March 3, 1998

Subject. a bad development re: Indian Studies and what we need to do about it

Dear Peace & Justice Center members and friends,

You receive this letter because you have identified yourself as one who cares about healing the relationship between tribal people and non-tribal people in South Dakota and Indian Country within South Dakota borders. You are aware, then, that an obstacle to that healing is immense ignorance on the part of dominant community people. We need not detail the damage that ignorance does.

In recent years the South Dakota Board of Education has required new-minted teachers to take 3 credits of Indian Studies for South Dakota teacher certification. This is a very worthwhile institution which some of you struggled years to bring about. It seems obvious that for "the relationship" to progress in a healing direction, South Dakota teachers should be equipped to turn out South Dakotans who are not so ignorant of tribal cultures; the history that lives and operates in the present; the Constitutional status of treaty rights, sovereign immunity, et cetera.

There is also a requirement for 3 credit hours of Human Relations. At their December 1997 quarterly meeting in Pierre, the Board decided to collapse the Indian Studies and the Human Relations requirements (now accounting for a combined total of 6 credit hours) into one combined 3-credit-hour requirement, effective January 1 2000.

One may most charitably suppose the Board reasoning that, since both courses are geared toward helping folks get along together, there would be efficiencies realizable from combining the two. Indeed, the Board is wrestling with a situation in which requirements for certification are increasing to the point that, either students have very little elective choice or some will need to lengthen their degree programs beyond 4 years.

Whatever the rationale, this scanting of Indian Studies is a terrible betrayal of the educational needs of South Dakota young people. Fortunately the Legislative Rules Review Committee, which must finally approve any such regulatory change, refused to approve this change and several other course requirement changes without more public hearings. In response, the Board will hold a public hearing on the subject Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at the public high school in Mitchell. The hearing will begin at 8:30 am and continue until all present are heard.

Two things must happen to save Indian Studies: (1) Board members must be primed with plenty of input before the March 24 hearing; (2) the Board must be confronted on March 24 by many people resisting the change. The executive department, for which the Board of Education usually acts as a rubber stamp, is quite determined to effect this change. The Department of Education plans to resubmit the change to Rules Review in April. Therefore, many, many letters and calls are needed to Board members beforehand; and many, many bodies are needed in Mitchell, March 24. Truly, we must pack the place with tribal and non-tribal people standing up for Indian Studies -- parents, former students who have benefited from Indian studies courses, Indian Studies teachers, education administrators, and plain citizens demanding to have a say in the matter.

Everyone should do a call or letter to one or more Board of Education members before March 24 (roster below). Those who are able should be in Mitchell. Those who are unable to travel that day should share this letter with friends who may be able to do so.

Please contact South Dakota Peace & Justice Center if you are willing to help, if you have questions, or if you would like help shaping a letter to one or more Board members or testimony for March 24.

Sincerely,

/s/

Jeanne Koster
SD Peace & Justice Center Director

12 February 2000, lrb