Maybe the name of this stupid program sounds better in Ebonics
Incorporating Ebonics into a new school policy that targets black students, the lowest-achieving group in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, may provide students a more well-rounded curriculum, said a local sociologist…..A pilot of the policy, known as the Students Accumulating New Knowledge Optimizing Future Accomplishment Initiative, has been implemented at two city schools.
What a warning that incomprehensible name should be! However, parroting the kind of claptrap that deprives some African American students of economics opportunities, local sociologist Mary Texiera commented:
“Ebonics is a different language, it’s not slang as many believe,’ Texeira said. “For many of these students Ebonics is their language, and it should be considered a foreign language. These students should be taught like other students who speak a foreign language.’
Fortunately, there is a lot of common sense in the African American community:
“There are African Americans who do not agree with me. They say that (black students) are lazy and that they need to learn to talk,’ Texeira said.
Go parents, go!
July 19th, 2005 at 5:54 am
“Ebonics is a different language, it’s not slang as many believe,’ Texeira said. “For many of these students Ebonics is their language, and it should be considered a foreign language. These students should be taught like other students who speak a foreign language.’
This is wrong on so many levels, it is hard to know where to start!
1) if it is a “foreign” language, where else do they speak it?
2) Real foreign students come from a different country/culture, where the official language is actuallly NOT English. Most, with the sad exception of HIspanics, seem to be able to pick up the language and assimilate quickly.
3) “Ebonics” IS slang, or more accurately, a bastardization of English, but instead of being incorporated into a language as true slang frequently is, social worker types like Texiera (no doubt in search of a new lucrative career) tries to call it an actual language. Maybe if they learn to speak proper English first, they could go back to “axing” questions in their “foreign language.”
4) this does nothing but hold blacks back, making them look stupid, slovenly, and ignorant. Period. “Bilingual” education in Ebonics would simply
This is just another case of not wanting to hurt children’s “self esteem” again. “No, Kweisi, there is no wrong answer. The only correct answer is the one you feel is right.” Of course, little Kweisi probably can’t understand her, and thinks he is getting “dissed!”
I wish some of these do gooders would listen to Bill Cosby.