Hartland 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 two years of foreign language in grades 9-12 to graduate and Hartland High School recently added sign language classes in the district to help complete the requirement.

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 News.

"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."

Hartland High School teacher Pam Iden is also against the change telling the Press & Argus that the two-year foreign language requirement could benefit students of every path.

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