On March 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to make English the national language of the United States. The order promised to streamline communication and reinforce national shared values to create an efficient society.

English is the most spoken language in the United States, but it is spoken alongside numerous other languages, including Spanish and Chinese. According to a survey by the US Census Bureau, 13.7% of the U.S. population aged 5 years or older speak Spanish at home.

While some have argued that the government will not change accommodations or translation services for non-English speakers, critics have mentioned how it might alter bilingual education programs in US public schools.

Critics argue that English being streamlined in American society might require public school instruction to restrict the amount of time students can spend in bilingual education programs. Others are concerned that English being set as the official language of the United States will not promote linguistic diversity, especially since English is already recognized as the language of business in the United States and the rest of the world.

“It will take a huge hit [to] people [who] are deaf, mute, blind … [people] who can’t just learn English for whatever reason,” said junior Drew Newbery, data analytics and marketing major.

English is the most common national language in the world, with 52 countries having it as their official language. However, it is not close to being the most spoken throughout the world. Chinese, which is still a group of numerous dialects, is the most spoken language in the world and is the third most spoken language in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.

Edited by Reid McEvoy and Stuti Khadka.