The Process of Native American Influence on the Education of Native American Children.

N

12

American Indian Education; American Indian Reservations; Board of Education Policy; Board of Education Role; Boards of Education; Community Involvement; Decision Making; Elementary Secondary Education; Influences; Parent Participation; Parent School Relationship; Power Structure; Public Schools; Racial Discrimination; Reservation American Indians

The vast majority of American Indian students are educated in public school districts controlled by locally elected school boards. If Indian parents are to influence the education of their children they must become knowledgeable in political methods of influencing local school boards. The process of Indian influence in educational decisions was studied in two public school districts with sizable Indian populations and one non-public Indian controlled school on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in Idaho. Data were collected during the six months prior to May 1977 through direct observation, document analysis, and informant interviews. While each of the three boards exhibited different styles of governance in response to influences existing in the community, the decisions of all the boards were mostly unanimous. Although all appeared to want to solicit more parent-community involvement, the level of community interest was not high. Discrimination existed between Indian and non-Indian. Findings indicated that the Indian community's influence on the public school board was only as strong as its direct relationship and interaction with officials in the district. Unless an Indian was a member of a school board or the tribal council, he had little influence on educational decision making. Recommendations included instructing school boards how to proceed in representing the total community. (NEC)

1980

ED184797