AZ AG: public schools not exempt from Prop. 203

[Liko Puha]

AZ AG: public schools not exempt from Prop. 203

By Bill Donovan - Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK - A couple of years ago, educators went on the offensive
when Arizona voters went to the polls to decide whether English would be
the only language that classes would be taught in.

At that time, a compromise was reached that public school educators
thought would allow them an exemption so they could provide instruction
in Native American languages in the early grades.

Boy, were they wrong.

Education officials for the state of Arizona are now saying that based
on an opinion by the state's attorney general, public schools on the
reservation have to comply with the English Only law (Proposition 203).
Only Bureau of Indian Affairs schools are exempt.

"This is a major step backwards," said Deborah Jackson-Dennison,
superintendent of the Window Rock Unified School District.

Jackson-Dennison has got President Joe Shirley Jr. involved in her
efforts to get the state to change its policy and exempt public schools
on reservations that have a large Native American student population.

Shirley and other tribal officials were in Phoenix Tuesday meeting with
state education officials to get the matter clarified.

What's at risk, Jackson-Dennison said, were Navajo language immersion
programs like the one at Window Rock where students in the primary
grades get instruction in their native language. As they get into higher
grades, they receive more and more instruction in English.

By doing this, she said, it now appears that school districts will be
putting in jeopardy some of their state funding.

She said that on many state funding requests, the Arizona Department of
Education has placed a new item asking districts if they are complying
with the English Only law.

"The form gives us only two options - yes or no," said Jackson-Dennison.
"There is not a third option labeled 'exempt.'"

By filling out the "no" blank, public schools on reservations within the
state are taking a definite risk of getting their application denied. If
they mark "yes," programs like Window Rock's Navajo Immersion Program
will be eliminated.

State school officials have made it very clear that classes - all
classes - will be taught only in English.

Margaret Garcia-Dugan, associate superintendent for the Arizona
Department of Education, said that while BIA schools are exempt from
complying with Proposition 203, public schools are not.

In a written statement, she said that "if a public school has a large
Native American student population, it must still adhere to the
provisions set forth in Proposition 203 regardless of whether or not
that school is on a reservation.

"Proposition 203 does allow teaching other languages besides English as
an elective (such as Navajo Language and Cultural Instruction)," she
said. "All other courses such as history, math, English, and physical
education are to be in (English Only) unless the student receives a
waiver."

This, said Jackson-Dennison, doesn't make a lot of sense since federal
statutes contain provisions that protect and encourage the development
of native languages such as those offered within the Window Rock school
district.

"The No Child Left Behind Act also encourages the teaching of native
languages," she said.

Now, the state is coming in and saying that the school district could
lose some of its state funding by following the federal laws and this
isn't right, she said.




Rosalyn LaPier
Piegan Institute
www.pieganinstitute.org