Cancer of EboniesAmerican society made concessions in favor of many groups of people with special interests, such as animal rights activists, environmental activists, and a host of ethnic groups. Strict animal rights laws have been passed to ensure the safety and future of a variety of species ranging from domestic cats to bald eagles. Wetland development has been reduced in an effort to protect our swamps and forests from extinction. Our education system has implemented a program known as English as a Second Language, which lends itself to the unique needs of immigrants in our school systems. This program provides additional tutoring and additional test-taking time to immigrants who primarily speak a language other than English. The Dudley and Bethel Foundation Scholarships, along with more than twelve hundred other scholarships, were established exclusively for minorities with the goal of encouraging them to pursue their education. A list of these scholarships can be found in the Directory of Financial Aid for Minorities, 1993-1995. In an effort to promote equal opportunity in the workplace, the United States government adopted the Affirmative Action Program, which requires businesses to include a certain number of minorities in their workforce. Today, some politicians and teachers in this country want to make concessions for Americans who grew up learning to speak what some call street slang, instead of speaking standard English, which I I finally heard, was still the primary language of the United States. According to political columnist Caroline Boarder, a program known as Ebonics was introduced in Oakland, California, as a way to bridge the gap between black or poor English-speaking students and standard English-speaking students in an effort to raise their level. reading and writing test scores of African Americans. She also states that the Oakland school board argues that this bridge is necessary because speaking Ebonics is genetically linked to African Americans. (Educators Sound Off on Ebonics, Washington Post, January 97) This hypothesis suggests that black students are incapable of learning the English language through conventional teaching methods, and we must devise an easier way to teach them. I encourage all taxpaying American citizens to take a close look at this program; after all, you will be the one footing the bill for its implementation. I agree with politicians and educators who have at least recognized the fact that our education system needs an effective way to instill good English in all students across the country, regardless of race, but is Ebonics the answer.?