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Here's another gem: Without non-traditional language, we wouldn’t have Public Enemy rapping “Don’t Believe The Hype,” Diana Ross singing “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” or Bob Marley declaring he had “So Much Things to Say.” Without slang, we wouldn’t have the blues poems of Langston Hughes, or some of the patois-infused verse of Derek Walcott.

Of course you wouldn't, but these artists would very likely have still produced art. It would have been different, but it's incredible to suggest it would be worse just because it might actually use proper English.

Why do so many black children fail in school? The dirty little secret of public education is that most schools use a method of teaching reading weighted against the success of black children.
It seems everybody but the educators know that phonics-intensive methods work best for teaching reading, yet most schools use the discredited whole-word method. Fifty years of research clearly show phonics works.
The whole-word method has a very low success rate in inner-city schools, where it is not uncommon to find 75% of the children failing in reading. African-American children start kindergarten and first grade with the odds stacked against them.
White suburban schools also suffer lowered reading scores, but they tend to have better quality remedial classes which drill the students in phonics. Also, middle class parents often seek out tutoring programs or simply buy commercial phonics programs for their kids.

What this adds up to is massive academic failure and low self esteem for black kids, who drop out, join gangs, turn to drugs, sex, and crime. A sickening and tragic scenario that all starts with the public schools' failure to teach reading. Cosby knows this and that's why he chastised black parents who weren't helping their children by buying "Hooked on Phonics."

i suppose there is a time and place for slang... i find myself using certain slang with certain people... however, in our home we really try to speak properly... yesterday i gave my 3-year old son the game, "Hi Ho Cherry Oh!" his reaction was, "cool!" and i said, "choose a different word, Caleb." and he then said, "this is a wonderful game, Mommy."

last year, my 8-year old son (during a planet exhibition) said, "that freaked my heart." (something he picked up from my friend's daughter who was sitting next to him.) and i asked him, "what does that mean, Jonathan?" and he said, "it means it scared me." so i said, "then just say that." and he knew i didn't want him picking up her way of speaking... perhaps i carry things a little far, but--iaint gun stop... haha!