So, one of President Bush's proposed stipulations for one becoming an American citizen is that all applicants learn to speak English, while he also seeks to make "English" America's official language.  It's doubtful he'll have any better luck with these efforts toward lockstep uniformity than with his No Child Left Behind school mandate.  As a result of this legislation, some of our nations' best public schools, along with most of those considered the worst, are now finding themselves on their state's NCLB "Watch Lists."  Why?  Because of their students' inferior performance on standardized tests.   America 's students' documented standardized test achievement has steadily declined over the past 30 years, rendering our students' achievement now below any other industrialized nation.  To anyone familiar, both with these tests and with America 's students, this phenomenon is no mystery.  In case you never thought about it, standardized tests are, of course, constructed strictly in Standard American English .  Of course, so are American textbooks, but are then explained and interpreted by school teachers daily.  Nevertheless, the gap between  America 's "official" version of the English language and what is spoken by the majority of its citizens is growing only wider.  Educators in Chicago report so broad a use of "street" English, that phrases like "fixin' to" have evolved to "finna," as in "I was finna to start my homework," which have now crept into their students' vernacular.  One teacher reported having high school students submit essays who used the letter "n" throughout in place of "and."  Hip hop music, instant messaging, and "texting," have all contributed to today's level of language "slang," so much so that it's no longer merely slang at all, but an entirely new language. 

For America's "official" non-native English-speaking students, those kids whose first language is acknowledged to be something other than English, there are "Bilingual" and "English as a Second Language ( ESL )" programs in place in schools to offset this circumstance early, while those students who not sufficiently schooled in English by the time of the standardized tests are permitted to take alterative "IMAGE" tests (Individual Measure of Annual Growth in English) or other tests designed for those not sufficiently familiar with English.  Unfortunately, in a growing number of American households regarded by America 's schools as "English speaking," Standard American English is as foreign as Greek to both the children and their parents alike.  Many of today's students have grown up hearing almost exclusively double negatives, misplaced pronouns, and other nonstandard English usage in their homes, and sometimes even at their schools.  Even if this is not the version of English utilized by their teachers, it is likely the only version being spoken by their parents and fellow students, alike.  It's no wonder, then, that they are incapable of deciphering verb tenses, of assigning appropriate adverbs to verbs, or even understanding the content of much of what they read on most standardized tests to be able to successfully decipher questions on any of the other test subjects, including Math, Science, History, or Literature.

However, while low-income urban schools tend to produce consistently low test scores, misuse of the English language in America is certainly not limited to poor urban kids.  More and more middle and upper class suburban kids have now adopted at least some version of the new "CyberRapSpeak," although most grew up hearing more traditional English as well, and so can recognize the difference.  Nevertheless, most areas of the country now contribute their share of English language butchering, some more than others.  Popular comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, recites excerpts from his latest "Redneck Dictionary" on his weekly television program, while his cheering fans proudly identify with his use of "words" like "jamakin," as in "What jamakin in the kitchen?"  It's as though we, as a nation, take pride in thumbing our noses at English language conventions. Unfortunately, it remains the standard that separates the "halves" from the "have nots," a premise apparently lost on those who would prefer to blame their plight on "the system." Still, it's no wonder America 's kids are confused. Try listening to a network news broadcast where the announcers do not continually end their sentences in prepositions, or misuse "who" for "whom." Just a few years ago a commercial had to be confusing to developing minds; "How do you spell relief?  R-O-L-A-I-D-S!" 

Naturally, the English language has continued to evolve throughout the ages, particularly with the addition of new terms concurrent with growths in science, technology, and even cultures.  Unfortunately, in order to overcome America's consistently mediocre school performance one of two things must now occur to prevent America's students from being hopelessly limited in competition with their global peers:  All of America's students found to be communicating in something other than Standard American English must be tested for specific language deficiencies and then accorded the same chance to learn America's "official" language as those born in other lands; OR America's standardized tests must immediately become less "standardized" to accommodate the English language dialects of all of its participants.  Surely the former option is more sensible.

As far as requiring that "English" be spoken by all seeking American citizenship, perhaps President Bush should start by requiring this of America 's citizens .