SPECIAL STUDIES The Special Studies section illustrates a microcosm of unresolved issues in the education of Indian children and people. The Navajo report notes the varying administrative jurisdictions at work on the reservations, their varying standards and facilities, and the attempt by the tribe to organize a system of education with adequate financing. The Navajo tribe has the largest number of schoolage children. Yet, educational opportunity for Navajos has only recently begun to reach these children. In every sphere, educational efforts are totally inadequate from policies, facilities, to staffing and programming. The non-Federally recognized Indians' report describes the struggle these people have had for education as Indians. The report notes how recently the segregation patterns have been loosened and again the total inadequacy of education. Four tribal communities were surveyed for their views on elementary and secondary education. While varying on many elements of curriculum and staffing one consistent thread called for was Indian tribal control of education. The off-reservation boarding school section highlights various investigations and Task Force site visit concerning these schools. It is clear that the character of students in these schools are rapidly changing and yet the schools, their program, and faculty have virtually been left to operate themselves over the last decade. An expanding effort in Indian community controlled schools is outlined in the next section. The gross indifference and neglect by the Executive Branch is graphically described. In spite of overwhelming obstacles, these schools continue to meet the needs of their students. Higher education for Indian students generally and the development of Indian tribal institutions of higher education is then described, and, once again, indifferent neglect and undefined policy appear as overriding problems. These special studies point up the need for a Congressional attention and action to support educational opportunities for Indians. (173) Introduction SECTION VI SPECIAL STUDIES SPECIAL REPORT ON NAVAJO EDUCATION The purpose of this report is to summarize the American Indian Policy Review Task Force hearings held on May 23, 1976 at the Civic Center in Window Rock, Arizona. It includes: (a) a summary of the education system (or non-system) on the Navajo Reservation; (b) problems and issues brought forth in testimony; (c) responses and needs expressed in description of the Navajo Comprehensive Education Plan (NCEP); and (d) recommendations brought forth. Navajo Education-A Summary Education on the Navajo Reservation does not fall under one system. Four different agencies administer schools throughout the area: Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), state-operated public schools, communitycontrolled contract schools, and mission schools. The fact that the BIA, public, and contract schools each have separate administration guidelines and funding indicates lack of coordination and lack of recognition of needs unique to the Navajo area. Much of this testimony dealt with extant problems-not with specific :solutions. BIA Schools Since the BIA schools are operated strictly by directives from the Area Office, people complained of having no input into the decisionmaking process. School boards exist but have only an advisory role. As a result, matters pertaining to personnel and curriculum-considered two of the most important issues are out of the people's hands. That is, first, curriculum materials are out of date; second, teachers who are incompetent are not relieved of their jobs but rather transferred to another school. The operation of the BIA dormitories has alienated students from both family and school. Students come home to parents unwilling to work or honor customs. Because of vague policies on student conduct and inconsistent enforcement of these policies, teachers and parents alike complain of the lack of discipline. Absenteeism and delinquency are the result. Public Schools Public schools are administered by the three states in which the Navajo Reservation is included. Each of these three states-New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah-have their own systems of administration and guidelines and each is operated by a state agency unequipped (or unwilling) to administer to local needs. Public schools confront the same problem which BIA schools face: the problem of distance from Indian homes. Students who live within one and one half miles of a paved road are required by law to attend public schools. From the distance which they must travel to a paved road, they must still journey many miles by bus to the public school itself. In some instances, the round trip bus rides cover more than 160 miles. This procedure of busing students long distances to large, consolidated public schools aroused the most vehement complaints in task force hearings. It was argued that the great distance fatigued the younger children, alienated the older students from their homelife, wasted time which might have been spent in the classroom, and wasted money which might have aided school programs. Finally, most Navajos agreed, the busing policy discouraged the construction of new, local schools and hastened the deterioration of the schools receiving so many students from so vast an area. Other complaints involved state distribution of funds-funds which originated both at the state and federal level. For example, distribution of Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) funds was often cited as an example where state and county administrations were cited for abuse. Similarly, in tax funds, the counties were often cited for unequal distribution of vocational education funds and tax funds. General funding is yet another difficulty. Today, the public schools are responsible for over 50% of the education of Navajo students and operate a school system, which involves the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. In the past, it has been either feast or famine for both BIA and public education. Up to the 1950's, public education affected a relatively small number of Navajo students. After World War II and during the termination period of the 1950's, public education came to the front and many in and out of the Bureau of Indian Affairs expected that within a ten-year period, most Bureau of Indian Affairs schools would be closed. Today, it has been demonstrated that this would not happen and in fact the number of students attending Bureau of Indian Affairs schools has risen instead of decreased as had been predicated. The inherent potential advantage for the public school is community and local control through the election of a school board. The Navajo themselves can elect the school board members. In this way, there can be complete Navajo control of public school districts if the Navajo people choose to take such action. During the 1950's and 1960's. Johnson-O'Malley and state funds. constituted the vast majority of funds needed to operate public education, and these funds were usually adequate. In recent years, there have been other funding sources available to public schools, as well as in certain instances Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, such as Public Law 874. Title VII, Title IV and so forth. Yet, in spite of the availability of this extra amount of money, public education suffers from a lack of adequate funding. Categorical monies are restricted and cannot be used for the operational support of the public schools. Furthermore, because of recent regulations promulgated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, use of such money for other than supplemental purposes is impossible, except in certain circumstances. The recent problem at Ganado, where they accumulated over $1,500,000 deficit, and the more recent situation at Chinle, where there was an equally large deficit, |