Post by Okwes on Feb 23, 2007 22:57:54 GMT -5
American Indians recall inequities
By Deborah Bulkeley
<http://deseretnews.com/dn/staff/card/1,1228,2218,00.html>
Deseret Morning News
Calvin Hatch's "white" appearance made it easy for him to blend in at
school.
"But when they found out I was Native, the expectations immediately
lowered," Hatch told a civil rights panel Wednesday. "All of a sudden it
was OK I was achieving at a lower level."
Hatch, an attorney, told the Utah Advisory Committee to the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center
that educational equality is key to bringing up American Indian youths'
self-esteem and performance.
The local panel will review Wednesday's public testimony on inequities
American Indians face, from access to health care to dealing with law
enforcement to education, then will make recommendations to the
commission on policies at the federal, state, local and tribal level.
The meeting is part of a regional effort to address American Indian
civil rights.
The panel heard stories of youths who are failing at life and turning
to drugs and crime, because of an instance of discrimination that led to
their alienation.
"I know the expectations placed on Native youths at this point and
time are lower than the expectations of their counterparts," Hatch said.
American Indian children face obstacles that range from a lack of
cultural understanding in the classroom to their own parents' negative
experience holding them back from participating, the panel was told.
"We are appalled by the statistics on American Indian students," said
Nola Lodge, a University of Utah education culture professor and a
member of the Coalition of Minority Advisory Committee to the State
Board of Education.
Lisana Red Bear, who is Apache and Chicana, did not want to become one
of those statistics.
As a student at North Ogden Junior High School, she presented an
anatomically correct drawing of the brain to her art teacher.
"He told me that I must have traced it and that I had no artistic
ability," she said.
Red Bear went on to receive a college education and obtain a master's
degree in Colorado. She is also an internationally recognized Native
American artist.
She now works as a certified human rights educator and strives to
help her 13-year-old son through the same education gauntletgantlet.
Lodge said a task force is working on recommendations to improve
education for American Indian students, who she said face stereotypes
such as that all American Indians are rich from casinos, or freeloaders,
or alcoholics.
She said Title 7 federal funding for American Indian children is
often improperly used, and parents often aren't involved because they
don't feel welcome at schools after their own negative educational
experience.
"We need to rethink schools, schedules and curriculum," she said.
John Dulles, regional director of the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights asked Toni Turk, federal programs administrator for the San Juan
County School District, how his Navajo-majority district's programs
could be incorporated in other districts.
Turk replied that the San Juan District offers Navajo language
instruction, and he said those students who are fluent in both Navajo
and English have the highest achievement levels.
His district employs some American Indian administrators,
including two principals, and teachers.
"We do have an exciting dynamic of parental involvement," Turk
said. "Having Navajo administrators helps us get past (parents'
impression) it's their school to it's our school."
By Deborah Bulkeley
<http://deseretnews.com/dn/staff/card/1,1228,2218,00.html>
Deseret Morning News
Calvin Hatch's "white" appearance made it easy for him to blend in at
school.
"But when they found out I was Native, the expectations immediately
lowered," Hatch told a civil rights panel Wednesday. "All of a sudden it
was OK I was achieving at a lower level."
Hatch, an attorney, told the Utah Advisory Committee to the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center
that educational equality is key to bringing up American Indian youths'
self-esteem and performance.
The local panel will review Wednesday's public testimony on inequities
American Indians face, from access to health care to dealing with law
enforcement to education, then will make recommendations to the
commission on policies at the federal, state, local and tribal level.
The meeting is part of a regional effort to address American Indian
civil rights.
The panel heard stories of youths who are failing at life and turning
to drugs and crime, because of an instance of discrimination that led to
their alienation.
"I know the expectations placed on Native youths at this point and
time are lower than the expectations of their counterparts," Hatch said.
American Indian children face obstacles that range from a lack of
cultural understanding in the classroom to their own parents' negative
experience holding them back from participating, the panel was told.
"We are appalled by the statistics on American Indian students," said
Nola Lodge, a University of Utah education culture professor and a
member of the Coalition of Minority Advisory Committee to the State
Board of Education.
Lisana Red Bear, who is Apache and Chicana, did not want to become one
of those statistics.
As a student at North Ogden Junior High School, she presented an
anatomically correct drawing of the brain to her art teacher.
"He told me that I must have traced it and that I had no artistic
ability," she said.
Red Bear went on to receive a college education and obtain a master's
degree in Colorado. She is also an internationally recognized Native
American artist.
She now works as a certified human rights educator and strives to
help her 13-year-old son through the same education gauntletgantlet.
Lodge said a task force is working on recommendations to improve
education for American Indian students, who she said face stereotypes
such as that all American Indians are rich from casinos, or freeloaders,
or alcoholics.
She said Title 7 federal funding for American Indian children is
often improperly used, and parents often aren't involved because they
don't feel welcome at schools after their own negative educational
experience.
"We need to rethink schools, schedules and curriculum," she said.
John Dulles, regional director of the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights asked Toni Turk, federal programs administrator for the San Juan
County School District, how his Navajo-majority district's programs
could be incorporated in other districts.
Turk replied that the San Juan District offers Navajo language
instruction, and he said those students who are fluent in both Navajo
and English have the highest achievement levels.
His district employs some American Indian administrators,
including two principals, and teachers.
"We do have an exciting dynamic of parental involvement," Turk
said. "Having Navajo administrators helps us get past (parents'
impression) it's their school to it's our school."