On the subject of schools, I agree that it is good if people are able to speak and write both in their local accent/dialect as well as in a form of their language that is considered appropriate for academic settings. JtS is very much that way. His normal speech is perhaps a little less influenced by his Newfoundland origins (alas), and his speech can be very generic sounding (for North America) when needed, but he can and does talk in a thick Newfoundland dialect when he's talking to other Newfoundlanders.

I somehow lost my Rhode Island accent when we moved to Maryland. My siblings picked up the local Maryland accent, but for some reason, I did not. So my speech sounds much more North American generic and not resembling any particular place. I don't know what I think of that. I think I might prefer to have kept my Rhode Island accent had that been possible for me. I'm glad I don't have a native Maryland accent (sorry native Marylanders - different strokes and all that).