Dear Larry: I think the idea of offering Spanish in kindergarten is good. Spanish is a language that is very useful in this country and abroad. I think other languages should be offered, as well.

When I was a teacher about a year ago, the principal floated the pipe dream of offering Ebonics classes at a secondary school in Harlem. I promised to vote yes if she agreed to offer one of the following languages: Afrikaans, Gaelic, Turkish, Finnish or Basque.

My logic was that Ebonics isn't used much in the USA and is useless outside of America. I told her that I thought we also should be willing to offer classes in languages that are used in more than just one country. I added that the teachers should know the foreign language plus English. I am tired of teachers who cannot communicate with their students.

As an observation, few schools offer anything but Spanish or maybe French. I think it's time our schools offer Chinese and Arabic. Chinese is a good language to know if you're going into business, and let's face it; our present involvement in the Middle East needs more people to speak Arabic.

Any high school student who intends to enlist in the Army most likely will wind up in Iraq, and it'll be worth it to know Arabic. Middle Eastern languages are very hard languages to learn and require at least a year of study to begin to learn something about the language.

Larry, what do you think of my suggestion? — Sarah

Dear Sarah: I think your idea is great. The problem is twofold. The schools would have a hard time finding teachers and students to fill the classes. The other problem is money. Schools have a hard time meeting their payrolls now. Without a new source of revenue, I think your idea has little chance of being implemented.

I hope some school district will see your letter and give it a try.

Dear Larry: I am a 33-year-old black woman with five children. I have a 29-year-old sister with two children who live with us. The house is too small, and I need some space. This mass of confusion is driving me to the state that I am starting to resent my sister.

I wish I could get her to move to her own place. I am known in the family as the one who has her act together. This is not true. I am barely making it mentally. No one knows how close I am to losing control.

All my life, my sister has depended upon me. Our mother committed suicide when I was 8 years old. My sister says she does not remember our mother. Our father never has been in our lives. He spent most of his years in prison and away from us.

My sister is emotionally very fragile. She has tried to hurt herself on more than one occasion. I am afraid if I told her to leave and get her own place, it would cause her to do something very frightful.

I do not know what to do. I feel as if I am being held hostage. I can't get away for a moment of a little peace and quiet.

Please help me. Any suggestion would be appreciated. — A.C.

Dear A.C.: You are right about your sister; she needs professional help. Go to your county mental health facility and tell them what you told me. I am sure the wheels will be set in motion to help see you through your crisis.

Please write me and let me know what is happening; you are not alone, and I care.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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