Teaching Ebonics not answer to U.S. education problem
What was once an issue for the Oakland school system has become a volatile topic for national debate. We are, of course, talking about Ebonics.What began as an attempt to address the needs of black students, who were falling behind in standardized tests, has become a controversial attempt to have a vernacular of American standard English recognized as a unique language.Ebonics is not the only offshoot of standard English, so why should we recognize one and ignore the others?In New Orleans, there is a dialect which combines Spanish, French and English. This patois has been a part of New Orleans culture for hundreds of years; should Louisiana now ask for money to instruct the teachers in this dialect? Spanish-Americans, too, have a multitude of dialects which are a part of their cultural identity, but who is going to fund the learning of the many dialects found on the American-Mexican border? America is host to many immigrants who have retained some of their own culture, while adapting to the mainstream through the most basic way, language.Public school is the place where children should learn to properly use the language that is most commonly spoken throughout the country. That is not to say that dialects which are used by various regions and ethnic groups are not a vital part of our American culture, but they do not need to be taught in schools. Our schools are already in serious financial trouble. We do not have the resources to teach the basics. We are already cutting sports and arts programs. How can we realistically introduce another teaching program when we can’t afford the programs we already have? Some people have been quick to write off Ebonics as simply a fancy name for slang, and by doing so have ignored the issue which sparked this debate.The Oakland school district has the right idea. It sees a problem with how black children are being taught and how they’re learning, and they are trying to find a solution. However, sinking money into teaching a dialect seems like a lame way of approaching a much bigger problem.Perhaps what this country needs to do is design a curriculum which recognizes the cultural diversity of our nation within the areas of study we already have. For instance, why not allow teachers to design lesson plans which allows the alternative views in history and English that we tend to see more of in college. As well as reading ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ why not study novels by authors of color? If young students could see themselves represented more in what they study in school, perhaps then they would care enough to communicate with those who are to instruct them.
