Abstract said:That's fine and all, but I think students at school should be taught a standard english. They can speak however they want at home, and nobody is denying this right. They can even speak how they want at school. However, assignments and tests should be (somewhat) standardized because it better prepares them to function in the workplace and in general.
For example, look at China. They speak a several major dialects of chinese (some are incomprehensible if you can only speak one dialect), and dozens of different "subdialects" (I guess they can be considered "dialects" as well) in China, and yet they're taught in Mandarin at school, making it easier to communicate and conduct business within it's own borders, which was more difficult in the past. Even their writing is standardized.
You can argue that language can never be standardized, and that segmentation within China will happen over time, but I think being taught a standardized english in the US isn't racist. Imagine teaching english in an area filled with mostly Japanese people. Do you stop differentiating between the "r" and "l" sounds completely and stat teaching them "engrish" instead?
I'm not white, either, if that makes a difference.
That's a very interesting question- one that's been on several ballot initiatives. In my state, Massachusetts, voters agreed with you, that no matter who you are, you should learn English the same way.
Personally, I think that subjects like math and science should be taught in the language that the students best understand, and in English class, they should be taught Standard English, but the way someone who speaks English would learn a second language.