That’s just what makes latin valuable: Because it’s “dead,” and not evolving. Everyone agrees on what the words mean. And, since it does form the basis of many words in various languages, it makes comprehension easier. (Not that it’s that easy, but easier to learn than, oh, Etruscan.)
I wish I had taken more latin.
It doesn’t hurt to put up a fight, but in any case I agree with Eonwe. 4 years isn’t a requirement at that many colleges, and if you’re really motivated, you can learn on your own. There have got to be a lot of on-line resources (frinstance, there are some discussion groups at http://groups.yahoo.com). It’s not like you need a native speaker. 
On the other hand, maybe you don’t want to study a dead language if all you’re interested in is getting a job & making money and aren’t interested in high culture. 
dingely dingely ding!
update!
apperently, unbeknownst to me, the comment which was in the newspaper was made by some fool on the board who came on recently.
in actuality, five years ago the school board actually fought hard to get Latin in the curriculum, and it’s quite unlikely that they would get rid of it so soon. besides, how much money would they get for trashing latin? after the textbooks, the whole program only costs them maybe $1000 and three teacher’s salaries for five schools (two of the teachers teach in different schools in the morning and the afternoon, because the individual schools have so few latin students). really, they’d save a lot more money by cutting almost anything else.
what’s most likely is that the guy who said that “just doesn’t want any of our young’uns being corrupted by them filthy Roooooomaaaaaaans.” he probably would cancel spanish and french and german if he thought he could get away with it, too.
so, to mister probably-xenophobic-hick-on-the-school-board, i send out a special, private, perite, irrumator! tu ire et sugerebis anusae amoram capra!
If you like you can add habitas in fornice to your growing list of Latin insults.
It means “you live in a whorehouse”.
And here’s one you can translate if you like:
You have the intelligence of the dead sperm of the thirteenth blind son of a syphillitic Greek* sewer rat.
Feel free to substitute a better nationality or something.
*Taken from “I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts”: Book 2 of The Aeneid.
Yeah, sometimes I feel sorry for all those doctors and lawyers, but they had the choice of learning something profiable, and chose Latin instead.
well, ignatz, that’s one reason i chose latin as a language to learn.
another is that i just like the damn stuff.
and if y’alls keep badmouthing latin i’m just gonna have to jam a pylus in your ass.
remember! latin isn’t a dead language…
…it just smells funny.
You know, I’ve been thinking about this particular issue for a while, and from my own experience in college after dropping high school French after 3.5 years, I can assure you that this is a severe burden to impose on students. It could even make the difference in how good a college you are admitted to.
I personally think your legal rights to equal education are being violated, and if it was me, I’d sue the school district. Any decent school district would have arranged to let all the current students finish their 4 year course while prohibiting new enrollment and then dropped the program when the currently enrolled students were finished.
too late, chas. as above, it seems they’re more likely to cut spanish / french / german before latin. my whole rant was based off some idiotic comments one guy who’s new to the board made (that the 'paper took as truth, but that’s another rant).
anyway, i’m moot.
Mine ! ITS ALL MINE!
BWAAAAA HAAA HAA!
After hearing your further explanation, saephiroth, I am even more outraged. But still, it appears that my inital assessment that you were being denied an equal education were unfounded. It appears that the school boards are screwing all the students equally, which I have to say, is the most outrageous thing I ever heard.
This seems an appropriate time for one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes:
“On the First Day, God created the idiots. This was for practice. On the Second Day, God created the School Boards.”
uh… actually, i meant to use that as perspective for how unlikely it is that they would cancel latin.
half the school district’s students are in those three courses, there’s not a chance in hell the board’ll cut 'em.
uh… and there’s no “h” in my name. my online persona is based on sephiroth, not a direct impersonation of him.