Controversyeruptedin1996whentheOaklandUnifiedSchoolDistrict's'EbonicsResolution'proposedanapproachtoteachingStandardEnglishthatrecognizedthevarietyofEnglishspokenbyAfricanAmericanstudents.WithnewdemandsforaccountabilitydrivenbytheNoChildLeftBehindpolicyanditsemphasisonhigh-stakestestinginStandardEnglish,thisdebatewillnodoubtriseagain.Thisbookseekstobetterinformthisnextepisode.InPart1,leadingscholarsplacethedebatewithinitshistoricalandcontemporarycontext,provideclearexplanationsofwhatEbonicsisandisnot,andofferpracticalapproachesschoolscanandshouldfollowtoaddressthelinguisticneedsofAfricanAmericanstudents.Part2providesoriginaldocumentsthataccompaniedthedebate,includingtheoriginalresolutions,legislation,organizationpositionpapers,andcommentary/analysesfromleadinglinguists.ThisbookiswrittenforallthosewhoseworkimpactsthelivesofEbonicsspeakersinourpublicschools.