2010-10: Eradicate Overt Racism Within Educational Institution

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1970 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 Indian, Alaska Natives 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 ornon-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, all Native American children shall receive equal opportunities from thefederal government based upon the unique indigenous status, language, and culturalhistory,

WHEREAS, the infringement of tribal sovereignty unfortunately occurs all too often in educational institutions and was evident by an elected school board official who citedracist research concerning the relationship between intelligence and race; and

WHEREAS, the board official cited the fallacious research of John Philippe Rushton that the brain size of non-East Asians and White students make them more intelligent than minority students, including Native students, and therefore, espoused that school resources andfinances should be directed to middle class, anglo students; and

WHEREAS, public education has not adequately responded to or provided for the educational needs of its diverse student populations, including Native students from preschool to higher education; now

WHEREAS, the use of this author’s research must not be used to define or defend the use of funding for Native Education.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NIEA urges its membership tribes to be proactive in addressing these atrocities that occur throughout Indian Country and beyond.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the author and the use of this research by the aforementioned School Board member will be referred to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, for the record.