A secondary school in England has prohibited its students from using slang and “text speak” in order to help improve their career prospects, the Telegraph reports. Within the school gates, Sheffield Academy pupils will no longer be offending higher-ups with such base language as “hiya,” “see ya” and the particularly egregious “cheers.”
The trustees who run the academy said enforcing the use of standard English will ultimately help students impress potential employers later on. The war on slang is part of the administration’s ongoing “street stops at the gate” policy. Because apparently using the word “cheers” is too “street.”
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The trustees are certainly correct in their observation that many young people do not, quite frankly, talk good. But young people used slang long before cell phones and social networking. The key, one would hope, is that youngsters realize one does not talk to potential employers the same way one talks to friends. And how much can banning slang during school hours really achieve? As soon as the bell rings, students will grab their smart phones and tweet out “OMG dont u guyz think this ban is dumb” faster than you can say LOL.