Late in December 1996, the local school board in Oakland, California, unanimously decided that the district would recognize "black English" as a separate language as opposed to a dialect of English or a form of slang As a distinct language, Ebonics (from the words ebony and phonics) could be used to teach students in their primary language with the aim of improving achievement for the city's black children Proponents of the plan asserted that Ebonics contained linguistic elements from African Languages and that many black Americans had retained speaking patterns from their African roots By allowing teachers to recognize the separate language, supporters argued that more effective teaching could take place Critics immediately condemned the move as an abrogation of the need to teach standard English to African American children. Accusations that the move was a ploy to enable the district to access funds aimed at...