Saraphena Teasley

English 105

Professor Gill – Mayberry

“The best writing is re-writing”: 5 Drafts, 2 Tutorial, 4 Teacher Conferences, 12 scholarly sources were used to inform the divided stasis after 1st 3 drafts.

(Provocative Title) Strength Through Words

            (Hook) The implementation of Ebonics in the Oakland Board of Education has caused an extremely controversial debate, a former student of stakeholder Carrie Secret defends it by saying, “I began to love myself for who I am and where I came from because of Carrie Secret and her class. I started to actually love myself from the inside out, okay? And being able to speak freely, because I am free now. I didn't want to be black like I am. I didn't want this kinky hair I got, okay? Now I am--hey!--I walk like a peacock with my tail feathers spread all the time. I just learned so much about African Americans in her classroom, myself, and her and her style of teaching, how she incorporates everyday life throughout our history.” (Picower) (Bridge) The author’s message is, that Black English or Ebonics symbolizes a history that those of African American descent should be proud of. (Divided Stasis) (Opponent’s claim informed by 9 scholarly sources) Although opponents of the Oakland School Boards resolution claim that Ebonics is an excuse for ignorant speech, (Rhetor’s main claim with 3 supports informed by 9 scholarly sources) In order to celebrate diversity in classrooms as many schools claim, we must learn to be respectful different cultures and languages,  (Support 1) Ebonics is not slang, (Support 2) Ebonics would create a positive outlook of the language and help students master English-language skills, (Support 3) and Ebonics is a mix of different dialects that came from slaves.

(Narration) The Oakland, California Board of Education adopted an extremely controversial resolution December 18, 1996 regarding the topic of Ebonics. The thinking behind this resolution was that by using Ebonics they could target academically low achieving students and use their own language to help them fully grasp academic concepts. The Board believed that it would help “Build their capacities to establish, implement, and sustain programs of instruction for children and youth of limited English proficiency.” The public schools in Oakland were heavily saturated with African American Ebonics speaking students.  It was noticed that this same group of students were also the ones who struggled the most in school. And with the implementation of Ebonics the schools would be giving Ebonics speaking students a better chance of rising to their full academic potential. “They help students make connections between their local, national, racial, cultural, and global identities.” Critics of the school board resolution believe that these Ebonics speaking children are being denied a proper education. What critics don’t understand is that they are not seeing the bigger picture. In order to help these Ebonics speaking students teachers talk to them on a more personal level that they can fully comprehend, and with this teach them proper English.

(Confirmation) The Oakland School Board's resolution is one that granted Ebonics speaking African American students the proper tools required to receive the best possible education. Sara Dalmas Jonesburg a white public school teacher said, “Speaking Ebonics should not evoke shame or elicit correction; rather it should evoke pride in the speaker and admiration in the listener.” Ebonics speaking students should not be shamed for being proud of their ancestry. They should be proud to represent who they are and where they came from. And if the implementation of Ebonics in a classroom setting helps them receive better grades in school then there is no reason to deprive them of this potential success.

(Concession/Refutation) It is, indeed, true that opponents of the Oakland School Boards resolution claim that Ebonics is an excuse for ignorant speech. (1) In the article Ebonics Is Defective Speech and a Handicap for Black Children, the author writes, The Oakland school district made a egregious error when it recognized ghetto talk as a legitimate English language alternative” (Todd). Todd is saying that Ebonics is denying black student a proper education. (2) Other opponents, such as the writer of the article The Fallacy of Ebonics, claims that in its resolution the Oakland School Board repeatedly called Ebonics "the predominantly primary language" of blacks. Jackson and others made the ridiculous and stereotypical claim that most blacks learn this kind of talk in the home and on the streets and there is no such thing as uniform "black talk,”(Hutchinson) which means that by acknowledging Ebonics as a legitimate language they are doing black students a disservice, by allowing them to fall victim to stereotypes. (3) Opponents of Ebonics also claim that “Black English is not different enough from standard English to pose any significant obstacle to speaking, reading, or writing it, Black English is simply a dialect of English, just as Standard English is (McWhorter) in this quote he is diminishing the topic of Ebonics by saying that it is just a dialect and does not deserve recognition as an actual language.

 (Refutation: Rhetor's Main Claim + Support 1) But, in order to celebrate diversity in classrooms as many schools claim, we must learn to be respectful different cultures and languages.   (1) Ebonics is not slang, (Toumlin Warrant) In the Board of Education Adopting the Report and Recommendations of the African- American Task Force; Policy Statement, it is said, ““WHEREAS, these studies demonstrate that such West and Niger-Congo African languages have been recognized and addressed in the educational community as worthy of study, understanding and application of their principles, laws and structures for the benefit of African-American students both in terms of positive appreciation of the language and these students acquisition and mastery of English language skills” Ebonics is a legitimate language that has been recognized, and that will have a great outcome on the children that speak it in a classroom setting. (2) In the article, Language and Education the writer claims that “For students who speak a variation of English other than Standard English or who speak African-American Language (which is also referred to as African-American English, Black Dialect, and Ebonics, among others), the teaching and learning of prescriptive grammar does not necessarily map onto the language they speak, and thus they are learning about a language different from the language they speak.” He is saying that it is the teacher’s responsibility to help the students translate their home language into standard English. (3) “Perhaps most important, the Ebonics controversy reminds us too that as we extol the diversity of English around the world to the point of pluralizing it as 'World Englishes,' language diversity at home can be another matter altogether.” This quote was taken from the article Ebonics and the Politics of English, in this quote the author is saying that Ebonics is an actual language and that we should embrace Ebonics instead of offend it.

(Conclusion) Based off the quotes and information mentioned it is easy to understand that Ebonics is an actual language and not a type of slang.

(Refutation: Support 2 Ebonics would create a positive outlook of the language and help students master English-language skills. (Toumlin Warrant) (1) In the article Language and Education the writer states, “For students who speak a variation of English other than Standard English or who speak African-American Language (which is also referred to as African-American English, Black Dialect, and Ebonics, among others), the teaching and learning of prescriptive grammar does not necessarily map onto the language they speak, and thus they are learning about a language different from the language they speak.” The author is giving a perfect example of how Ebonics is so beneficial. How can one be expected to learn the grammar of a language they do not often speak? With the use of Ebonics students and teachers use Ebonics to teach student what to do and not to do and translate it to Standard English. (2) In the Ebonics’ Resolution Adopted by the Oakland Board it was said that, “numerous validated scholarly studies demonstrate that African-American students as part of their culture and history an African people possess and utilize a language described in various scholarly approaches as "Ebonics'' (literally Black sounds) or Pan-African Communication Behaviors or African Language Systems” In this document the writer explains that teachers aren’t teaching students the exact language of Ebonics, but that the students come to the school speaking it, and by having the teachers utilize this language it help the student retain information. (Conclusion) Ebonics is strategic tool that will help African American students excel in an academic setting.

(Refutation: Support 3) (1) Ebonics is a mix of different dialects that came from slaves. (Toumlin Warrant) Baldwin says, “ Black came chained to each other, but from different tribes: Neither could speak the language” He continues to say the he believes that if they had been able to speak to each other the institution of slavery would have collapsed quite rapidly. (2) In the article What’s a (White) Teacher to do about Black English? The writer’s main claim is that to speak Ebonics is to assume the cultural legacy of U.S. slave descendants of African origin, and to assert power of this tradition in the quest to resolve the unfinished business of being African in America. (3)Baldwin also gives another example of how Ebonics is not just made up ghetto language when he says, “…the slave began the formation of the black church, and it is within this unprecedented tabernacle that Black English began to be formed.” He explains that Ebonics derives from African American history and is an important part of the culture. (Conclusion) Ebonics would not only create a greater sense of pride in the African American students but give them the tools necessary to succeed academically.

(Summation) With the implementation of Ebonics by the Oakland School Board in 1996 it is evident that it has been a great assistance to Ebonics speaking students in their academic careers. It has helped students not only succeed in school but it had created a sense of pride among the African American youth of today. It has taught them to be proud of their ethnic background. Ebonics in public schools has allowed for a greater acceptance of black students speaking their native tongue in public. The main aspect that is taught to these students is that there are certain settings where Ebonics and Standard English should be applied, and I believe that this fact is one that many opponents of the Boards Resolution fail to comprehend. By implementing the use of Ebonics in our public schools we are helping young African American students reach their full potential and rise above the degrading stereotypes that they are expected to portray and become important people in society.