Reservations About Traditional Public Schools

Native Americans have historically had a contentious relationship with the public education system, beginning with the so-called “boarding school years” in the 1870s, when they were placed in Indian-only schools and often by brute force, made to shed their language and cultural beliefs. Now, they have the highest dropout rates of any minority students. A 2004 study conducted by the Urban Institute and the Harvard University-based Civil Rights project found that only 51 percent of Native American students graduated in 2001 and 47 percent of Native American males graduated from high school. The number for white students was much higher, 74 percent. Additionally, reports have also shown that Native Americans are more likely to develop other mental health related issues such as alcoholism and suicide.

Two of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula tribes, the Ojibiwe and the Potowatomi, looked at the low graduation rates from their own students and decided something needed to change. As a result, they created two charter schools on their land, with a majority of the students from the reservation. With a more intimate, more supportive environment and an emphasis on the tribes’ culture and language, the two groups hope these schools can be a way for the next generation to improve their relationship with education and deepen their understanding of their own culture.

Yet, these schools are a double-edge sword; they have created a place that celebrates American Indian culture, but, they also are re-segregating students.

In a multimedia presentation to come, I plan to examine what it’s like for three Native American teens, Elijah, Chelsea and Pete, to grow up on a reservation and attend one of the these schools. These three students all come from unique homes that encapsulate some of the common issues effecting Native Americans.

I also plan to create a short video on the schools’ language and culture program. One of the schools is teaching Potowatomi, a dying language, as an attempt to revitalize the tribe’s culture.

In addition, I plan to design an interactive, multimedia timeline about the history of the tribes and their relationship with education, which will include information about the boarding school years, the racism they experienced in the public schools and United States policy on Indian education.

Feel free to comment or post ideas and suggestions.