Should computer coding be written into high school curricula? Coding appears to be the latest education trend, according to New York Magazine: while nine out of ten U.S. high schools don’t offer computer programming, professionals are recognizing a need for more computer programmers in the job field. New York quotes Maria M. Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College: “We have a clear disparity between the needs of industry and the number of computer-science graduates we produce. We simply do not have enough students graduating high school with an interest in pursuing computer science.”

But despite the importance of computer science and programming jobs, Jathan Sadowski believes required coding classes could be detrimental to our high schools. He wrote for Wired on Monday that, while many view coding as an essential skill set in today’s technological world, mandatory classes could actually widen the country’s inequality gap:

We have enough trouble raising English literacy rates, let alone increasing basic computer literacy: the ability to effectively use computers to, say, access programs or log onto the internet. Throwing coding literacy into the mix means further divvying up scarce resources. Teaching code is expensive. It requires more computers and trained teachers, which many cash-strapped schools don’t have the luxury of providing … Focusing on the additional, costly skillset of coding — rather than the other more essential, but still lacking, types of literacy — is the product of myopic technical privilege. There’s a reason such arguments arise primarily from the digerati: In that world, basic access is rarely a problem.

At first glance, adding computer coding to educational curricula seems like a savvy step. Especially considering the difficulty of obtaining jobs in today’s economy. However, as Sadowski points out, there are limited opportunities available to educators and students. This limited time should be focused on the basics, first and foremost. Literacy and math are essential to students’ educational progress. Without that comprehension, they will find it difficult to excel in other areas. But the beauty of educational rudiments like math and English lies in their transcendence: children who understand the beauty of  the written word, or delight in solving math equations, will have already cultivated learning habits essential to computer coding.

Could coding classes perpetuate the inequality gap? Only if we attempted to implement them on any sort of mandatory level. There is nothing wrong with learning computer coding. One could argue it’s like learning a musical instrument: it’s an excellent, interesting, and useful skill. But much like learning an instrument, there is a lot of time and money involved in coding classes. Joining a “code club” would enable students to enjoy programming, without exorbitant cost to schools.

Arguing that code is the “true lingua franca of the future” seems to give it an importance that devalues other beautiful, non-verbal languages. What of the transcendent language of music? What of art? Truly, it would be best if students could be well-versed in all these “languages.” Unfortunately, we haven’t the time or resources to teach all these wonderful subjects. But perhaps some students will seek out coding, music, and art on their own.

Follow @gracyolmstead