Should Ebonics (Black English) Be Taught in School as a Lang

It has been the language of playgrounds, neighborhoods, and churches since African slaves were brought to this country hundreds of years ago.

Ebonics - a term combining "ebony" and "phonics" - has been the subject of a bitter and contentious national debate since the school board in Oakland, Calif., voted last to treat black English as a second language in its classrooms and to begin instructing African-American students in the tongue as a way to build reading, writing and language skills.

To critics, the move represents political correctness run amok: It elevates slang to a legitimate language--and threatens to undermine the teaching of standard English to a generation of inner-city youths. But proponents say recognizin

Oakland school officials, caught off guard by the uproar, have tried to explain that their goal is to improve English skills. There are no plans to teach classes in ebonics or to substitute it for standard English, they say.

Many people see Ebonics as "gutter language", and "slang", and are quite outspoken about it. These beliefs are deeply rooted in society. Resistance to the acknowledgment that Blacks who use Ebonics may be speaking a unique language is very strong, but I believe it is important to challenge the belief that Ebonics is "slang". Some people have stated that the movement to recognize Ebonics is Afro-Centrism at its worst. I would argue that the attempts to squelch Ebonics are Euro-Centrism at its worst and most vehement. The systematic de-valuation of Ebonics in American society is consistent with the de-valuation of African-Americans in general, and must be addressed.

Teachers should be given every possible tool to reach our children. Ebonics may be the additional tool they need. Teachers should recognize that the linguistic form a student brings to school is intimately connected with loved ones, community, and personal identity. To suggest that this form is "wrong" or, even worse, ignorant,

Some topics in this essay:
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