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This is insanity. This is laziness cloaked in insanity. This represents the laziness of the instructors who are either unable to teach or who refuse to teach standard English.

When I was a youngster, I certainly used slang outside with my friends and elsewhere, but I didn't use it in the classroom. My teachers -- mind you, I was in predominantly black public schools in Gary, Indiana at the time -- wouldn't stand for it. And I didn't dare use that sort of language in front of my parents or grandparents. I had no desire to taste soap, thank you very much.

My family demanded that we learn and use the Queen's English; my wife's family was much the same. And the two of us demand the same thing from our children.

Do they use slang outside the classroom and with their friends? Sure! They're kids. Kids do that. But we demand that they use respectful proper language, and to use it appropriately.

If that makes me some kind of child abuser (I'd guess that this joke of a sociologist would think so), then so be it. I'll be damned if I allow some pencil-necked, pocket-protector-wearing, bed-wetting, hand-wringing apologist hamstring my children just to bolster their self-esteem and justify their salary.

I wrote a piece for Project 21 a couple of years ago on how insulting this concept is to the intelligence of children, black, white and otherwise across this nation, and I've caught six kinds of hell for it. I've received vindictive e-mails personally, letters have been sent to Project 21, I've caught grief from some interviewers, and callers to liberal talk shows.

But I will demand excellence from my children, and those around me -- in spite of the moonbats.

Double-barrelled Mega-PING! to both lists! If you want on, FReepmail me!

"But I will demand excellence from my children, and those around me -- in spite of the moonbats."

Good for you.

Don't feel alone or like it is a strictly African-American problem. We live in Northeast MS where our boys attend the 58% black public schools. It is a constant battle to get our boys to spit the mush out, enunciate and drop the nonsense words from their vocabulary. And I require the same from any young person with whom I speak.

I've spent a lifetime with a shotgun or typewriter banging in my ears. I admit that my hearing is not nearly what it once was. I also admit to being a slow-talking Texan. As I approach 50, both these things are taking a toll on my ability to understand a person who mumbles and runs words together.

I love working with the high school band kids and running concession stands both at the school and a local flea market. I force these kids (adults too) to to repeat themselves constantly until they slow down, speak up, and don't use nonsense words. I'm sure it frustrates them but it also gives me an occasional opportunity explain that they will one day be expected to speak clearly and respectfully to get a job. Maybe they won't be asking an old, fat, white guy like me for that job, but they will be speaking to someone who will make a decision about whether they get a better opportunity based not only on their skill but on their ability to express themselves.

In nearly 7 years volunteering with the high school, I've had only one negative response from a parent. That parent has always been a jerk, from the days when he went to school with my wife. His child has learned well from his father's example. I pity them and I pray that something will happen to break that cycle before the next generation.

This represents the laziness of the instructors who are either unable to teach or who refuse to teach standard English.

I disagree Michael. I've spent a lot of time in ed classes. Mine have been fairly conservative but they do emphasize compassion and understanding a great deal. I think this is less laziness than a bunch of "compassionate" nitwits wanting to be approved of by black leaders in their community, or wish not to appear racist.

I won't say the women I have been in school with are brilliant. But I can say that the vast majority have HUGE hearts. Without exception, they do, genuinely, want to do good for children. Sadly, quite a few are willing to do anything that some expert says is best. They lack the maturity and experience to judge it for themselves.

In Europe there are many dialects spoken that are actually quite different from the standard languages used in the educational system and in the media. However, in schools the rules was usually NO dialect. You couldn't write in dialect, and you were meant to try as well as you could NOT to speak in a dialect. These policies were implemented to give rural children the same opportunities urban children had. It's fine to speak a pidgeon at home, but you certainly want your children to ALSO know the standard language.

My mother was a school teacher. When we spoke incorrectly in front of her, she would refuse to answer until we had corrected ourselves. Or, there would be the ever popular, "Behind the preposition 'at'." response if said something like, "Where's my uniform at?" I kept what little teenage slang I knew outside of the house.

We had some workmen come in once and my mother and I were speaking to each other in their presence. The guy looked up and said, "You must be a school teacher." My mother answered in the affirmative and asked why he said that. "Because you speak so well." Too bad good English is deemed to be solely the province of teachers.