Readers React: America should embrace multilingualism

To the editor: This issue is not only more Latino physicians, but also the need for bilingual non-Latino physicians. As a bilingual physician (six years of middle school and high school Spanish, one year of college and a year studying in Spain), I am a big believer that Spanish should be taught in schools starting in kindergarten. (“Number of Latino doctors isn’t keeping pace with population, study says,” Feb. 19)

I was a volunteer after-school Spanish teacher at my son’s elementary school for three years, offering the only opportunity for those who wanted to learn introductory Spanish. Sadly, my son’s middle school did not even offer Spanish until the 8th grade.

For students at schools that allow only one elective, if you are in music or student government, Spanish is not even an option.

We must become a state and a country that values multilingualism and makes learning another language a priority from a young age.

Mark Dressner, Long Beach

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