Government language study released (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

tá'c haláXp (good day),

it had to have been from Dances with Wolves!  ideas like this have to 
come from somewhere  <;-p

it is unfortunate though that the research reported here is focused on 
native peoples and not on the real issues of learning and cognition.  
but i think that is the whole point of this kind of research and the 
governmental entities noted here are not as innocent as Mia makes them 
out to be.  Taiaiake Alfred and others are correct to protest such 
research as it smacks of deficit theory (superior literate Western 
minds vs inferior illiterate Indigenous minds).  and the protest is 
appropriate i think due to the fact that governmental entities do 
indeed base policy decisions on research of this kind and hence 
under-represented populations see no benefits, have no say, etc..  but 
we all know this already (No Child Left Behind, English-only 
legislation) despite the abundance of important research and advocacy 
to the contrary.

just a few thoughts in black and white...
phil