How Has Ebonics Helped African-American Students in the Oakland School District?
Despite critics who have claimed that Ebonics in the classroom would be disastrous, the Oakland School District has proved them wrong. Regina Wilder’s article, “Ebonics is Working: Three Years Later” discusses how after a period of three years of the Oakland School District’s use of Ebonics in the classroom, the students’ performance in reading and wring has improved. In fact, the article notes that “the students have tested above district averages” in reading and writing skills (Wilder). Moreover, as Courtland Milloy mentions in her article, “Nothing’s Funny About Ebonics,” once students see and comprehend the differences between Standard English and Ebonics in terms of structure and syntax, they display a great understanding in Standard English, and as a result, decrease their use of Ebonics, which has transpired in the Oakland School District. In addition, bonds are created between teachers and their students on both a professional and personal level (Lynch). In fact, according to r
