MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION PROCESS WITHIN BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Indian organization of American Indians, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents, and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has shown their understanding of “meaningful consultation “ is lacking, and

WHEREAS, across the nation in consultation hearings almost all tribes have voiced their opposition to the recent restructuring of the BIA and tribes know what is best for their children and the BIA has ignored these tribes and have gone ahead with the restructuring, and

WHEREAS, injunctions have been filed in federal court in the Southwest and Northern Plains for meaningful consultation and the court has ruled in favor of both injunctions, and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NIEA support and provide information to the tribes developing a meaningful consultation process that allows the tribes to set the agenda of when, where and what for meaningful consultation.

CERTIFICATION

I do hereby certify that the following resolution was dully considered and passed by the NIEA Board of Directors on November 30, 2006 at which a quorum was present.