Personally, I think it's a great social experience. Once you move past the "I'm going to speak imperfectly until I learn," thing, you basically get to babel like a baby as an adult. People seem to love it, too. Everytime I tell someone I'm learning a language and they speak that language, they're always excited to help me practice.
I think it helps with your primary language too. A lot of languages are related, so learning about the structure of one can help you recognize patterns in another. Since you learn about new grammar rules in your native language first, it's especially useful if it's been a while since you've taken an English class.
A fascist take over of the government is what's happening here. This is pretty on brand for that sort of event.