Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In fact I'd argue that coming from a non-standard english language background is as much of a disadvantage academically as poverty, single mother households, and so on but it's generally unrecognized.
Probably so. If you don't sound "the part", people will overlook your knowledge.
My kids are bi-racial (black/white) and we live in a more upper middle class neighborhood. There are kids of all races, but mostly white. I correct their grammar now that they're 6 and don't tolerate "ain't" or too much slang. Anyway, a couple relatives on the black side of their family have commented that "they sound like white boys". And they said it in a very negative way. There are a few people on that side of the family who I can hardly understand, their English is so horrible. An accent is fine. Grammar so horrible that you need a translator is not.
Probably so. If you don't sound "the part", people will overlook your knowledge.
My kids are bi-racial (black/white) and we live in a more upper middle class neighborhood. There are kids of all races, but mostly white. I correct their grammar now that they're 6 and don't tolerate "ain't" or too much slang. Anyway, a couple relatives on the black side of their family have commented that "they sound like white boys". And they said it in a very negative way. There are a few people on that side of the family who I can hardly understand, their English is so horrible. An accent is fine. Grammar so horrible that you need a translator is not.
The POTUS speaks proper English and he ID's as "Black" but; I guess that fact ain't looked at by these Blacks who said your kids sounded "white".
Probably so. If you don't sound "the part", people will overlook your knowledge.
My kids are bi-racial (black/white) and we live in a more upper middle class neighborhood. There are kids of all races, but mostly white. I correct their grammar now that they're 6 and don't tolerate "ain't" or too much slang. Anyway, a couple relatives on the black side of their family have commented that "they sound like white boys". And they said it in a very negative way. There are a few people on that side of the family who I can hardly understand, their English is so horrible. An accent is fine. Grammar so horrible that you need a translator is not.
I never had family members(cousins and aunts) make fun of me or make the "you sound White" comments. However, my sister and me did face some problems from other Blacks. My sister was made fun of in middle school because she "sounded White". And I faced some problems as well. Some people would make fun of how I talk. And in my case, it wasn't just Black kids. Some White kids took part. One kid who happened to be White, just walked up to me and said "you're Black, but you don't talk like it". He said it in such a way that it sounded like he thought it was weird. I was annoyed by it. This is why. I don't feel like I'm suppose to "speak like a color". I'm just being myself. So I'm suppose to speak a certain way because I'm Black? Disturbing.
I never had family members(cousins and aunts) make fun of me or make the "you sound White" comments. However, my sister and me did face some problems from other Blacks. My sister was made fun of in middle school because she "sounded White". And I faced some problems as well. Some people would make fun of how I talk. And in my case, it wasn't just Black kids. Some White kids took part. One kid who happened to be White, just walked up to me and said "you're Black, but you don't talk like it". He said it in such a way that it sounded like he thought it was weird. I was annoyed by it. This is why. I don't feel like I'm suppose to "speak like a color". I'm just being myself. So I'm suppose to speak a certain way because I'm Black? Disturbing.
green_mariner: please DON'T take this the wrong way but; it's gonna take time for people of ANY skin color to let go or at least tone down the prejudices about how people "should" talk and act because that crap's been going on for way too many years.
73% of blacks are born out of wedlock. They are born into a bad situation. We must start with free birth control and educating people on the downside of having kids out of wedlock.
When blacks start having father's in their homes then test scores and everything else will be better in their lives.
Parents are the number one reason for a child's success not the teachers. A teacher isn't with the child when their at home using incorrect English. If the parents are speaking incorrectly then their kids will have a hard time speaking correctly.
Also, problems can't be corrected unless their identified. A teacher might be seen as a racist if they try to correct a black child's grammar.
I never had family members(cousins and aunts) make fun of me or make the "you sound White" comments. However, my sister and me did face some problems from other Blacks. My sister was made fun of in middle school because she "sounded White". And I faced some problems as well. Some people would make fun of how I talk. And in my case, it wasn't just Black kids. Some White kids took part. One kid who happened to be White, just walked up to me and said "you're Black, but you don't talk like it". He said it in such a way that it sounded like he thought it was weird. I was annoyed by it. This is why. I don't feel like I'm suppose to "speak like a color". I'm just being myself. So I'm suppose to speak a certain way because I'm Black? Disturbing.
I've noticed that some of the more successful people on the black side of our family are very capable of "turning on/off" the way they speak. So they might sound "white" while doing business, but sound "black" when around family members. One way to deal with it, I suppose.
The POTUS speaks proper English and he ID's as "Black" but; I guess that fact ain't looked at by these Blacks who said your kids sounded "white".
But Obama was raised by (white) standard-english speakers. In fact when he slips into a slight black english cadence it's probably intentional to warm up the crowd. I doubt he ever spoke that way before becoming a politician. This is called style-switching in linguistics. Oprah and HRC (with a southern twang) do it a lot too.
Studies have shown people respond positively to politicians who speak with an accent-- any accent-- so it's probably a conscious effort when a political type does it.
green_mariner: please DON'T take this the wrong way but; it's gonna take time for people of ANY skin color to let go or at least tone down the prejudices about how people "should" talk and act because that crap's been going on for way too many years.
I can't help the way I feel about it. It is a catch 22. Speak proper English and I'm "acting White". Speak Ebonics and I'm "a thug".
It is easier for parents to blame a teacher than take the time to help their child. A child needs to constantly be exposed to learning, at home at school and at play. Parents don't want to take the time to work with their kids; they are too tired, too busy, too stressed. Many parents also think their kids are smarter than the teacher and blame the teacher for the failure to achieve.
How many parents even take the time to talk with the teachers and administration before problems develop?
It seems like some black students have the worst time in public schools. They make the worst scores, have the lowest passing rates, have most disciplinary problems are most likely to drop out, and really have next to no chance of success or achievement as values of education in home are weak, parents are low income or single, don't have time to care for, low expectations at school, and strong peer pressure not to be smart and successful from community.
When you have to be afraid for your life on the way to and from school through a dangerous neighborhood, or go to school starving because your family can't afford food for you that day, it's hard to concentrate on your multiplication facts or your good behavior when you get there. You're more concerned with your day-to-day survival than you are about the score on your last English test.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
