Chinese, it seems, is becoming the new Latin in public schools. At least 27 states offer Chinese language classes in either elementary, middle or high schools. And according to the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington D.C., there are 12 public and private immersion schools across the country where most subjects are taught exclusively in Mandarin Chinese.
President Bush last year announced a national security language initiative to step up instruction in those languages, but Congress has yet to fund the $114 million program. (Source: Adam Gorlick, AP, Mar 11, 2007).