Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to J. T. P., January 9, 1997

Congress of tfjc fUmteti States Д>о№ o( EeprestnMttote ©taljington, 2ЭС 20515-2002 January 9, 1997 Thank you for contacting me regarding federal funding for black English, also known as “Ebonics.” I share your concerns. In December, the Oakland, California school board touched off a national debate when it unanimously voted to recognize Ebonics as the “primary” language of the city’s black students. The board’s decision clears the way for the school district’s 28,000 black students to be taught standard English as a secondary language — the same way that Spanish-speaking students are taught English. As you know, the Oakland school board’s decision has drawn a sharp, generally negative response from educators and opinion leaders nationwide. Kweisi Mfume, my former congressional colleague and current national president of the NAACP, dubbed the plan, “ a cruel joke being played on a number of students who really need educational excellence, not educational excuses.” I am adamantly opposed to any attempt to replace the teaching of standard English with Ebonics. I believe that the idea fails on two levels. First, Ebonics is an offshoot of the English language, but it is clearly not a separate language. There are many areas of the United States in which distinct variations of standard English are spoken — such as Appalachia; Louisiana; and New England. If Ebonics is to be considered a separate language, shouldn’t all these regional dialects qualify as well? Our common language is an important unifying force in the United States. Standard English is the only universally-accepted version of the language. If we allow standard English to devolve into a series of dialects, such as Ebonics, we are encouraging division and separatism in our society. Second, Oakland’s decision seems to be based on the false premise that black students are unable to learn standard English. This is patronizing, offensive, and just plain wrong. Educators should encourage their students to achieve the highest possible standard. Otherwise students will find themselves entering a job market that simply does not want them. By declaring Ebonics to be a primary language, the Oakland school board may now apply for federal foreign language educational funding. Fortunately, Education Secretary Robert Riley has stated that the, “use of federal bilingual education funds for what has been called ‘Black English’ or ‘Ebonics’ is not permitted.” I am pleased by Secretary Riley’s prompt response to this situation. Be assured that I will oppose any effort in Congress to spend federal funds on the Ebonics scheme. C