Education

The abstract:

A number of recent studies and reports have examined the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) and its impact on students of color. Few, if any, of these documents have focused on the troubling and undeniable effects of the pipeline on American Indian students. Nationally, 22% of all American Indian students receive disciplinary action at school, compared to 14.1% of all white students.1 In Utah, these students are almost four times (3.8) more likely to receive a school disciplinary action compared to their white counterparts.

Magistrate Decision in Griffith v. Caney Valley Public Schools

May 20, 2015May 21, 2015Kate Fort2 Comments

In which the student is denied the right to wear an eagle feather on her graduation cap. Her graduation from Caney Valley Public Schools, which is just north of Tulsa, is tomorrow.

Recommendation

The School demonstrated that the graduation ceremony is a formal ceremony and that the unity of the graduating class as a whole is fostered by the uniformity of the caps which are the most prominently visible part of the graduation regalia viewed by the audience to the graduation. Prohibiting decoration of any graduation cap by any student for any purpose serves these legitimate interests. Based on the application of these established principles the undersigned finds that Plaintiff has not demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on her First Amendment Free Exercise of Religion claim.

Plaintiff’s Motion and Brief

Defendant’s Motion and Brief

20. Objection to Report and Rec (5-20-15)

21. Defs Resp to Obj to RR (5-20-15)

Public School Won’t Display Grand Ronde Flag Without Payment

May 20, 2015Kate Fort1 Comment

And meanwhile, over near Grand Ronde:

Leaders of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde have pressed the Willamina School Board for a decision on their request, calling it a positive gesture in a district where about a quarter of the students are Native American.

It was greeted in April by a counterproposal from the board’s chair, Craig Johnson: The tribe should pay the district $25,000 over five years to display the flag. Another board member, Ken Onstot, said displaying the tribal flag could be “semi-divisive” because only a quarter of the enrollment is Native American.

Videos Available from Indigenous Peacemaking Training

May 19, 2015Victoria Sweet

The NARF Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative held a training in Catoosa, Oklahoma on October 6-7, 2014. NARF partnered with NAICJA and Columbia Law School for this training and is working on organizing future Peacemaking events.

Videos of the training are now available here.

Anishinaabe nibi inaakonigewin (water law) gathering

May 11, 2015May 9, 2015Victoria Sweet1 Comment

Announcement from Professor Aimée Craft:

I hope that you will consider joining us for the Anishinaabe nibi (water) gathering taking place in the Whiteshell this June. After a few years of gathering with Elders on a project relating to Anishinaabe nibi inaakonigewin (water law), we are inviting people to come and learn about water teachings in an outdoor teaching lodge format. We want to focus on youth participation and attendance.

Please share with your networks and people you think would be interested in attending. All are welcome.

To RSVP and for questions: watergathering2015@gmail.com

*Also, please consider bringing a young person to accompany you or assist us with travel funding for youth.*

Agenda – Nibi Gathering – June 2015

Map – Nibi Gathering

Poster Nibi Gathering

Washington State bill requiring tribal history, culture & government to be taught in public schools to be signed tomorrow

May 7, 2015Ann Tweedy1 Comment

The bill will be signed tomorrow at 9:30. It should be one of the first bills on the list to be signed, so arrive early. Here’s the list: Bill Action May 8th

2015_04 AIGC Cobell Scholarship Fund

” Tribal Colleges Give Remarkable Return on Investment” – Indian Country Today

March 31, 2015March 31, 2015maanee763

Ryan Winn is the Humanities Department Chair at the College of Menominee Nation, and in an article published in Indian Country Today, he eloquently gives Ms. Sarah Butrymowicz of The Hechinger Report, the “what for” after she published a not-too-accurate article about success rates at tribal colleges. Mr. Winn’s response article can be found here, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/03/23/tribal-colleges-give-remarkable-return-investment

Turtle Talk

New Study on American Indian School-To-Prison Pipeline Problem in Utah