Comments on: Rich, Black, Flunking – Comments

By: bennet@english speaking courses

bennet@english speaking courses — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:32:54 +0000

yes, you are absolutely right in this. When we speak standard english, the comment thrown at us is acting like white. But that is the only way out for us to keep up ourselves in the rat race. I think parental involvement is more important and need of the hour in this issue.

By: Sedruola

Sedruola — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:02:03 +0000

I grew up with the “you speak white” phrase constantly being thrown at me. Although I don’t think it affected my desire to learn, I do see how it might. I have a biracial child who is 2 years old. Although he is not “in school” yet, we found a “pre-school” that would take him at 1.5 years and we are very excited to see his educational progress.

I am a parent, as well as my husband, who plans on making sure we make learning fun and exciting for him at every juncture because if someone tells him “he speaks white” he can always say “I am white, and black” and keep moving, but if learning isn’t challenging and fun, he will fall wayside. At 2 years old he can say and recognize the full alphabet, he can count to 10 with no help and 20 with a bit of coaxing, and he is very observant.

I plan on partnering with his teachers to make sure, he’s doing what he needs to do and getting what he needs to get. There are many reasons kids can fall behind, but I want to make sure the foundation is solid and we are there, so when the tough times come we can have a solid leg to stand on.

Thank you for such an interesting post.

By: Beverly Mahone

Beverly Mahone — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:17:03 +0000

I totally agree with Ogbu’s theory. I witnessed that attitude in my own daughter. A playmate told her she spoke like a white girl and my daughter was actually upset about that. I told her she spoke “correct” English and “correct” English would get her through doors that her friends couldn’t even knock on.

I can’t speak for other parents but I have always been active in my child’s education–almost to a fault. But I want teachers to be on notice that I am INVOLVED and I expect them to be doing their jobs.