By Rob Capriccioso, Indian Country Today

Story Updated: Jan 12, 2010

WAHINGTON – If one area important to many Native Americans received less attention than it deserved in 2009, it was Indian education.

This is the opening statement of the article concerning the need to improve American Indian education in this country.

Attempts have been made in this direction, an example being the meeting of Tribal Leaders on Capitol Hill in November, for the 40- year anniversary of the Kennedy Report, whose focus was education.

John Echohawk, director of the Native American Rights Fund stated,

What Indian education really needs today is an individual like Robert or Ted Kennedy in Congress who truly understands and embraces full tribal sovereignty in education…

The National Indian Education Association notes that some funding for education was received by some tribes as a result of February’s stimulus legislation.

Indian educators  will make their concerns known to federal lawmakers this year.

This is an important  article that should be read by everyone.

Tags: Education, National Indian Education Association, Native American Rights Fund, Washington

By Dr. Dean Chavers, The Powerless Indian Educator, Indian Country Today

Dr. Chavers  is of Lumbee Indian descent, and  the founder of Catching the Dream, a scholarship program for American Indian Students.  He is the former President of Bacone College.  He’s received two M.A. degrees and his Ph. D. from Stanford University.  He has been a distinguished Consultant in Indian Education for 35 years. In addition, he was a navigator during the Vietnam war, and is a decorated war hero. He’s written over 20 books. These are only a few of the impressive things Dr. Chavers has accomplished, and continues to work at. He is a man of distinction.

Dr. Chavers begins by stating that he had written an article in Indian Country Today, 30 years ago, about how ineffective the Indian college professor was.

But that was 30 years ago! So, it was surprising to read this current article in which he describes the “powerlessness” of American Indian teachers in the education system today. In addition, Indian students are not receiving the proper education they deserve.

He states:

…For the past 25 years I have worked mostly with elementary schools and high schools in Indian country. I try to make sure the Indian students they are educating are fully ready for college. It is a highly frustrating job. I would guess that fewer than 2 percent of Indian high school grads are really ready. The schools, after all, are blue collar institutions. Most of the staff don’t think they are there to get Indian kids ready for college…

Sometimes we are forbidden to do certain things. A young Navajo woman was working in the Gallup schools 25 years ago as a tutor. She was concerned that her kids were not performing up to par, so she started visiting them at home after school to help them. When the principal found out he told her she had to stop; he called what she was doing “fraternizing,” and made it clear that it was against the school district rules…

Tags: American Indian Students, Dean Chavers, Education, Stanford University

By Paul Courson, CNN US NEWS

This article discusses how some people are trying to correct past mistakes, as far as the  American Indian people are concerned.

The story  involves a lawsuit  that was filed in 1996, against the United States government  for the mismanagement of funds from tribal lands. The article states that the settlement would give American Indians as much as $1,000 each.

However, there has been criticism of this new proposal from several of the tribes.

One woman, Elouise Cobell, a member of the  Blackfeet Indian tribe located in Montana, has said that  “…many of those represented in the class-action suit subsist in the direst poverty,” [and that the settlement is] “significantly less than the  full amount to which the Indians are owed.”

This deal is far from perfect,  and to get everything right will require time. What needs to be considered is the fact that President Obama and his administration are definitely moving  to take steps towards making amends to American Indian people.

Questions for Comprehension and  Discussion

Review any new vocabulary with students, place them in small groups or as a class, answer the following questions after reading the complete article.

1. Who filed the lawsuit?   Explain why.

2. In addition to the $1.000 payment, what else would the government agree to do?

3. Who is Eric Holder?

4. Who is Elouise Cobell?

5. Discuss  Ms. Cobell ‘s concerns (see paragraphs 10-13) .

6. How are the original people in your country treated by the government?

Tags: amends, Blackfeet Tribe, Elouise Cobell, President Obama, settlement, United States government

“Bias and prejudice are attitudes to be kept in hand, not attitudes to be avoided. “

The above statement was spoken by Charles Curtis, the 31st Vice President of the United States of American Indian descent. Curtis held office from  1929 until 1933. His grandfather was Kaw Indian, and Curtis spent his childhood on the Kaw reservation. As a young man Curtis had a passion for politics, and after graduating high school he studied  law and was admitted to the Kansas bar in 1881. Curtis opened his own firm and practiced criminal law. In 1884, he won the election for Shawnee Kansas county attorney. Working his way up the political ladder, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1907. Charles Curtis served as the Vice-president to Herbert Hoover.

William Allen White, the editor of the Emporia Gazette,  gives a description of  Mr. Curtis, based on an interview he had with him in 1891.

Read more…

Tags: Charles Curtis, Herbert Hoover, Shawnee Kansas, U. S. Senate, United States, Vice President, William Allen White

CNN News-Washington, November 5, 2009

President Obama met with 386 representatives of American Indian tribes at a White House Tribal Nations Conference on Thursday. During the meeting, the President promised “…You deserve a voice…you will not be forgotten as long as I’m in this White House.” According to the article, a key issue of concern is working to improve tribal participation in important government policy decision making. The conference focused on the “challenges and priorities of the tribal leaders and their people.”

Suggestions for Reading and Writing Exercises:

Have students read the entire article, highlighting any unknown words or phrases. After reviewing the new vocabulary have them answer the following:

Discussion Questions for Comprehension

1. Where was the conference held and how long was it?

2. What was the purpose of the memorandum President Obama signed?

3. How many tribal leaders were invited? How many actually attended?

4. Discuss some of the “misdeeds” that the President acknowledged.

5. What are the current conditions of many American Indians today?

6. The Tlingit-Haida Indian tribes of Alaska had what major concern?

7. What was the general response from the tribal leaders towards Obama?

Questions for Discussion and  Reflection

1. Do you believe that President Obama will keep his promises to the tribes?  Provide reasons to support your answers.

2. Why didn’t all of the tribal leaders attend the conference?

3. Are there Indigenous people in your country who need help? Who are they and where are they located in relation to the non-Indigenous people?  For example, in this country, many of the tribes reside on their own lands sometimes referred to as reservations.

3. Discuss some of the challenges the Indigenous people in your country face.

4. Are they ever invited to meet with your country’s leader? If so, do they actually attend the meeting?

5.  Discuss the  type of aid has been given to the Indigenous people thus far?

Writing Exercise

Choose one of the following:

1. Write an essay in which you compare/contrast the American Indians in this country to the Indigenous people in your country.

2. Write an essay describing the Indigenous people in your country. Include informations such as who they are, where they live, and the challenges they face everyday in relation to home environment, social, education, and health issues.

Tags: American Indian, government, President Obama, tribal leaders, White House