The head of a national foreign language advocacy organization fears K-12 instruction in French, Spanish, and other tongues is on the endangered list as districts across the country make room for new requirements like computer science, financial literacy, and career and technical education.
Amanda Seewald, executive director of the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL), called the situation a “crisis” considering U.S. immigration levels, multinational business growth that impacts the American workforce, and diplomacy needs in the Middle East and Asia. She will speak on the topic at a July 30 congressional briefing in Washington.
“Foreign languages are too often pushed to the side as a ‘special’ or an elective,” Ms. Seewald said in an interview with The Epoch Times on July 26.
“Our government and nation as a whole need to understand what’s at stake here.”
Two federal lawmakers who introduced legislation supporting public school foreign language instruction—Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)—will also speak at the briefing.
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Education Advocate Wants Congress to Encourage Bilingual Instruction
- by: Aaron Gifford
- 2024-07-30
- Source:
The Epoch Times
- 07/30/2024
