More information is here.
Professor Hunter Receives UCLA’s Native Nations Distinguished Alumnus Award
More information is here.
Education
Window Rock School District Sues to Enjoin Navajo Labor Commission Actions
Here is the complaint.
Here are the materials in a similar case, Red Mesa USD v. Yellowhair, decided in 2010.
N.D. Supreme Court Issues Opinions in Fighting Sioux Case
Here is the opinion.
News coverage here, via Pechanga.
From the coverage:
The North Dakota Supreme Court today declined to address the constitutional issue raised by the State Board of Higher Education, which claimed that a law requiring UND to keep the nickname improperly intrudes on the board’s authority.
A slim majority of the court was ready to take up the constitutional issue but was blocked by the opposition of two justices and the requirement that such decisions require the support of four of the court’s five members.
“There are not enough members of this court willing to decide the constitutional issue at this time,” Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle wrote. “We therefore do not address the constitutional issue, and we decline to enjoin the secretary of state from placing the referendum measure on the June 2012 primary election ballot.”
Native American Students Given English Proficiency Tests in Washington State
Transcript and audio from KUOW News here. According to the material, the Washington Indian Civil Rights Commission is looking into the practice.
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 2nd Judicial Symposium
Save the Date is here: Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 2nd Judicial Symposium
Materials in North Dakota State Board of Higher Ed v. Jaeger
Documents only available through HTM links, not as PDFs.
| 3:00pm | Thursday, March 15, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 20120112 | North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, Petitioner v. Al Jaeger, Secretary of State, in his official capacity, Fighting Sioux Ballot Measures aka Committee For Understanding and Respect, Respondents and North Dakota Legislative Assembly Intervenor |
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| Nature of Action: | Writ of Prohibition (Civil) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Issues: | Respondent’s Statement of the Issues: Fighting Sioux Ballet Measurers Issues: 1. Whether Article I, 3, regarding the free exercise and enjoyment of religion precludes the State Board of Higher Education (“SBHE”) to obtain a Writ of Injunction without joinder of the N.D. Sioux Tribes. 2. Whether the 1969 sacred Sioux ceremony giving the Fighting Sioux name to the University of North Dakota constitutes a religious function preventing civil interference. 3. Because the Secretary of State has not certified the Referral Petitions nor has there been an actual vote, whether the matter is ripe for Appellate Review. 4. Whether the actions by the majority of the State Legislature along with the State Board of Higher Education can be separated because the two entities acted in concert to promulgate SB 2370. 5. If SBHE and legislative actions can be separated so that constitutional authority can be chosen and decided by this Court, then the issue is whether or not retaining or retiring the Fighting Sioux name is an act to “organize or reorganize” under Article VIII, 6(6)(b) subject to statutory and constitutional limitations. 6. Because of the SBHE’s failure to assert any constitutional rights following the enactment of N.D.C.C. 15-10-46 and the subsequent repeal of said statute pursuant to SB2370, whether the matter has now vested to the power reserved to the people pursuant to Article III, 1 to approve or reject legislative acts for which the SBHE was directly and influentially involved. |
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Hicks v. Fort Wingate School — Indian School Allegedly Outed and Humiliated Pregnant Student
An excerpt from the ACLU site:
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of New Mexico filed a lawsuit today on behalf of Shantelle Hicks, 15, who was initially kicked out of middle school and then publicly humiliated at an assembly by the school director and another staff member because she was pregnant.
The complaint alleges that school administrators violated Hicks’ constitutional right to equal protection under the law, Title IX’s prohibitions against sex and pregnancy discrimination and violations of her right to privacy.
“It was so embarrassing to have all the other kids staring at me as I walked into the gymnasium,” said Hicks. “I didn’t want the whole school to know I was pregnant because it’s not their business, and it wasn’t right for my teachers to single me out.”
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Lawyers on this case include Klopfer, Alexandra Freedman Smith, Laura Schauer Ives and Maureen Sanders of the ACLU of New Mexico; and Sherwin and Lenora Lapidus of the ACLU Women’s Rights Project.
Read the full legal complaint: Hicks Complaint.
GTB Helping Suttons Bay Schools (They’re in Acute Financial Stress)
Here is the GTB’s 2 percent press release:
2012 Native American Critical Issues Conference Flyer
Here is a PDF: MIEC2012
Racial Tensions Rise in New Mexico School District as law suit filed.
An excerpt from an article on the issue:
Mormons and Indians
A deadlock between the two cultures is at least partly to blame for the political climate in the district since May, when the board and administrators began making drastic changes in personnel, policies and facilities.
At the root of much of that clash is a belief that Anglo Mormons long have dominated the district and held onto the purse strings.
“The allegation is that the Mormons have run the district for years,” said Byron Manning, the former director of finance and operations who resigned in 2011 after working in the district for 10 years.
The article in full can be found here.
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