Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 08:25:10 +0100 (MET)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: M-I: Re: ebonics


Rakesk writes;
>Bob, the Oakland school district is getting money to take African-American
>children out of integrated classrooms and put them in what will surely be
>equally as crowded classrooms to be supervised by Afrocentrics trained in
>the mythical West African-derived language of Ebonics. This is a huge blow
>to the development of an integrated working class and a sure means to put
>black kids in separate and unequal classrooms (what do you think these
>teachers will be like if they believe that Ebonics is part of the genetic
>structure of those who hail from West Africa?)

Being closer to this stuff then me Rakesh you are probably right about the 
above accusations and political bankruptcy of the board. Boards usually 
fight in the interests of their masters. But and this is and extremely 
important BUT does not exclude the neccessity of defending language reform 
if it is in the interests of poor and working class people. Not only should 
we support this stuff but intervene in a manner that implies free education 
for all poor and working class people.
>
>Moreover, the whole myth at work here is that the failure of the Oakland
>schools is a black problem, a conclusion arrived at because  blacks make up
>in absolute terms a whole lotta of the kids in special education. Well,
>that's because blacks are the majority in poor Oakland, and that's because
>Chicanos often drop out before being transferred to special ed (at least
>that's what happens in adjacent Berkeley, I'm not sure if this is true, as
>I suspect, in Oakland as well).

Well, that is a myth and i agree with you on this.

>And it is well known that once one disaggregates the omnibus category of
>asian-american one finds the greatest levels of poverty and drop out
>rates,etc. there. Moreover, once income and wealth is controlled for, the
>educational alienation and failure of white kids is very significant. This
>is obvious to anyone who has spent any time in the public schools. But by
>using dubious statistics to conclude that the problem is really a Negro
>problem, then it follows that the solution must be a solution which targets
>black kids. This takes the heat off the school district which has tried to
>break a strike (by trying to mobilize the community against the "white
>teachers") and suppress more systemic, more costly solutions (smaller class
>size) and provide in its stead, as Neil has shown, the small reform of an
>ebonics program, which is really no reform at all but a mechanism to
>reintroduce a race-based tracking system by lifting black kids out of
>integrated classrooms.

In a sense i agree with the above also. American schools have a history of 
being devided along class lines and race lines. I remember well the time I 
was a kid and the difference between the so called "academic" line and the 
so called"technical line". In fact the one was for the better off kids and 
the other was for poor and working class kids. And we had segration in the 
schools up until the 60ties in large areas of the country.

And naturally we as communists could agitate around particular conditions in 
the schools-smaller classes-more resources-free education-etc. But we should 
also explain that the school system only refects the interests of the ruling 
class and in order to really change things we need a workers party in the 
United States and a Workers Government which fights in the interests of poor 
and working class people against our class enemy. Because the only garantee 
for our freedom is smashing their rule both politically and economically!
>
>I would urge you to reconsider your position on Ebonics; I also suggest
>that you consider Neil's argument that the school board is not tactically
>astute but politically reactionary.

On the first No. On Neil's position i have already made a clear statement. 
It clear language as usual Neil is once again trying to throw out the baby 
with the bathwater. His excuse is the treacherous and reactionary politics 
of the scoolboard. I say that we defend this stuff and go to attack against 
the politics of the schoolboard and the both racist and anti-poor and 
working class school system in the United States in General.

Bob Malecki





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