In a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article dated October 23, 2010, John Schmid writes: “In a world of global trade, a second language can be a surefire ticket to a career.”
No big surprise there. What was a surprise, though, was the news that came down the pike on Friday: due to budget constraints, both French and German are slated for elimination from the course offerings in my district. Even Mequon-Thiensville, one of the most well-off districts in the state, cannot escape the budget crisis.
Now, to those of you out there who think it sounds as though I’m whimpering about my own lot in life, maybe I am. I see no shame in admitting that I have a passion for sharing the German language and culture, and seeing it slashed from the course catalog hurts. A lot. So does seeing the same pain reflected in the eyes of my French teacher friends.
Sadly, this is by no means a unique situation. Says Schmid: “According to a recent study, schools across the nation are doing the same – eliminating foreign language instruction and undermining a skill that economists and educators agree is one of the most overlooked but essential navigation skills in a global economy.”
Nonetheless, while the situation upsets me, this really isn’t about my friends and me. It’s about a school funding formula that is deeply flawed and will continue to force districts into making heart-wrenching decisions like this one. It’s also about sound bites that play well politically to a frustrated, disheartened electorate. And though my view may prove unpopular with some colleagues, it’s also about the union needing to reframe its thinking by preparing to make concessions – however painful – that just might spare a few of their members’ jobs and (far more importantly) continue to provide Wisconsin children the widest range of educational opportunities possible.
Yes, it’s about all of those things. I’m not pointing fingers in any one direction. There is no smoking gun here because this mess is not any one group’s fault. Only through cooperation, collaboration and real commitment on everyone’s part will anything be resolved.
And in the meantime, while the grownups fight it out, the students are the ones who lose out. Like “Alice,” the girl who struggled in German class yet persevered through her senior year and is now becoming a special education teacher because of her positive experiences learning German. Or “Kevin,” a linguaphile whose ear and passion for languages beckoned him to his career path. It’s about the shy kids I’ve loaded onto international flights from Chicago, only to see them return home two weeks later as completely transformed world travelers, confident yet serene, having learned so much about themselves by placing their language knowledge into action.
And knowing that those kids are the ones who will be cheated hurts far more than that kick in the teeth.
