CBS News has a story that describes the growing popularity of Chinese language classes in elementary and secondary schools around the country. Apparently, more and more parents feel that as China emerges as the next superpower, it would give their children an edge later in life to be able to communicate directly in Chinese.

I suppose it’s a positive trend -- not only in terms of kids actually learning Chinese (which has the largest number of native speakers in the world), but also in that it indirectly promotes better respect and understanding of the Chinese culture, and by implication, Asian and Asian American culture as well.