Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Select Committee on Aging. (1988). Mental Health and the Elderly: Issues in Service Delivery to the American Indian and the Hispanic Communities. Part II. Hearing before the Select Committee on Aging. House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session (Denver, Colorado). This field hearing by the House Select Committee on Aging produced testimony on the mental health problems and service delivery needs of American Indian and Hispanic American elderly. A director of research and two American Indian advocates: (1) pointed out the high rate of depression among Indian elderly due to physical impairments and deprived living conditions; (2) described service-related and cultural factors contributing to low use of mental health services by Indian elderly; (3) outlined the specific problems and stresses of urban Indians; and (4) proposed legislative and service delivery strategies. A Colorado state official outlined barriers to delivery of mental health services to Hispanic elderly. An Hispanic advocate emphasized the need for outreach programs with bilingual, bicultural staff. The panel of witnesses discussed: (1) the need for home health agencies and community-based services for Hispanic and Indian elderly; (2) language and cultural barriers between generations, resulting intergenerational conflict, and mental health consequences for the elderly; and (3) the right of each tribe to its own definition of "Indian." The Committee Chairman called for Indian organizations to collaborate and draft legislative proposals covering the relevant needs of the Indian community, and asked Hispanic organizations to do likewise. Testimony from four mental health professionals covered funding issues, training to provide culturally sensitive outreach staff, and the particular problems and needs of the rural elderly.   [More]  Descriptors: American Indians, Federal Aid, Health Needs, Health Services

McCoy, Melody (1999). Federal and State Laws Regarding Tribal Education Departments, 1984-1999. Indian Education Legal Support Project: "Tribalizing Indian Education.". The Indian Education Legal Support Project emphasizes the legal rights of tribes to control the formal education of their members. The project's work includes developing tribal education laws and reforming state and national Indian education legislation. This document examines federal and state statutory provisions on tribal education departments and details their legislative history. Following a brief overview of tribal education departments in the 1980s and 1990s, specific provisions of various federal laws are reviewed, including the Education Amendments of 1984 to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988, Goals 2000: Educate America Act of 1994, the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, and other public laws and resolutions. These laws are primarily concerned with federal funding of tribal education departments, their treatment as local education agencies, provision of training and technical assistance, research on at-risk students, access to the Internet, and collaboration among tribes and other educational institutions and agencies. Wisconsin is the only state with legislation specifically mentioning tribal education departments. This law calls for tribal input in the appointment of an advisory committee on American Indian language and culture programs. Descriptors: American Indian Education, Educational Legislation, Elementary Secondary Education, Federal Aid

Sando, Joe S. (1978). Issues Curriculum. A program for teaching techniques of critical thinking on issues concerning American Indians was developed for students at Albuquerque Indian School. It was designed to include not only the students but also their families with learning activities that required consultation in search of answers or understanding. The first issue presented sought to help students define a strong Indian culture, identify the factors that create it, and analyze their own particular situations. Learning activities included class discussions, supplementary reading, and written reports. Another section is devoted to the philosophy of original Indian education as it discusses Carlisle Institute and the Americanization of the American Indian. Other units deal with aspects of Indian land holding, Indian water rights, and the long fight of the Taos Indians to regain ownership of Blue Lake. A section entitled "The New World" compares Native American attitudes toward the land with those held by European settlers. Citing Native Americans as the original conservationists, it points out that they inhabited this continent for thousands of years in harmony with nature; the Europeans, in contrast, took but 500 years to wreck the land, destroy the wildlife, deplete the resources and pollute the environment. Each of the units of this program features goals, content material, resource materials, and learning activities. Descriptors: American Indian Culture, American Indian Education, American Indian Studies, American Indians

Bare, John; Meek, Anne; Frase, Mary (1998). Racial and Ethnic Classifications Used in U.S. Public Schools. Issue Brief. Since 1977, federal agencies have followed standards set by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for collecting and presenting data on racial and ethnic populations. A policy directive at that time established four discrete racial categories: American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; Black; and White. As an alternative, OMB allowed five categories: American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; Black, not of Hispanic origin; Hispanic, and White, not of Hispanic origin. Since 1977, however, the racial and ethnic makeup of the country has changed, giving rise to the question of whether these five standard categories reflect the present population adequately. OMB and Congress have begun efforts to change the standards before the dress rehearsal for the 2000 Census. Changes in racial and ethnic makeup present special problems for the public schools, which collect data for various reporting purposes. The National Center for Education Statistics and the Office for Civil Rights sponsored two surveys, one at the school level, and the other at the state level about the racial and ethnic classification used to collect and report student data. The majority of the public schools, 55%, reported that they collect data only when a student initially registers at a school in the district. Another 17% reported that they also collect data when a student changes schools. Twenty-five percent of the schools collect racial and ethnic data annually. Seven percent of the schools reported using racial or ethnic designations in addition to the five standard categories, and these schools were more likely to be in the West. The category most frequently added was "Filipino." Other categories mentioned were "Middle Eastern" and various specific Asian nationalities, but none of these was mentioned by more than 4% of the schools. In the state survey, eight states reported using additional categories, with five using a "multiracial," category, and one an "other" category. Taking these responses into account, OMB is proposing new standards that classify racial populations as: (1) White; (2) Black or African American; (3) Asian; (4) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and (5) American Indian or Alaskan Native. For data on ethnicity, the categories are Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino. OMB did not add a multiracial category, but is allowing individuals to report more than one race when they self-identify. (Contains two tables, one figure, and five references.)   [More]  Descriptors: American Indians, Asian Americans, Blacks, Classification

Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC. (1977). The Unfinished Business, Twenty Years Later. A Report Submitted to The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights by its Fifty-One State Advisory Committees. This reference work details state by state progress in civil rights since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. The 51 reports (50 states plus the District of Columbia) reiterate the major problems of the past two decades including education and employment. Other civil rights issues identified by the State advisory committees were: women's issues; special groups, for example, blacks, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Americans; housing; civil rights enforcement; indigenous groups, for example, American Indians, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians; prisons; police-community relations; economic issues; voting and political participation; information and communications; migrants; health and safety; and undocumented aliens. The consensus of this work is that although the denial of civil rights to minority citizens is less blatant than it was twenty years ago, many of the old problems are far from remedied. Furthermore, other concerns which were barely recognized at the time the Civil Rights Act became law, have now surfaced as pressing issues. It is concluded that resolution of civil rights problems will require strict dedication to the carrying out of constitutional principles and legal mandates. Descriptors: Asian Americans, Blacks, Civil Rights, Civil Rights Legislation

Gagnon, Douglas; Mattingly, Marybeth J. (2012). Beginning Teachers Are More Common in Rural, High-Poverty, and Racially Diverse Schools. Issue Brief No. 53, Carsey Institute. This brief considers whether the concentration of beginning teachers in a district is associated with the district's poverty rate, racial composition, or urbanicity. Authors Douglas Gagnon and Marybeth Mattingly report that poor communities have moderately higher percentages of beginning teachers than communities with lower poverty rates and that a higher concentration of minority students in a district is associated with a higher percentage of beginning teachers. Large cities, remote towns, and rural districts have higher percentages of beginning teachers than midsized-small cities, suburbs, and fringe-distant town districts. The combined impact of poverty, race, and urbanicity has a substantial effect on the probability that a district has a critically high percentage of beginning teachers. A high percentage of beginning teachers likely reflects higher teacher turnover in the district, and could suggest issues of teacher quality. The brief uses combined data from the 2009-2010 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), the 2009 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), and the 2010 U.S. Census to form a nationally representative data source of 6,569 districts.   [More]  Descriptors: Teacher Effectiveness, Racial Composition, Minority Group Students, Beginning Teachers

Bureau of Indian Affairs (Dept. of Interior), Albuquerque, NM. (1973). Evaluation of Student Rights and Responsibilities Programs. Research and Evaluation Report Series No. 25. Student rights encompass all specific rights which the courts recognize as being vested in students. These may be derived from applicable Federal, State, and/or local laws, including school regulations. On June 22, 1973, an ad hoc committee (50 percent American Indian) was convened in Albuquerque, New Mexico to review a special report form prepared for evaluating Indian student rights and responsibilities. The committee was concerned with the organization of these codes and their compliance with local, State, and Federal legal and technical requirements. The form was distributed to 33 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) secondary schools and dormitories, 20 of which responded. This paper discusses the philosophical extent of student rights and the past and present status of rights and responsibilities in BIA and non-BIA schools. Some findings are: almost all schools have some type of written handbook or guide; 3/4 have some type of grievance procedure; and all but three apply the Interim Procedure for student expulsions. The appendixes, which comprise the bulk of the document, give: references to BIA school management policies and disciplinary procedures; the constitution for BIA high schools operated within the Navajo area; the report form sent to the schools; a roster of the schools; information relative to the Phoenix Meeting on Student Rights and Responsibilities; and a bibliography of reports related to Indian student rights prepared within the past three years.   [More]  Descriptors: American Indians, Boarding Schools, Court Role, Discipline Policy

Losen, Daniel J.; Martinez, Tia Elena (2013). Out of School and Off Track: The Overuse of Suspensions in American Middle and High Schools, Civil Rights Project / Proyecto Derechos Civiles. In this first of a kind breakdown of data from over 26,000 U.S. middle and high schools, the authors estimate that well over two million students were suspended during the 2009-2010 academic year. This means that one out of every nine secondary school students was suspended at least once during that year. As other studies demonstrate, the vast majority of suspensions are for minor infractions of school rules, such as disrupting class, tardiness, and dress code violations, rather than for serious violent or criminal behavior. The authors are publishing this report because of the serious academic implications these statistics have for students who attend schools with high suspension rates. They believe greater awareness will help produce more effective approaches that create safe, healthy, and productive learning environments, which research indicates is best accomplished without resorting to frequent out-of-school suspensions. Done well, efforts to reduce suspensions should also improve graduation rates, achievement scores, and life outcomes, while also decreasing the rate of incarceration for juveniles and adults. The findings of this report also highlight critical civil rights concerns related to the high frequency of secondary school suspensions. They focus on secondary schools because children of color and students from other historically disadvantaged groups are far more likely than other students to be suspended out of school at this level. Appended are: (1) Data Omissions; (2) Methods and Treatment of Errors; and (3) School District Reports. Individual sections contain tables, figures and footnotes. [For "Out of School and Off Track: The Overuse of Suspensions in American Middle and High Schools. Executive Summary," see ED541731.]   [More]  Descriptors: Suspension, Dress Codes, Student Behavior, School Buildings

Western Regional Environmental Education Council. (1989). Indians of Washington and the Environment. A Collection of Information and Curriculum Lessons To Assist Educators in Teaching about Tribal Natural Resource Relationship. The American Indian tribes of Washington have a unique relationship with natural resources, one of reverence and reliance. While non-Indian people traditionally approach natural resources from the perspective of ownership, tribal peoples view natural resources as components of life and culture. The survival of Washington tribes depends upon a sustainable natural resource base. This booklet contains lesson plans and classroom activities that help students become aware of tribal ways of life and historical and contemporary interactions with the natural world and non-Indian people. Major curriculum concepts include: (1) the diversity and importance of Washington's natural resources; (2) diverse uses of natural resources by people; (3) the influence of natural resources on cultures; (4) the role of culture in the development of controversial issues and the communication process for resolving such issues; (5) the finite nature of resources and related decision making; and (6) values clarification about the web of interrelationships among humans, fish, wildlife, and the environment. Lessons cover Washington geography, climate, and wildlife; daily life of Indians and first White settlers; sources of clothing; treaties; watershed, wildlife, and forest management; water quality; salmon fishing and Native fishing rights; American Indian reservations; historical timelines; and history, culture, and legends of the Quinault, Nisqually, Squaxin, and Tulalip tribes. Twenty-three additional resources are listed. This booklet contains maps, data tables, and graphics.    [More]  Descriptors: American Indian Culture, American Indians, Class Activities, Conservation (Environment)

National Advisory Council on Indian Education, Washington, DC. (1976). Indian Education: The Right to Be Indian. The Third Annual Report to the Congress of the United States from the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. Constituting the third annual report of the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE), this document is divided into the following six sections: (1) The Lessons of Title IV of the Indian Education Act: Needs and Achievements (full funding for Title IV; the role of the American Indian Policy Review Commission; direct Federal funding; vocational and post secondary education; resolutions of the Ad Hoc Committee of Native Americans Concerned with Indian Education; and the progress of 15 Title IV-Part A projects, presented via abstracts); (2) Toward Greater Indian Parent Committees and Tribal Involvement in Title IV (the means by which greater parent and tribal involvement may be effected); (3) Toward a More Effective Role of the NACIE (insuring NACIE's intended autonomy; NACIE's Federal Charter and the Executive Branch's circumvention of congressional will; clarification needs; NACIE's survival struggle; implementation of the Indian preference laws; and equal employment opportunities); (4) Definition of an American Indian: Title IV of the Indian Education Act of 1972 (suggested changes in the definition and the status of the council's investigation of the legal use of the term "Indian"); (5) NACIE Recommendations and Resolutions for 1975 (10 problem specific recommendations); (6) Appendix (extensive documentation re: funding; special and post secondary education; legislation; etc.).   [More]  Descriptors: Accountability, Advisory Committees, Agency Role, American Indians

National Congress of American Indians, Washington, DC. (1978). NCAI Involvement in Intergovernmental Tribal-State Relations. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) seeks to play a lead role in the development of relations between various state governmental entities and tribal governments; this assortment of documents treats aspects of those relations. A platform statement and resolution on Indian affairs adopted by the National Association of Counties supports tribal self government and pledges cooperation with tribes for the provision of constituent services within individual jurisdictions. The resolution calls for Congressional definition on the question of tribal jurisdiction over non-Indian people and property within reservations. Issues mentioned include voting by and representation of non-members, reservation boundaries, due process of law, land use planning and zoning, distribution of water rights, environmental quality standards, and questions of equal taxation. NCAI's participation as an advisor in the National Governor's Association Task Force is invited in a letter from Governor Scott Matheson, chairman of that group. A brief on the task force describes historic shifts in governmental policy regarding American Indians and advocates negotiation and compromise agreements reached between states and tribal governments as far superior to solutions offered through federal litigation or legislation. Descriptors: Alaska Natives, American Indian Reservations, American Indians, Criminal Law

Dion, Susan (1990). Current Federal Indian Law and Its Precedents. Wisconsin Woodland Indian Dissemination Project. Bulletin No. 0408. This curriculum unit introduces students to the relationship between the federal government and American Indians through five narrative descriptions of the related legislation, laws, and court interpretations. The narratives cover: (1) the historical basis of federal Indian law and the government-to-government relationship; (2) legal definitions of Indian Country, Indian tribes, and individual Indian identity; (3) tribal sovereignty, powers of tribal governments, and federal limitations of tribal powers; (4) federal-Indian treaties, treaty effects on Indian rights, and Supreme Court interpretations; and (5) recent federal Indian laws, including the Indian Civil Rights Act, the Tribal Education Act, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the Indian Child Welfare Act. The narratives are accompanied by student worksheets. This document also contains guidelines for instruction, teacher references, a list of tribal contacts in Wisconsin, definitions of key concepts, and suggestions for classroom group or individual projects.   [More]  Descriptors: American Indian History, American Indians, Court Litigation, Federal Indian Relationship

Deyhle, Donna; McCarty, Teresa L. (2007). Beatrice Medicine and the Anthropology of Education: Legacy and Vision for Critical Race/Critical Language Research and Praxis, Anthropology & Education Quarterly. Over a 50-year professional career, Dr. Beatrice Medicine never failed to assert the importance of Indigenous language rights or to challenge racism in the academy, public schools, and society. She urged educational anthropologists to confront racism in our research with Indigenous peoples. She challenged linguicism and urged the teaching of Native American languages in schools. Bea Medicine's legacy provides a compelling vision for the future of the field of educational anthropology, particularly in the domains of critical race theory and critical language studies. In this article, we consider both the legacy and the vision of Beatrice Medicine as they guide us to new arenas of research and praxis.   [More]  Descriptors: Language Research, Educational Anthropology, Indigenous Populations, Indigenous Knowledge

Pepper, Floy (1990). Indians in Oregon Today. A 4th Grade Social Studies Supplement. Designed to provide current, accurate information to teachers and students about the American Indian people living in the state of Oregon, this publication focuses on 10 learning concepts: (1) Indian tribes in Oregon today; (2) Indian people's special relationship with the United States government; (3) the change and impact brought by newcomers to Oregon Indians; (4) Indian roles in Oregon's culture and economy and the world; (5) differences in Indian tribes' languages, customs, and ways of life from each other and other ethnic groups; (6) the changes reservations caused for Indian people; (7) how termination affected Indian tribes of Oregon (some tribes are working for restoration); (8) different forms of government for Indian people: tribal councils, city, state, and U.S.  government; (9) Indian people's respect for the environment (preservation efforts toward the environment continue today); (10) the importance of Indian hunting, gathering, and fishing rights. Student activities, maps, and charts are used to develop the concepts. Two appendices are included: (1) American Indian/Alaskan Native United States Historical Timeline; and (2) Glossary. Descriptors: American Indian History, American Indian Studies, Charts, Concept Teaching

Gerlach, Ernest J.; And Others (1975). Indian Employment in New Mexico State Government. Examining employment of American Indians in New Mexico state government, the New Mexico Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found little change between small numbers of Indian employees in 1972 and 1974 figures. Though the State Personnel Office has made efforts to institute new programs and policies related to Indian employment, major deterrents remain in the lower Indian educational level, location of state jobs away from Indian populations, and written qualification tests that are not always job related and which contain language and cultural barriers. Committee recommendations were made for each of the following findings: (1) only 2 percent of state government employees are Indians; (2) these employees are concentrated in three agencies (Employment Security Commission, Health and Social Services, Highway Department), and are predominately in lower paying positions; (3) specific standards are lacking for required state agency annual affirmative action plans; (4) written tests are still the main job qualification instrument; (5) an outreach program responsible for contacting and recruiting minority applicants and upgrading employees has had little impact; (6) no systemwide cultural awareness program exists to educate state personnel about Indian values and cultural needs; and (7) lack of consistent state effort to actively recruit American Indians for employment.   [More]  Descriptors: Affirmative Action, American Indian Reservations, American Indians, Cultural Awareness