| France would be a typical example, except that this is an urban legend. Context: I graduated from the 3rd best high school in France, then from one of the Grandes Ecoles (~ Ivy League). I was born in the early 70's in Versailles. German and Latin were seen as languages where the best students meet. This was a vision of the parents without getting in the reality. The best high-school students were everywhere. I had Latin and Greek in mid-school and high school like anybody else. Complete loss of time when you are not interested. At university it did not matter at all. Today, when recruiting even for the "really French" companies nobody would think about Latin as a discriminant. It literally wouldn't cross anyone's mind. There are urban legends everywhere, this is one about French education (which is sometimes great, and sometimes completely backwards to the point where I doubt the decisions makers have ever seen kids in real life) As for today (and not 40 years ago), in the class of my son in that same elitist high school, one student does Latin and Greek. Because he is interested in the languages. |