Under a new law making its way through the Florida state legislature, Spanish lessons will become compulsory in the state's public schools from kindergarten through second grade.(Brief article)

Under a new law making its way through the Florida state legislature, Spanish lessons will become compulsory in the state's public schools from kindergarten through second grade. The bill, filed by state senator Les Miller, a Democrat, would have the mandatory lessons start in 2007. While it is certainly a fine thing for young children to attempt a foreign language, it is hard not to see this as yet another retreat before the forces of multiculturalism. From the point of view of acquainting oneself with Western civilization in the large, Spanish is a peripheral language, less important than French, German, Italian, or Latin. As a utilitarian ...