By Giovanni Galvez
Staff Writer
The question of whether or not taking a foreign language should be a requirement in order to graduate high school has always been a controversial topic. California rightfully makes taking a foreign language or a performing arts a requirement and there are many positive outcomes from it.
Making foreign language a requirement pushes students to the path of a better future to come, while making the class optional allows the student to stray from a much successful future. Spanish and Chinese are joining English as the leading languages spoken around the world, thus, knowing how to speak more than one language has become a demand in the world. It is logical for students to take steps towards learning another language.
“[One year of foreign language class] should be required, because it provides an opportunity for student’s education to be more holistic,” stated Spanish teacher Cynthia Arvizo. “It also helps students be well rounded individuals.”
The requirement of taking a foreign language is a process that has positive results in the long run, but only if it is strictly required by schools.
In an article done by New American Economy in 2017, it is stated that from 2010-2015, the demand of bilingual workers in America had risen from 240,000 to 630,000; making 60% of new jobs done by bilingual speakers. Many of these jobs have proven to be very essential in society, as teachers, doctors, construction workers, interpreters, news reporters, government officials, and the fire department can benefit from speaking a foreign language.
In a society that is requiring more and more bilingual speakers to lead the way, it is necessary for high schools to take on the role of enforcing at least one year of foreign language in order to graduate. This also secures a future for the student as well as for society.
Gabrielino High School is one of the many schools in the nation that make taking at least one year of foreign language, a requirement to graduate. Due to the school being in San Gabriel, a city mixed with Hispanic and Asian cultures, Gabrielino has shown that enforcing the requirement only leads to better students and better futures for their students.
Gabrielino promotes the A-G requirements. These are requirements set by the universities of California, where students are required to take two years but a recommended three years of a foreign language. These requirements not only cover the requirement of graduating with a foreign language or performing arts, but also encourages them to pursue learning the language.
Gabrielino provides two foreign language classes, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. However, if students want to take another class, they are given the choice to take a performing arts or visual arts for one year.
Taking a foreign language is profoundly beneficial for students, counselors at Gabrielino should continue encouraging students to enroll and follow California’s requirements.
