Nanwalek request to the KPBSD schhol board

[Igluguq Dianne Okleasik]

>This is a presentation to the school district by Sally Ash, founder of 
>their immersion school.  It echoes many of the same sentiments that we as 
>Native people feel.  ~Igluguq

>Cama’i,  ggui kuku.  My name is Sally Ash.  I’m a tribal member of 
>Nanwalek.  As you can see there are a bunch of us that have come with 
>me.  There would have been more of us but it’s too expensive to come 
>here just to attend a short meeting.  Our chief is here.  James Kvasnikoff
>  I’m sorry to say but we are here because we have something serious to 
> discuss.   We read about the struggle the Russian villages are having in 
> the newspaper.  I’m here to tell you we have the same problem.  Our 
> native language is Sugt’stun.   Sugt’stun is my first language. Our 
> school was built the same year I was born. I went to it as a child and I 
> taught in it as a bilingual teacher.  They call it OUR school… but our 
> language and culture has never had a decent place in it for all these 
> years.  When it first opened our kids mouths were washed out with soap if 
> they spoke Sugt’stun… we had a few token years of bilingual education 
> and now that’s pushed aside by this Leave No Child Behind program.  We 
> are the first Alaskans.  We are the indigenous people <?xml:namespace 
> prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" 
> /><?xml:namespace prefix = u1 />Kenai Peninsula.  Our forefathers 
> didn’t come from another country….There is no homeland to go back to 
> if we want to teach our children in our language, to celebrate our 
> events, eat our foods, to be taught by one of our own.  Kenai Peninsula 
> is the Supiaq homeland.   We are the last band of survivors of the Supiaq 
> people.   We consider it an insult that we have no say about how our 
> village school is run. I don’t even think I should have to be here. We 
> do not meddle in your schools in Soldotna.   Since 1971 we have managed 
> our land thanks to ANCSA.  We manage our tribal government thanks to the 
> Indian Reorganization Act.  Its crazy that we have nothing to say about 
> what is taught in our school, who teaches it or how the money is spent.
>  But we are peaceful people and we want our children to succeed.  WE need 
> a balanced program Sugt’stun, English and Math.  To get that balance 
> this is what needs to change.
>  §         One quarter of the school day needs to be devoted to our 
> language and culture.
>
>§         WE want it to count for credit towards graduation.
>
>§         We want our teacher to be paid a certified wage and he will 
>need aides the same as the other teachers.
>
>§         We want it to start next fall.
>
>§         We want it legitimate,
>
>§         We do not want to have this fight every year.
>
>§         Its not filler, its not related to test scores,  or what the 
>principal wants, or the latest education plan, or the budget.
>
>§         And we should not have to beg for this program.
>
>  The way things are now… any school time devoted to our language and 
> culture is treated as if it is some big favor.
>  WE do not come as empty handed beggars.  We have a program.  Anyone that 
> has observed it comes away truly impressed.  It’s a quality 
> program.  If it needs the KPBSD stamp of approval… then get it 
> done.  It should not matter, but we are fortunate to have a certified 
> teacher to teach it.  He has a masters degree in education with a Native 
> Language endorsement.  He could be teaching at the University 
> level.  It’s a joke that he is not good enough in your eyes to be 
> teaching in our elementary and HS as a paid certified teacher.  He is 
> from our village and we want him to stay here.  The KPBSD educational 
> system played a very large part in destroying our language.  How does the 
> saying go?… you broke it, you own it, you fix it.  Sugt’stun is dying 
> although it seems like its not dying fast enough for some people.  The 
> very least that can be done is to allow us to try to save what’s 
> left.  It would be a sin to not allow us to do this.  You, as individuals 
> not the school district, are not responsible for the past crimes but you 
> are for the one that is occurring right now.
>  What we don’t want to hear is… “Ok you guys have some good points 
> now what you need to do is this, this and this, and then check back with 
> us.”  For example… the Russians are being told they need a certified 
> teacher. What if they get one?   Then will they have to do something else 
> that will take a couple of years?  No.  We have done a lot.  Now its time 
> for the KPBSD to do some of the heavy lifting.  We need somebody in the 
> KPSDB office that will get the job done.  If there is a barrier that 
> exists then we need someone to break down the barriers.   If money is 
> short then we need letters of support on KPBSD letterhead in order to 
> apply for language grants.  The fact that you may not have money now is 
> your fault because your staff refused to do this in the past.   I am not 
> sure why that is the case? Your staff needs to do some soul 
> searching.   Maybe they have instructions to be difficult.  Maybe they 
> laugh at us, maybe some of you laugh at us.  No more giving us 
> assignments like we are little school kids, no more working for free 
> unless the rest of the teachers do, we are not going to have our program 
> after school.  Equal means equal.
>  The other villages will have to speak for themselves but I think they 
> have received the same treatment.  If you represent us then you should 
> know how we feel without me telling you.  The KPBSD employees working in 
> our school should have passed our concerns on to their bosses. But 
> whatever the case, you know now.  You the school board have the power to 
> do something or do nothing.  It may not sound like it but we are trying 
> to be nice.   WE are trying to resolve this without hurting our kids, 
> without a big fight but you need to produce.  I also want to say that we 
> are not here only because we are offended by our treatment in the past 
> but because we really do feel we have something good.  Our kids will be 
> better for this education.
>  In closing I would like to thank all of you for your consideration and 
> time.  If I have offended anyone here please forgive me but you are 
> looking at someone that has experienced many years of frustration with 
> this subject.  Quyana
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