Letter writer Ryszard Linkliewicz (DT, 7/7) is right to advocate for the promotion of languages in the NSW school system and sadly bemoans a lapse among students learning a foreign language. But I’m not sure his opening proposition is cogent, attributing lack of interest to racism. It is surely important for new migrants to learn the host language, not vice versa. With a large proportion of students currently enrolled in NSW schools being from migrant families, the statistics offered to make his case are unsound, since their emphasis would be learning English and they are more likely to be multilingual already. No doubt, when visiting overseas, Aussie tourists are quick to learn the basics of the local lingo and they are not racists if they don’t. When I was giving a talk at a medical conference in Vietnam in 2011, my opening welcome in fluent Vietnamese earned a standing ovation, proving that just making the effort to respect other people in their own countries will prove that dispelling racism is easily done. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 8July2025
