What happens when these children learning Chinese now advances to Middle School? There is no option for a foreign language class until they are in 7th grade? Their only option in 7th grade is French, German, and Spanish, not Chinese. Will this mandatory class enable these students to be fluent in Chinese after 3 years? And why only is it available to Harrison and Roosevelt? The article should have at least explained that decision.

"Dumb & Dumber" was about two stupid guys that...yada - yada...I guess this is a different movie involving members of...

I don't have a problem with the mandatory second language as much as the fact that there is no choice. That is the best age for a child to quickly absorb a second language, and I sort of applaud that. But, as I see it, limiting that language to being Chinese is hardly a whole world view.

Dear Hockey99....Dumb. Unless your child is going into foreign markets-trading or something like that, what purpose is this language going to serve? Isn't it also obvious that while this time being used at their precious young ages is being used up on a language that would take many years to perfect (and for what?), is keeping them from sooooo many other things they could be learning of more importance and good use now, for our communities? This will have no purpose and it's one of the dumbest things I've read about in the Gazette regarding this local School district, in a long time.
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I know, why don't we teach our kids how to be future producers of American goods, instead of future patsies to an already invasive communist country like China. I find it interesting that people want to be open minded to the Chinese, and also support Unions and workers rights etc. What do you think China does with it's laborers? Want to learn a foreign language, why Chinese? At least I could half understand teaching Spanish or German or something else.

This is crazy, no other way to put it. I don't want this 'not optional' crap being taught to my child! No NO NO......! School district change this or you should find job changes.
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Right on! When you said we should teach proper English first!. What the hell is happening to our country?

Will they learn to cook Chinese food too? I love Chinese food, maybe these kids will open more Chinese Resturants.

My son is taking the Chinese class and greatly enjoying it. Kudos to the School District for being ahead of other Districts and offering this language. Learning and understanding Chinese is a must for our kids to succeed in the global economy.

"Failure to communicate" should be the Board and Karen Schulte's motto!

whythink, I didn't say it was the whole boards' agenda. I said it is ONE members' agenda. And does anyone really think the Chinese will be hiring workers other than top executives to come and take their jobs away?

It is an absolute proven fact that speaking a second language fluently, in a global economy, increases your earning power tremendously.

Speaking an Asian langauge can just about send your earning power into the ozone layer. I know of a few legal secretaries, right out of school that learned Chinese in high school. Their starting salary, as a result was $150,000. One of them was asked if she wanted to learn Japanese. The co. would pay for it. She took the offer up and got a huge raise too. There are no jobs in Janesville people, so we must learn how to compete in a global market.

It is that backward thinking that has gotten Janesville into thios economic mess from which it is unlikely to fully recover.

If your thinking stays the same as times change, you fall behind the times.

I am all for learning a 2nd language, I think they could of pick a language that is used more. What really UPSETS me why are only 2 schools have this and the rest DOES NOT ~~~ Why are the schools picked and what about all the other schools and childern ?????????????????

It isn't the board members agenda. They claim they didn't know it was mandatory.
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This is likely a grant funded program.

This is nothing more than one board members' personal agenda to phase out German and French. If you want to make learning a foreign language mandatory in elementary schools, and I have no problem with that at all, at least give parents and students the choice of what language to learn.

Learning a second language is great, but it should be a parents choice as to when and which language that is. If my child is failing math, throwing another mandidtory subject at him is ridiculous. Worse yet, many of these children do not speak English correctly.

OK, first, it is mandatory like Math, English, Social Studies, Science, etc... What is the fuss?
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Second, Dr. Behn taking the blame for this is a joke. The school board members should take the blame for not knowing what they are voting for. Whenever I vote, it is my job to educate myself. I don't blame the candidate or the wording of a referendum if I later regret my vote, it is my responsibility.
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The school board should be ashamed for making Dr. Behn the scapegoat.
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As a parent, I like the "out of the box" thinking by Dr. Behn. Something different can be a positive. I assume my kids will take Spanish in HS so I would welcome Chinese at the elementary level.
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Oh and the religious issue, get over it. Christianity is mentioned hundreds of times during any quality US history class.

Actually, if you didn't know, children will learn a language much easier at a younger age than when they are in high school. It's been proven with science.

My kids are in one of those schools and they love the Chinese class and especially the teacher. I have no problem with them learning a second language or even a third for that matter. The world extends beyond Janesville, and I hope they have a chance to experience as much of it as possible. This class can only help.

I can't belive they are saying its mandatory program, because if parents want they can say its against their religion thats how a lot of the kids get out of having mandatory shots, is it right NO but a lot of parents do it, I wish they had different languages in elmentary to pick from and wished my kids school did it.

I love it. American's need to learn a second language and Chinese is an important one in this world. Most people in other countries know at least 2 languages and often up to 5 different ones. If the US wants to compete in a global market, foreign language should be mandatory from K-12. We are already way behind the rest of the industrial world on this one.

I hope the school board members quoted in the paper are not masking their prejudices. Even though I was out of my comfort zone, I was happy and amazed at what my grandson told me he had learned in his Chinese class. I wish more world languages were taught in all the elementary schools! Maybe he or another student in his school will be instrumental in creating world peace and harmony someday.

The biggest problem is they should inform the parents.. Why don't they teach the children Hebrew instead. There is no logic to this. This is another in a long list of examples of the school district doing things that make no sense without parental involvement. How about spending a little more time teaching math, reading? Choice is an important factor!

In an attempt to perhaps make yourself feel "more sophisticated", you choose to read into what I write how you wish. However, I certainly don't have an issue with learning another language, as a matter of fact, I have taught and tutored students in these subjects. What I have an issue with is the fact that CHOICE is absent. Although, I'm sure someone will find a way to twist this one as well and assume I am a token "Janesville citizen", or however you wish to phrase it.

While not surprised, I am again saddened at the complete lack of ability to see a world view in this community. Please realize that there is a whole world out there where people speak different languages, and even in our own community we can hear several being spoken. Isn't it important to anyone else that our children learn about people other than themselves, and take an interest in communicating with them? Isn't it our job as parents to make sure they can have as many experiences with obtaining a world view as possible? Maybe some of you commenting on here have never left this community and think that having a world view is senseless. I feel sorry for you in that regard.

Dancer and Starbuck just showed America's hubris.

Starbuck1, elementary school is the best time to start learning a second language. The older you get the progressively more difficult it becomes.
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Chinese is a language that is already very important in business and world affairs. It's long overdue to raise a generation of Americans familiar with the language, so we don't have to depend on immigrants to translate for us if nothing else.

Wow Janesville...you just keep doing things that are really......for lack of a better word, but I think it fits nicely.....STUPID. Enough said.

Might as well learn Chinese. All of our jobs will eventually be outsourced to China anyway so CEO's can cut more American jobs and get their big fat bonuses and other outrageous compensation for cutting "costs."