I actually think it should. I forgot where I read it/or heard this but it is easier to teach a child a new language than it is a student in high school.
I'm not saying you can't do it because obviously you can but then how much of it do they really retain?
With younger kids they obviously are still developing and their brain is still growing they are able to pick up a new language faster than someone in high school can.
But what can it hurt having kids in elementary learn a new language? The way the United States is growing, it is almost becoming a necessity for people to learn a second language-or at least Spanish. I don't know about anyone else but in through out Ohio we have a HUGE Hispanic population and learning to speak their language will help them to speak ours.
But a lot of corporate jobs also like to hire people who are bilingual. Again it has almost become a necessity in the world, and give it 5, 10 or 15 years and it will be.