Chess in school?

     The Berkeley (California) Chess School, founded about 30 years ago by Elizabeth Shaughnessy (onetime women's champion of Ireland) to use chess as a way to interest children in school and let them see that studying something can be fun, has been a great success. Elective classes in grade school and middle school, camps in vacation breaks, tournaments between different schools, etc. Teachers, administrators and school boards have signed on and there are programs in quite a few schools throughout the East Bay. The educaters have been impressed by the overall academic performance of the participants. United States  national school team championship trophies are on display at the office/tournament hall. Best known alumnus--GM Sam Shankland. So the answer is yes, chess does make a good addition to the school curriculum.