ABC news reports that the message from one school was clear – that students had to learn and speak proper English. However, there is controversy over the way one charter school in Harlem delivered that message.
12th-grader Reanna West is upset to say the least after a letter sent by the superintendent of her school. Democracy Prep Harlem High School has a rather noble motto, ‘Work Hard. Go to College. Change the World’ – it says it right on their letterhead. But it is not the message that has touched a nerve with the senior class, it is how it was delivered.
The letter, sent on Tuesday titled ‘Rationale for speaking Standard English at Democracy Prep’ says ‘we have to compete with others and there are so many damaging stereotypes out there about black and brown people…not as intelligent as whites or as Asians. These stereotypes are wrong, ridiculous and unfounded.’
Read the entire article and to read letter here.
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