Posted on 07/18/2005 10:25:14 AM PDT by 45Auto
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.
The goal of the district's policy is to improve black students' academic performance by keeping them interested in school. Compared with other racial groups in the district, black students go to college the least and have the most dropouts and suspensions.
Blacks make up the second largest racial group in the district, trailing Latinos.
A pilot of the policy, known as the Students Accumulating New Knowledge Optimizing Future Accomplishment Initiative, has been implemented at two city schools.
Mary Texeira, a sociology professor at Cal State San Bernardino, commended the San Bernardino Board of Education for approving the policy in June.
Texeira suggested that including Ebonics in the program would be beneficial for students. Ebonics, a dialect of American English that is spoken by many blacks throughout the country, was recognized as a separate language in 1996 by the Oakland school board.
"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.'
Texeira said research has shown that students learn better when they fully comprehend the language they are being taught in.
"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.
Len Cooper, who is coordinating the pilot program at the two city schools, said San Bernardino district officials do not plan to incorporate Ebonics into the program.
"Because Ebonics can have a negative stigma, we're not focusing on that,' Cooper said. "We are affirming and recognizing Ebonics through supplemental reading books (for students).'
Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, teachers will receive training on black culture and customs. District curriculum will now include information on the historical, cultural and social impact of blacks in society. Although the program is aimed at black students, other students can choose to participate.
The pilot program at Rio Vista Elementary and King Middle schools focuses on second-, fourth- and seventh-grade classes. District officials hope to train teachers from other schools using the program as a model.
Board member Danny Tillman, who pushed for the policy, said that full implementation of the program at all schools may take years, but the pilot program is a beginning.
"At every step we will see positive results,' Tillman said.
Tillman hoped the new policy would increase the number of black students going to college and participating in advanced courses.
Teresa Parra, board vice president, said she worried the new program would have an adverse effect.
"I'm afraid that now that we have this the Hispanic community, our largest population, will say, 'We want something for us.' Next we'll have the Asian community and the Jewish community (asking for their own programs). When will it end?'
Parra said the district should focus on helping all students who are at risk.
"I've always thought that we should provide students support based on their needs and not on their race,' Parra said.
Tillman disagreed with Parra, saying programs that help Latinos already exist in the district. He cited the district's English- as-a-second-language program.
Texeira urged people not be quick to judge the new program as socially exclusive. She said people need to be open to the program.
"Everybody has prejudices, but we must all learn to control that behavior,' Texeira said. She said a child's self confidence is tied to his or her cultural identity.
She compared the low performance of black students to starvation. "How can you be angry when you feed a family of starving children?'
Ratibu Jacocks, a member of the Westside Action Group, a coalition of black activists, said they are working with the district to ensure the policy is implemented appropriately.
"This isn't a feel-good policy. This is the real thing,' Jacocks said.
Jacocks said he didn't believe the new policy would create animosity. He said he welcomed the idea of other ethnic groups pushing for their own programs.
"When you are doing what's right, others will follow,' Jacocks said. "We have led the way before the civil-rights movement opened the door for women's rights and other movements.'
Not bad.
Where to do you find that stuff? Fierro - you are about the most resource person on the web! LOL!
Black students do not need this crap to learn and achieve. They need the same thing other students do, parents who emphasize the importance of school, administrators who will not tolerate discipline problems, and good teachers who care about the students and what they do. Don't tell me black students can't achieve just because their parents are poor either, I've seen it myself in the public school I teach in.
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Also, keep in mind that if they are too poor to move, the parents of these children don't have a choice where their kids go to school. How many of them would actually choose to send their kid to a school that teaches ebonics?
Thats why Charter Schools legislation is so important to be enacted and, IMO, should be the number 1 priority of african american political leaders:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/charterschoolsexplained.htm
I'd bet my last nickel that those proposing this ebonics stuff don't support charter legislation.
I don't know, but take a look at the top stories on the Republican National Committee's official website's News page:
July 18, 2005 :
RNC Alcanza Otro Récord de Recaudación de Fondos en un Año en que No Hay Elecciones Presidenciales
July 18, 2005 :
RNC Sets Another Fundraising Record For A Non-Presidential Election Year
July 14, 2005 :
Statement By RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman On The Passing Of Arthur A. Fletcher
July 14, 2005 :
Declaraciones por el Presidente del RNC Ken Mehlman sobre el Fallecimiento de Arthur A. Fletcher
I checked the DNC's site, and they go whole hog: they have a complete, separate Spanish version of their website (as far as I can see).
Dumb Ba$tard$!
Thanks very much, but naaaaah.
You are quite right. All students can learn. Perhaps they learn at different rates, but everyone can become a productive citizen - if they are taught by teachers who care AND who understand how people become "educated". That said, not everyone has the ability to become a brain surgeon. The world needs professionals in both blue and white collar jobs. I've worked in both.
This says black kids cannot achieve in the real world, so we have to give them pap, a language no one except drug dealers and pimps use on a daily basis. This is a racist mentality condemning kids to poverty or jail.
ping
These morons keep lowering the bar so that every student learns less. Everyone suffers in the end.
>> And my cat is much more intelligent. <<
LOL!!
A friend gave me a shirt yesterday that has 'My Dog is Smarter Than Your Honor Student' on it.
I know a Hispanic just got elected mayor of Los Angelos. Are the Hispanics in charge of San Bernadino too? Could this be some sick racist strategy to keep the blacks at the bottom of the economic heap? /removes tinfoil hat
Actually the word "sankofa" is a Swahili word meaning essentially "go back and get it."
Don't get me started on this mess...
No half measures. All blacks must be taught using Ebonics, no exceptions.
I'd like to see a DU thread on this. Guarantee they would be singing its praises and that only evil conservatives could be against this because they want to keep blacks stupid and poor.
So tell me, how is this going to help those kids succeed in life?
I say, "right on" and the teachers should be required to wear long, baggy shorts with the waist down to their privates. And , oh yeah, they should sport basebal caps on backwards or ski caps even in summer. Female teachers should be referred to as "ho's" and males as "pimps". And no "White" subjects like Math or English or History. Yeah, that's the ticket.
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