Sunday, August 23, 2020

Let's try Spanish

Professors demand end to standard English as the norm
A national professional association of writing instructors recently published a list of demands that argued the current emphasis on standard English is rooted in racism and called for a complete overhaul of how language is taught.

It was published by a subcommittee with the Conference on College Composition and Communication, part of the National Council of Teachers of English.

The statement called for an end to “White Mainstream English,” arguing such an action would “decolonize” students’ minds and the English language, as well as help students “unlearn white supremacy.”

The demands were written by five English professors and a writing scholar and the document is titled: “This Ain’t Another Statement! This is a DEMAND for Black Linguistic Justice!”

“The language of Black students has been monitored, dismissed, demonized—and taught 
from the positioning that using standard English and academic language means success,” the professors argued.

They added such a set-up “creates a climate of racialized inferiority toward Black Language and Black humanity.”

My Spanish bug is returning, and I have all my flash cads. Did we cancel Spanish when we cancelled Junipero?

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