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Utah House approves bill encouraging Mandarin instruction in public schools
Summary
The Utah House passed Senate Bill 57 to encourage teaching Mandarin Chinese in public schools, with sponsors calling it a goodwill measure and supporters pointing to workforce and cultural benefits; the bill passed the House 57–12 and will return to the Senate.
Representative Dayton asked the House to approve Senate Bill 57, which he described as a measure that would encourage Mandarin Chinese instruction in the state public school system. "If this bill passes, it addresses the desire of the legislature to provide for the teaching of Mandarin Chinese on our [K–12] system," Dayton said, citing letters from families and international business leaders on members’ desks.
Supporters urged passage on symbolic and practical grounds. Dayton said the measure "generates goodwill" and argued more Utahns who can speak Mandarin could help business and cultural ties; he also distributed handouts with letters from families and from international business development advocates.
Representative Sidewei and others noted existing offerings—Salt Lake Community College and distance-learning courses—while conceding codification could be acceptable. After discussion and a summation from Dayton, the House opened and closed the vote; SB 57 passed the House 57 yes, 12 no and will be returned to the Senate for its signature process.
The bill’s backers said the statute would not alter core curriculum requirements but would create an option for districts to expand language offerings. The House record shows the bill passed without further amendment in the House and will proceed to the Senate for completion of the enactment steps.
