I do not think it should be given its "own language" status, am from the UK and ebonics is barely known here, in fact most people will not even know what it means. It is improper use of English to me.

I agree with Alisa. It should not be a language in itself. I actually felt insulted when they were trying to make that claim years ago to use it in schools. Many of my friends felt that way too. It's just a dialect that some people speak.

Ebonics is barely known in Australia as well. As an English teacher, I don't agree about it being taught because it is basically a cultural reference to the way urban areas or other minorities groups tend to over-slang their phrases. (e.g. ima beat yo a**, or dis is da sh**) It came about because some people thought it was becoming a completely new language and wanted it to be taught in schools. For those people who don't know, the name Ebonics is a fusion of the word ebony (meaning black, a reference to urban area citizens) and phonics.

No it should not really be own language, I think that it is damaging in that it separates and stigmatizes black people even though it is not only spoken by black people.

I am black and asian i dont like ebonics to be taught i think it will not be good