Stop sign in French.Getty Images/iStockphoto
The decision of the Calgary public school board not to make second-language classes mandatory for students in Grades 4 to 9 is folle.
It does not serve students well. It does not serve the country well. And it does not serve the cause of national unity.
Can nine-year-olds really decide whether learning French is beneficial? What would they say if math, gym and biology also became optional? Why not make the whole school day one long recess?
Before this week's reversal, it was mandatory at Calgary schools to learn a second language, and most students chose to learn French. Now, elementary schools in Calgary's public system will be given the choice of whether to offer a second language in Grades 4 to 6. In junior high, French and other second languages will be options.
There are many good reasons to require students to learn another language, not the least of which is Canada's official bilingualism. Mastering a second language also helps students in many other disciplines, and does not undercut mastery of their mother tongue. It gives students insight into Canada's unique history, builds bridges to another culture and prepares them for possible careers in federal politics, international business, diplomacy or academia.
Polls show that a majority of Canadians support bilingualism in principle, though acquiring a second language can prove challenging. About 17 per cent of Canadians can carry on a conversation in both French and English. Alberta is a laggard, with only 6.8 per cent of the population bilingual, compared with 40.6 per cent in Quebec, 33.4 per cent in New Brunswick, 11.3 per cent in Ontario, and 9.3 per cent in Manitoba.
The European Union has as a long-term goal that all of its citizens learn two languages other than their mother tongue. Surely it is not too much to require Canadian students to learn both official languages. They will thank us when they're grown.