7A Jodi Guarnieri response to Rumbidzai Mupinga

Rumbidzai, I found your critical issue paper both insightful and informative. I think you did a great job contrasting he differences between the American culture and the African culture in regards to its impact between school and home. The paper had an even greater impact because you have personally been affected by these contrasting cultures.

I found it interesting to learn how African students show respect for teachers and authority figures and their ways of greeting them. I started to wonder what the cultures, attitudes and different traditions there are in other countries such as Japan, Russia or Italy, and how they respond to authority figures. Is it just in the United States and our “melting pot” culture where we have evolved into a culture where our youth display total disrespect towards authority figures such as teachers, parents and policeman? We have totally gone in the wrong direction in our country. It seems our culture in the United States could learn from the African culture and the way they respect their elders.

The contrast between African and American disciplinary actions was also interesting. Different cultures discipline in different ways. When I worked in an inner city school, many African American parents would spank their children, for this is part of their culture. When I was in the middle school in the 1970’s, our assistant principal would discipline students by paddling a student over the intercom for all the student body to hear. I do not condone this form of discipline, however we had very few students misbehaving because they knew what the repercussions were. Teachers during this era were more free to punish students using different methods without as much fear of a backlash from parents. Maybe we were a little like the “it takes a village” mentality as it is in the African culture in respects to disciplining children. Today many principles and teachers have resorted to disciplines such as detentions or suspensions. In the African culture this is viewed as a light punishment.

Ebonics, or Black English as you pointed out is totally immersed in the African American culture. We need effective teachers who understand this dialect and are able to get their points across in instruction to students using this dialect. I agree with your point that students who continue to speak Ebonics will cause further destruction to their being able to learn and understand Standard English. If students continue to learn and speak in Ebonics, how can they ever aspire to be successful in higher education. How will they ever perform well on their college entrance exams such as the ACT or SAT? There is not an Ebonics version to these tests. You brought up the importance of having effective teachers who are knowledgeable in Ebonics and also teachers who have a plan of correction. It seems the earlier this is started, the easier it will be to learn in Standard English. However, it is very difficult to correct when these dialects continue to be spoken at home.