I just found out my kid's kindergarten class is teaching Russian 40 mins per day.

[Ms. Toad]

253. I think this is fantastic!

Children pick up languages much more easily at that age, than at older ages. Russian is the 8th most spoken language in the world, so it isn't like it is some obscure language that a few people speak. Unlike many other languages, it uses an entirely different alphabet than ours - so exposure to that difference will open their eyes. It also had characters/words in common with several other languages

I think you're letting politics cloud your judgment. It feels a bit like not wanting your child to be taught anything about sex because you want your child only to hear those fact-based lessons embedded in your particular morality. Don't write off the value of early language education - or of giving your chlid a glimpse into the possibilities of worlds very different from their own simply because of the political structure/leadership of the country.

I visited the Soviet Union (including Russia) before it broke up. In advance of the trip I learned a bit of Russian (as I always do before I travel). I didn't learn enough to communicate well - but I could get around with the basics, and it opened the door for conversations with a lot of lovely people who were eager to share their stories.