In March Gov. Ed Rendell issued a proclamation for Foreign Language Month urging Pennsylvanians to support education programs that teach proficiency "not only in English, but in other languages -- especially the less commonly taught world languages."

The proclamation made the obvious point that "proficiency in other languages enhances Americans' and Pennsylvanians' career opportunities and provides employers with a workforce with the necessary skills for an international marketplace ... "

Nice words, accurate words, but, as it turned out, empty words. In May, the state board of education decided that Pennsylvania would not require all students to learn a foreign language. So much for globalization.

Board Chairman Karl Girton said last month the board believes students should have proficiency in a second language, but felt it was "irresponsible" to support a proposal that would require all students to have at least survival skills in a modern foreign language or meet certain standards in a classical one. The reason was cost and a lack of foreign language teachers. The board said it didn't want to mandate a program for school districts that it couldn't help fund.

Mr. Girton said the proposal would require 2,683 additional language teachers at a cost to districts of $114.5 million. While unfunded mandates are a problem, some things are worth paying for. It gets back to this: Is teaching foreign languages important or not?

It's not just Gov. Rendell who is saying so. Eighteen months ago, President Bush launched the National Security Language Initiative, which, as its name suggests, promotes foreign language instruction for a greater reason than economic advantage -- especially in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Farsi and other languages critically needed.

The State Department said then: "An essential component of U.S. national security in the post-9/11 world is the ability to engage foreign governments and peoples, especially in critical regions, to encourage reform, promote understanding, convey respect for other cultures and provide an opportunity to learn more about our country and its citizens. To do this, we must be able to communicate in other languages, a challenge for which we are unprepared."

Dramatically unprepared. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said that only 44 percent of American high school students are studying any foreign language. She cited statistics that indicate that foreign languages account for only 1 percent of U.S. undergraduate degrees.

So, although foreign language instruction is supported at the highest levels of government as essential to America's continuing security and prosperity, Pennsylvania -- barring a change of heart by the board of education -- says it can't afford to commit to a greater effort.

How do you say "stupid" in Arabic? In Pennsylvania, we don't know -- and we're content not to know.