2014-01: Indian Education for All

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 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 Natives, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, The National Indian Education Association is determined to build relationships with Indian nations and tribes to show strong support nationwide in order to insist that states pass laws similar to Montana’s “Indian Education for All”; and

WHEREAS, NIEA supporting “Indian Education for All” will enforce the need for similar legislation to be in place that helps meet the unique educational and cultural needs of the populations they serve; and

WHEREAS, this resolution will draw national attention for all states, especially those with large Native populations, to actively participate in the building of educational support for Native communities; and

WHEREAS, the adoption of “Indian Education for All” in states can provide curricula that offers four sections, each semester, with students in each section who are “required” as a result of “Indian Education for All” to take Native Introductory courses; and

WHEREAS, increased students each year may then learn about Native communities, their cultures, histories, literature, current events, and persistent problems that may help students to work in careers where they will serve Native populations and include cultural sensitivity training; and

WHEREAS, introduction to such Native studies will provide tools to help students become effective people who serve Native populations; and

WHEREAS, this would also assist the goals of the Bureau of Indian Education and facilitate the push for culture and language to be incorporated into schools as well as support training for graduate students who can serve as teaching assistants to give young people, not only Native, but also non-Native, Native Studies majors something in which to aspire; and

WHEREAS, it will assist in building strong curriculum in all universities nationwide for preparing students for future Master’s and Ph.D. level Native Studies programs and lead to national policy support;

NOW THEREFOR BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Indian Education Association calls upon states to consider the adoption of legislation modeled after the “Indian Education for All” statute of Montana in consultation with American Indian tribes and people of the state.