It is time we talked about linguistic bias and the impact it has on student education.  In order to combat our prejudices when it comes to how students speak and write, we must first recognize what our prejudices are. 
This talk explores educational equity for students who speak African American Vernacular English. Camille Byrd O’Quin is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Clinical Education of the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. She is a doctoral candidate in special education at Illinois State University with an expected graduation date of 2021. Her scholarship includes professional development presentations at regional, national, and international academic institutions and conferences for the study of culturally responsive pedagogy. Mrs. O’Quin’s research involves valuation of African American Vernacular English; examination of disproportionality in special education; expansion of culturally responsive teaching practices in urban education; and differential diagnosis of cultural linguistic diverse learners. Mrs. O’Quin holds a license with the Illinois State Board of Education and certification through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx