Post by Okwes on Jan 28, 2006 21:07:42 GMT -5
School District drops ball on Federal Funds...leaving tribe in trouble...
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION FUNDS
Jan 27, 2006
For years, School District 25 has been applying for and obtaining
over $100,000 in federal grant money - money to support their Indian
Education Program. They've officially made the decision to
discontinue their role in the process. Tammy Scardino reports on the
tribe's reaction to this decision.
They're upset because the school board made the decision without
consulting the Tribal Council or the Parent Advisory Committee. Now,
the district is leaving it up to them to apply for and delegate the
money.
It was a letter of notification that prompted Sho-Ban Tribal Attorney
Bill Bacon to make a call to Washington D.C. He says officials there
stated they recently audited the district and found that funds were
being misappropriated. After offering to send someone out to help the
district get back on track, they declined and completely withdrew
from the program.
Bill Bacon, Sho-Ban Tribes General Council: "Rather than simply
walking away from the problem, we want the school district to fix the
problem, and we will do whatever we can to help them fix this
problem."
Director of Secondary Education Robert Devine says the money is meant
to target a specific age group, which could explain why D.C officials
say funds were being misused. He says the board's decision reflects
their desire to give the tribe full control of money that affects
Native Americans' education - that the tribe can better work with
Native American students' wants and needs.
Robert Devine, Director of Secondary Education: "The decision's been
made to give the tribe complete control of those funds. We as a
school district would continue to work with them as we always have."
Bacon says the tribe does not want to take over the grant - that
there has been no guarantee they would receive a substantial amount
of money. Plus, many of the students who go to school off the
reservation do not live on the reservation.
Bill Bacon, Sho-Ban Tribes General Council: "What they fail to
understand is half of them have no contact with our tribe."
Bacon says the district was obligated to receive the money and
shouldn't back out now. Devine says the school district stands behind
the No Child Left Behind Act.
Robert Devine, Director of Secondary Education: "A school district is
never going to be able to, or want to, consider running away from
their responsibility."
The real issue here that both sides agree on is that the students'
best interests is the number one priority. A meeting is scheduled to
take place between School District 25 and the Tribal Council in the
near future.
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION FUNDS
Jan 27, 2006
For years, School District 25 has been applying for and obtaining
over $100,000 in federal grant money - money to support their Indian
Education Program. They've officially made the decision to
discontinue their role in the process. Tammy Scardino reports on the
tribe's reaction to this decision.
They're upset because the school board made the decision without
consulting the Tribal Council or the Parent Advisory Committee. Now,
the district is leaving it up to them to apply for and delegate the
money.
It was a letter of notification that prompted Sho-Ban Tribal Attorney
Bill Bacon to make a call to Washington D.C. He says officials there
stated they recently audited the district and found that funds were
being misappropriated. After offering to send someone out to help the
district get back on track, they declined and completely withdrew
from the program.
Bill Bacon, Sho-Ban Tribes General Council: "Rather than simply
walking away from the problem, we want the school district to fix the
problem, and we will do whatever we can to help them fix this
problem."
Director of Secondary Education Robert Devine says the money is meant
to target a specific age group, which could explain why D.C officials
say funds were being misused. He says the board's decision reflects
their desire to give the tribe full control of money that affects
Native Americans' education - that the tribe can better work with
Native American students' wants and needs.
Robert Devine, Director of Secondary Education: "The decision's been
made to give the tribe complete control of those funds. We as a
school district would continue to work with them as we always have."
Bacon says the tribe does not want to take over the grant - that
there has been no guarantee they would receive a substantial amount
of money. Plus, many of the students who go to school off the
reservation do not live on the reservation.
Bill Bacon, Sho-Ban Tribes General Council: "What they fail to
understand is half of them have no contact with our tribe."
Bacon says the district was obligated to receive the money and
shouldn't back out now. Devine says the school district stands behind
the No Child Left Behind Act.
Robert Devine, Director of Secondary Education: "A school district is
never going to be able to, or want to, consider running away from
their responsibility."
The real issue here that both sides agree on is that the students'
best interests is the number one priority. A meeting is scheduled to
take place between School District 25 and the Tribal Council in the
near future.