Black English and Special Ed

[Leila Monaghan]

   I just spent the weekend at Penn's Ethnography and Education conference.
   I didn't see many of the papers but those that I did were interesting. The
   most shocking information though came in an informal chat after one of
   the sessions with presenters from Western Michigan.  Kalamazoo, a majority
   white district with a significant African American population has one of
   the highest uses of Ridalin (sp?) in the country.  It turns out that huge
   numbers of African American boys are being prescribed Ridalin and as a
   result are perambulating through their school days like zombies.

   I suspect that disrespect of AAVE is just the tip of the iceberg of the
   problems of education for poor African American children.  Pre-schools in
   Philadelphia aren't allowed to give direct instruction to their students.
   Rich kids in the system have access to things like computers that provide
   indirect literacy learning opportunities but poorer schools don't have the
   same resources.  I think John McWhorter's view that money and reading
   methods are a big part of the problem is also important.  Am working with
   Bill Labov and Bettina Baker on a phonics based program designed for
   African American kids that does seem to be helping.  Am very curious to
   compare this with other programs.


   Leila

			
				monaghan at temple.edu