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<dd>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</font></blockquote>
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<dd>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</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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.</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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.
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> </font><font face="wingdings" size=3>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>One quarter of the school day needs to be devoted to
our language and culture. <br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>WE want it to count for credit towards
graduation. <br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>We want our teacher to be paid a certified wage and
he will need aides the same as the other teachers. <br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>We want it to start next fall. <br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>We want it legitimate, <br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>We do not want to have this fight every year.
<br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>Its not filler, its not related to test scores,
or what the principal wants, or the latest education plan, or the budget.
<br><br>
</font><font face="wingdings" size=3>
<dd>§</font><font size=1>
</font><font size=3>And we should not have to beg for this program.
<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> The way things are now… any school time devoted to our
language and culture is treated as if it is some big favor.
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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.
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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.</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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. </font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>
<dd> 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 </font>
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