Opinion: Yakkin' Jill

It was like an episode of All in the Family- minus the blatancy, and minus the “funny.”

During last week’s school board meeting, Dr. Pladus introduced the possibility of offering Chinese as a foreign language at the high school. He invited Scue Hong Liu, the president of the Upper Dublin Chinese Association and father of children in the Upper Dublin School District, to speak about the importance of Upper Dubliners learning the Chinese language and culture.

As Mr. Liu spoke, three middle-aged morons who were clearly displeased by his English, unsuccessfully muffled their snorts and snickers for the duration of his speech. Disgusted, I moved my seat.

This was a severe case of ‘suburban Simple Simon syndrome’- a.k.a. xenophobia by geographical default. (After all, almost 90 percent of Upper Dublin residents are white, but only six percent are Asian and five percent are Black.)

Whatever the reason for their ignorance, these three courteous and cultured ladies sold me on whatever it takes to introduce Chinese as a foreign language to Upper Dublin’s children. If their children are taught about Chinese culture, they’re likely to be more tolerant than them, which is an outright necessity given the global economy’s future.

China is on the rise.

In 2004 U.S. trade with China surpassed 245 billion dollars, according to the Asian Society Organization. ASO also projected that the Asian and Pacific Islander population will grow from 10.7 million to 33.4 million within the next 50 years. That’s like- 1,475 times the number of white people that live here in Upper Dublin.

Oh, and the World Intellectual Property Organization predicts that Chinese will top English as the most-used language on the Internet by the end of this year.

So why are only 50,000 American students studying Chinese when more than 200 million Chinese students are studying English?

Because of people like these dupes who disrespect unfamiliar cultures.

Maybe they’re objected to their children learning the Chinese language similar to several Upper Darby residents who have opposed implementing Spanish in the elementary schools for fear of spreading “Mexican culture.”

Now that’s just ridiculous- right?

After all, an overwhelming of parents have voiced their support for building a 120 million dollar school, arguing that a new facility is essential for their children to remain scholastically-sound in the 21st century, and Chinese is being offered as a foreign language in the public schools of 27 states.

And what’s more “21st century” than learning Chinese?

So parents, do you want your kid to be the one who laughs at those who are culturally different, or the one that can put four years of the much-demanded Chinese language on their college application?

That’s what I thought.

So when it comes time for the school board to vote on offering the course, show some support, and if you don’t support it, at least show some respect.

And P.S. “ladies”: If you read this- feel free to give me a call at 215-242-0200, extension 467. Oh, and over the phone I speak only in Chinese, so you may want to call Mr. Liu to translate.