I think they should at least have language lessons available for elementary school and not just high school. I do believe they should require it but at least having it available (in the public school system, that is) if a child wishes to take a language. It was requires in my high school to take one language class, but I took 3 years of French even though I got not so great grades. I took it because I wanted to learn other languages and France was a place I really wanted to visit. If they had Italian lessons available I would have taken that too. Although Italian was the first language I ever spoke. I really wish my parents had kept me speaking it after we moved to the US when I was 3. I think I would be able to speak Italian today if they did (but at a 3 year old level probably ;) )