Sign this petition to prevent the cancellation of the German language program at Lexington High School, MA, and support its continuation. Your signature advocates maintaining this valuable curriculum.

German is a language with rich cultural, historical, and economic significance. Offering German at LHS provides students with an invaluable opportunity to gain insights into German culture and to develop skills that are beneficial in a globalized world. Languages open doors, and by restricting access to the German program, we close off these opportunities for many students who wish to learn or continue learning the language.

The benefits of maintaining the German language program are multifaceted. It promotes language diversity, supports cognitive development, and enhances students college and career readiness, particularly in fields where multilingual skills are advantageous. Moreover, in a town like Lexington, known for its commitment to excellent education, offering diverse language programs is essential to preserving and enriching the quality of education.

With 130–155 million global speakers—including 90–100 million native speakers—German holds the title of the most widely spoken native language in the European Union. As an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg, it serves as a critical bridge for communication in central Europe, with significant communities also in the US, Brazil, and Eastern Europe.

This broad reach underscores German’s immense value in global commerce, science, and culture. As Europe’s largest economy, Germany offers lucrative career prospects in business, engineering, and technology. For students, proficiency in German is a key asset, opening doors to top-tier, low-tuition, or tuition-free universities in Germany.

While closely related to English and accessible to learners, German’s structured grammar is a valuable tool for developing critical thinking and analytical skills. It ranks as the second most used language in science, and German-speaking nations are a leading force in literature, philosophy, art, music, and theology. Additionally, German is the third most used language on websites, and German-speaking countries rank fifth in global book publications.

Beyond career and education, studying German fosters a deeper, more authentic understanding of Central Europe and its complex history. Active engagement with this history through primary sources is essential for maintaining vigilance and ensuring certain historical events are not repeated. Overall, the program offers a unique, popular, and academically enriching option for a well-rounded education.

Cutting this program is a mistake; instead we should be investing in its future. By introducing Honors as well as AP German, and hosting AP exams locally, we can also serve our high-achieving students. We have untapped potential for growth through partnerships with German businesses, and schools that still offer German, e.g. Boston Latin. 

We ask Lexington to invite the community to a brainstorming session to address enrollment challenges together, rather than moving forward with elimination. We urge the faculty, administration, and district decision-makers to consider the students needs and the educational gaps the removal of this program would cause.

By signing this petition, you advocate for the continuation of the German program, ensuring comprehensive and diverse language education remains a priority at Lexington High School. Show your support for educational diversity by signing and sharing this petition today. Let us work together to keep the German language alive and thriving at LHS.