[Prudence]

According to linguistic theory, it is a dialect. And, also according to linguistic theory, dialects are neither good nor bad, acceptible or unacceptible, negative or positive.

Does that mean that potential employers are obligated to accept Ebonics, Creole, or any other dialect as appropriate and sanctioned workplace language? I would say no. If I had a potential employee in front of me who could only speak Ebonics and could not be understood by "standard" English speakers, then I would have no trouble turning them down, just like I would turn down someone who could only speak Cantonese. On the other hand, if they want to speak Ebonics/Cantonese at home, with friends, etc., I don't see the problem.

In a perverse way, I'd consider supporting treating it as a separate "language" or dialect in schools if only to enforce that it *IS* different. *THIS* is Ebonics and *THIS* isn't. *HERE* this is acceptible speech. *THERE* you are expected to speak standard English.