Brighton Lawmaker Supports Eliminating Foreign Language Requirement

Two house bills that would eliminate the foreign language requirement for high school students were approved in Lansing on Tuesday in the House Education Committee.

Currently, students must take a foreign language in grades 9-12 to graduate and in Brighton Area Schools, the addition of Zero Hour was implemented to help fulfill the requirement.

"The purpose is to give students the chance to make up a lost credit, get a required class out of the way, or take a required class to allow more flexibility in the regular six hour schedule," according to a previous post regarding Zero Hour.

Co-sponsored by State Reps. Cindy Denby, R-Handy Township, and Bill Rogers, R-Genoa Township, House Bills 4465-4466 would also modify required credits in physical education, the arts, career and technical education, science and math, according to the Press & Argus.

By eliminating the two-year foreign language credit, 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 Free Press.

"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."

What do you think of the possible elimination of a foreign language requirement in Michigan schools?