Explores the debate over the teaching of black English in the public schools. Often ignored is that proponents of the recognition of black English have almost always advocated supporting standard English by using approaches that take black English into account. The reason for recognizing Ebonics is usually to implement strategies for teaching…

Argues that definition of African American vernacular English is essential for linguists and for nonlinguists who define the language based on their personal relationships to the sociocultural matrix in which it is embedded. There is a need to resolve conflicts about the use of black English in the face of the complexity of responses toward it.…

Argues that the African's struggle to survive the racist language may be seen as psychological rejection and resistance to mastering the language, and advocates the development of a language of African Humanism. (Author/JM)

"Ebonics II" is the position that there is no significant gap between black and standard English but that teaching standard English as a foreign language would alleviate the stigma attached to black English. Acknowledging black English and promoting Afrocentric curricula while teaching standard English would overcome the resistance many children…