Panel emphasizes value of Ebonics as teaching aid

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat Tolagbe Ogunleye, assistant professor of African American Studies, participates in a panel discussion last night titled "Ebonics: Myths and Realities" sponsored by the African American Student Alliance and the Faculty Fellows. Ogunleye spoke about how Ebonics is often considered slang and needs to be recognized as a language.

"It is now time to work together to remove the social stigma associated with Ebonics," said Mikelle Omari, professor of African American Studies.

Omari was one of five panelists who shared their views on Ebonics as part of a forum in the basement of the Martin Luther King Jr. building.

"Every African American who has been raised around other African Americans speaks a form of Ebonics," Omari said.

About 35 students attended the forum, "Ebonics: Myths and Realities," presented by the African American Student Alliance and the Faculty Fellows.

Ebonics, also Black English, is derived from the words "ebony" and "phonics."

Interest in Black English first peaked in the early 1920s when linguists began studying the speech patterns of African Americans. Black English gained legitimacy in the 1960s with the popularization of African American music and literature.

Ebonics came to the forefront of a national debate in December when the Oakland, Calif. Board of Education adopted a program that uses Ebonics to teach standard English.

Proponents of Ebonics argue that the speech patterns many African American students bring to the classroom are derived from Niger-Congo and West African languages.

"The best way to teach is to meet your students where they are and to bring them to where they need to be," said David Crockett, a doctoral candidate in marketing.

Crockett said using Ebonics in the classroom is "simply good teaching."

"The intent is to use Ebonics as a bridge to standard English," he said.

Jesse Hargrove, assistant dean for African American Student Affairs, said the debate over Ebonics began in the 1960s and '70s when American classrooms became more racially integrated.

"The debate over Ebonics has resurfaced 30 years later because racial relations have not changed that much," Hargrove said.

Tolagbe Ogunleye, assistant professor of African American Studies, said many scholars and linguists confuse Ebonics with common street slang.

"We can't really talk intelligently about Ebonics because we don't really know what Ebonics is," Ogunleye said.

Using the recent film "Booty Call" as an example, Ogunleye said many people are offended by language they think is Ebonics.

"Booty is definitely not Ebonics," she said. "Booty is slang."

Ogunleye said Ebonics is not recognized in many academic circles because it is associated with street talk that only takes place in poor black neighborhoods.

"If all black people became successful overnight, everybody and their mama would be speaking Ebonics," she said.