Response to "Students' Right to Their Own Language" (2.26.13-3.5.13)

My response to CCCC's document is more of an affirmation of what they stated in the paper. My understanding is that CCCC argues for the further respect of language varieties and dialects in the classroom.   I believe that the culture of the United States perpetuates discrimination against those who do not speak what is labeled as Standard American English. The promotion of SAE in the classroom is understandable, but the adverse effects include inequalities in grading writing, cultural separations, and diminishing the value of the individual language of a student, leading to diminishing the value of ethnic cultures.

CCCC writes on page 7 that "most linguists agree that there is no single homogeneous American 'standard.'" They further state that dialect cannot be inherently good or bad although "the amount of prestige and power possessed by a group can be recognized through its dialect." Dialects have existed since the early formations of English, and they have always existed. Although a dominant dialect may be considered the standard, it should not be considered the Dialect of everyone. The use of language can change according to the domain in which it is spoken, or even in the change of discourse. I don't believe in a Standard American English, but what CCCC calls "edited American English."