Finally, WCPSS leaders are taking a step in the right direction in asking for funding for foreign language instruction in the elementary schools. Our public schools have been far too short-sighted when it comes to exposing young children to other languages at a time when their brains can most easily absorb them.

One of my middle-school-aged children was allowed to take Spanish for only nine weeks before the curriculum changed to "Career Decisions." How does it benefit a sixth-grader to write a resume in English when she might instead be reading, writing and speaking Spanish?

When my German niece visits us in the summer, she puts us to shame by speaking four languages fluently. We need to wake up and strive to catch up to Europe by offering foreign language instruction at the kindergarten level in all North Carolina public schools. If we made this change, I'm willing to bet we'd see a marked improvement in overall test scores in the coming years.

Meredith W. Indermaur

Raleigh