Game On for Culver's Dank Delusion of a Mandarin Chinese Program?

From the "We Hear T'ings: Department:

Remember how Culver and a group of his peeps were going to explore the possibility of an elementary charter school/ Mandarin Chinese immersion program and report back to the board?

Well skip the board and just sign up because we're hearing that incorporating Mandarin Chinese into the district is a done deal that will occur by the start of the 2012-1 school year.

POINT - COUNTERPOINT ON THE MANDARIN CHINESE PLAN

POINT

Mandarin Chinese?  Really?  Don't go screamin' "xenophobia", now, but one has to wonder:  Is Culver thinking that the economy is tanking so badly that we all should be brushing up on the new landlords' language?  Or is he still trying to catch up with his district administrator buddy in Verona?  And why are we worrying about what ANYBODY is up to instead of just focusing on our own kids?

And while we're on the subject.  We're hoping that the rumors we're hearing are just that...rumors.  'Cause we'd be wondering how much it would cost John Q. TaxPayer to develop this little Mandarin Chinese program.

Let's get real here.  WKCE scores tell us that we aren't even doing that well with English.  Maybe not the best indication that it's time to tackle one of the toughest languages out there.  Want to do something different?  You know...be a leader instead of a follower?  How about incorporating Latin into the curriculum?  While some will declare it a dead language, others will testify to its strength not only as a true romance language, but also it's utility in helping kids learn better ENGLISH grammar and writing skills.

And if we're really trying to promote worldly or cultural  awareness, don't we have more people in this country that speak some dialect of Spanish?  You want to immerse kids in a language?  How about picking one that's (A) easier to learn, and (B) something more of our kids have a realistic chance of using in their lives/careers?  Spanish is plain and simply the language that the average kid is most likely to encounter in his/her life.

Mandarin Chinese?  Really?  Who comes up with this elitist nonsensical crap?  If you really have a jones to teach an Asiatic language, why not Hmong?  Hello! McFly!   Someone needs to get over to GNC and get a hold of some fenugreek.

COUNTERPOINT
Psych!  There isn't one. It's our way...no highway option.  This be our blog and we really don't see the value in defending introduction of a language most kids will never have a need to use.