BlackECE Pushes California to Add Black English to 2020 Multilingual Program
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
BlackECE Pushes California to Add Black English to 2020 Multilingual Program
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Summary
BlackECE and allied groups are urging California to classify Black English within the state's multilingual early-learning framework, arguing Black children should qualify for the same language supports and teacher training.
The push targets California's 2020 dual-language learner program, which promotes biliteracy and multilingual proficiency in a state where more than half of children under 5 speak a non-English language at home.
BlackECE says African American Vernacular English is a rule-governed dialect rather than slang or broken English, and frames its inclusion as a way to counter language shame and affirm Black identity.
Co-founder Ashley Williams told PBS she was mocked for 'talking white' and later made insecure by teachers' insistence on 'proper English,' experiences the group says it wants to prevent for current students.
The campaign comes from a coalition including Californians Together, Catalyst California and Early Edge, and sits within BlackECE's broader 10-point policy agenda, which also includes reparations.