http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread660724/pg1

As part of the five-year $1.3 million grant, Arabic classes would be mandatory at Cross Timbers Intermediate School and Kenneth Davis Elementary School. The program would also be optional for students at T. A. Howard Middle School and Summit High School.

Parents at Cross Timbers say they were caught off-guard by the program, and were surprised the district only told them about it in a meeting Monday night between parents and Mansfield ISD Superintendent Bob Morrison.

The DOE has identified Arabic as a ‘language of the future

And here I thought it was Chinese!

Arabic being the language of the future? Who is coming up with this BS??? Who are these effing experts? Someone is smoking something FAR better than I am right now!

That government weed must be the Shiznit!

BTW, if I were one of the parents I would be all over the school's azz about that. There are other languages in this world that are more beneficial like Spanish or Chinese or even Korean and Japanese and Russian!

I hate exerts more and more each day!

Well a lot of emerging markets are in Arabic-speaking countries; The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia... and unlike most of Europe, Asia, and other parts of Africa they were never subject to European imperialism and their populations are traditionally xenophobic so the people don't have the same predisposition towards English as they do in say India or Hong Kong. It makes sense to me, and I think its a bold step in the right direction for that school district... they just should have been more accommodating when it came to informing parents.

Perhaps you missed the MANDATORY part...

We arn't allowed to make english MANDATORY... Why make some other language mandatory.

I think it might be a good idea. When I was in school in the 50s and 60s, it was strongly promoted that students should take Russian, because there was an expectation that it would be an important asset in business and Government in the future.

As mentioned, Chinese would probably be an even more important language to become familiar with.

English IS mandatory in schools. In fact, you need three years at minimum to graduate... Same with math, science, and most schools require you to take a minimum of one or two years of a foreign language (usually a choice between Spanish and French, or sometimes Latin). So the school isn't doing anything radical or even out of the ordinary. They are trying to produce well rounded students who can compete and function on the world stage.
As for why they are not giving the students a choice between Arabic (a foreign language stigmatized by years of ill informed bigotry and with an alphabet not based on the roman letter set) and Spanish (A language a majority of the students in Texas are extraordinarily comfortable and familiar with) is obvious... given the choice no kid in their right mind would chose Arabic considering its level of unfamiliarity and difficulty!
The district is just trying to make sure the grant they received is actually put to good use.

Well said.

A better use of my tax money would have been a grant for MATHMATICS AND SCIENCE...

I agree.. but that's another issue entirely

**** any language but English...

Well thats not a constructive thing to say...

Why? English isn't nearly as expressive as the romance languages and several slavic languages. I myself prefer the nuances and complexities of Russian to English. English is good for the sciences and literature, though. It has been said, "every language you learn makes you a head taller". I've found that to be true.

It would make ALL humans a 'head taller' if we had a planetary language...

I would not want it to be one of the current languages...

Such a thing would only cause strife.

but if we can put a person on the moon...

Stands to reason we be smart enough to create a 'planetary' language that we could all accept.

LOL

English is mandatory in schools.

And what will they have when the oil runs out??? Tourism?

Not if you are a native spanish speaker (in some places).

wow!! It has been so long I cant remember your name though I do remember your picture..mine always looks different...anyway! goood to see you!!....
As for this topic. I think that before we reeducate the entire world and/or argue what a "world language" would be I think that either (and I am serious here) A new language (everyone gets to learn) based on similarities of all base languages be introduced leaving no prejudice and/or the technology will most likely advance so fast in this age that we will simply understand through some translator..not a person or program on a computer, but simply translating any language into the other.
As far as what I believe in each country and the expectancies..well, I will be straight away with my belief.
If you plan to live there I believe it is in respect to learn the language of that country. If you are visiting then it is courteous to learn at least come phrases,,show respect to that place you go.
I went to Hungary. I learned some of that language way before I got on the plane,,,and because I was ignorant I also learned some Romanian which did absolutely no good in Budapest,,German would have,,,but the Romanian would have been very useful if i would have been in the part of Hungary close to the border of Hungary and Romania. (the border has moved over the years creating a lot of marriages cross culture) In Macedonia. I was really at a loss, even though I tried very hard, I did bring books though,,,in Ireland just get drunk and speak whatever the group you are in....I was surprised as Ireland was so much like Oregon in many ways such as different groups of people from say Poland,Romania,Lithuania..etc. all staying in their own little community speaking the language from which they came. of course that is just 2 places 3..and this is getting lengthy.
All in All,,If I become a citizen in the USA I believe I should be able to read and speak English, If I become a Macedonian Citizen...and I was on my way. the law there does require that I learn to read and speak (functionally) Macecodian...and of course anyone that knows me real well knows that I have a great love for Hungarian. Fino-ugrian based language.
there's me 2 forints
;-}

" It would make ALL humans a 'head taller' if we had a planetary language...

I would not want it to be one of the current languages...

Such a thing would only cause strife.

but if we can put a person on the moon...

Stands to reason we be smart enough to create a 'planetary' language that we could all accept. "


agreed

Really?

They don't have English throughout the 12 years of public school?