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.'
It's intended to keep them down on the plantation.
Great. Maybe we can start teaching hillbilly up here.
Perpetrating or condoning ignorance does not validate it as acceptable behavior.
On the positive side just THINK of the high-paying jobs that can be created as Ebonics translators, all within the African-American demographic? That's great.
I am waiting for the Berlitz CD course. Shee-it dog, 'zup wit dat?
That Tillman believes that statement with full conviction is the funniest thing I've heard this century. If you flowchart this, right smack in the middle would be "miracle happens."
Tillman, consider "black students go to college the least and have the most dropouts and suspensions" ... why might that be? Could it be that your schools have failed to prepare them and unless you can dumb down the college curriculum (and you DO have friends working on that), they don't stand a chance to be successful? If you don't address the underlying problems, then your SANKOFAI program is dooming another generation of blacks to total failure.
Got to be one of the funniest bits I ever heard on Boortz. No, make that radio.
Boortz even had "Boo Got Shot" bumper stickers for sale. Many a car I spotted in Atlanta traffic with those bumper stickers. I still see them evry now and then. Still makes me chuckle.
And imagine the betrayal and rage people handicapped in this way will feel, when they realize all their education was a sham.
Maybe we should teach white NYC students how to speak like Leo Gorcy in the Bowery Boys - that will increase their self-esteem and make sure we have a steady supply of cheap, uneducated labor for years to come. (sarcasm, obviously)
I'm glad people are trying to "reach out" to students and understand them. But since when did we let the students dictate to the teachers? Don't get me started. I just can't see how this can help. Only hurt.
This goes way beyond the soft bigotry of low expectations. These children are guaranteed to be left behind.
That said, I have always believed that education is a local issue. I think that we should let these people figure it out for themselves. If the parents in this school district are comfortable with the knowledge that their children will be living a worse life than there own, why is it my business? We are continually told that America is creating more low end jobs than we can fill. I guess these parents are raising their children to fill them.
Now you know why liberalism has been classified a mental disorder.
Now that cracked me up!!
Incorporating Ebonics into a new school policy that targets black students, the lowest-achieving group in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, is one of the most idiotic suggestions ever made by a so-called "expert", said a local* Freeper.
;^)
* "Local" is wherever I happen to be today.
"(White) liberals are always content to salve their own guilty consciences, regardless of the consequences for those they presume to represent. As long as a social program or educational reform "feels good," it is done."
You are so right, and we have LBJ to thank for starting us down this road:
No husband, no job, kids -- NO PROBLEM -- Welfare
Can't afford food -- NO PROBLEM -- Food Stamps
Can't afford a place to live -- NO PROBLEM -- Section 8 housing
Can't afford to make your kids' breakfast and lunch -- NO PROBLEM -- Free school breakfast/lunch program
Did I miss anything? (I'm sure I did!)
yepper - next thing, they will suggest that letting students use GameBoys and X-Boxes during class time will benefit them too. Add in movie time and pinball time, and field trips to the dirty book store and the teachers won't even have to show up for the kids to get a non-education.
And then they will blame republicans and demand education reperations.
"This isn't a feel-good policy. This is the real thing,' Jacocks said.
No, it's not the real thing, it is a feel good policy.
(Honky) liberals is always content t'salve deir own guilty consciences, regardless uh de consequences fo' dose dey presume t'represent. Man! As long as some social honky code o' educashunal refo'm "feels baaaad," it be done. Consequences is fo' conservatives. So's ya' end down wid dis real tragic situashun in Califo'nia. WORD! De kids who go drough dis kind'a system gots no chance--none--at success in de real wo'ld. Dey is doomed t'a life uh poverty, dependence, and lowered 'espectashuns.
PBS wants all preschoolers to sound like Cosby's "Mushmouth"?
"working class" would imply actual work. ;)
I suspect that most ebonics practitioners are as unfamiliar with "work" as they are the rest of the English language.
>>was recognized as a separate language in 1996 by the Oakland school board<<
Who has as much authority to recognize a language as my cat.
And my cat is much more intelligent.
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