis on multiculturalism. Most business leaders agree that successful new employees are those who can function in teams and who have had experiences in education which allow them to be flexible in new situations or with colleagues of diverse backgrounds. Success in the global market is achieved by those who understand something about other places in the world. Diverse offerings in world language curricula and programs are a low cost way to achieve this goal. Statistics show that students who learn second languages (especially those of European origin) are successful in the fields of business, politics, and medicine.

Due to financial constraints, some school districts will feel forced to choose just one language other than English for both elementary and middle schools and perhaps even in high school. Such a decision would eliminate valuable, successful programs already in existence, such as German, French, Italian, Latin, and Japanese.

Schools which offer only world language other than English severely limit students’ ability to compete in tomorrow’s market with Europeans and Asians. Programs need to be globally focused and meet the needs of students who will participate in the global economy. The recent documentary, “2 Million Minutes”, shows that American students need to become more globally oriented and take more rigorous coursework, not less. Eliminating foreign language programs is counter-productive to that need.

Germany is the world’s largest exporter according the CIA Factbook. This fact alone is proof that there is still a need for students to learn German. A knowledge of Germany improves one’s chances not just of finding employment in Germany, but in the European Union as a whole. The International Baccalaureate program that many high schools are starting to offer enables students to go to college virtually anywhere in the world. A proficiency in German is then the icing on the cake that makes living in a European country more comfortable and more productive.

Respectfully yours,