Parents, Schools Urge To Focus More On Spanish Instruction

Nicholas D. Kristof writes in a column for the New York Times (12/30) that "we're seeing Americans engaged in a headlong and ambitious rush to learn Chinese - or, more precisely, to get their kids to learn Chinese." However, "I think the rush to Chinese is missing something closer to home: the paramount importance for our children of learning Spanish. .. As the United States increasingly integrates economically with Latin America, Spanish will become more crucial in our lives."