Debate will focus on education act (fwd)
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pasxapu at DAKOTACOM.NET
Fri Sep 23 18:18:53 UTC 2005
Debate will focus on education act
By Cassie Blombaum
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, September 23, 2005
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/184/01_6.html
The widely debated No Child Left Behind Act and the potential negative
effects it can have on American Indian students will be addressed at an
open lecture tonight.
Key speaker Christine Sims, assistant professor of language literacy
and socio-cultural studies at the University of New Mexico, will
present her findings at 6 p.m. in the Kiva Auditorium in the Education
building.
Sims will discuss how the act can have a detrimental impact on American
Indian students, particularly in the area of language, said Ofelia
Zepeda, linguistics professor.
The act, which requires states to ensure their public schools' success
by creating standardized-testing assessments, may have a negative
impact on American Indian students and their language, Sims said.
"No Child Left Behind is just a small part of that," Sims said.
In addition to discussing language conflicts, Sims will also share a
broader overview of the different types of issues and pressures that
are impacting American Indian language initiatives, she said.
Zepeda said she hopes many students will attend the event to enhance
their awareness about such political measures, but she also hopes to
bring in an American Indian audience as well.
"We have circulated information about the speaker series across campus
and to the surrounding Tucson community, including the Pascua Yaqui
Tribe and the Tohono O'odham Nation," Zepeda said.
The No Child Left Behind Act is of interest to many in the American
Indian language and educational fields, said Ana Luisa Terrazas, the
director of Communications at the College of Education.
"It's such a hot issue right now," Terrazas said.
Terrazas said this event is only one part of a yearlong speakers series
that addresses the challenges that indigenous people face every day.
"This is just bringing awareness about this as well as some really
unbelievable experts in the field," Terrazas said. "To get this group
of people to come here is phenomenal when you consider their
background."
The upcoming speakers events will offer visitors the opportunity to see
knowledgeable and talented American Indian scholars, Zepeda said.
"These speakers will not only bring attention to some important issues
affecting native populations," Zepeda said. "But (they) will also serve
as models for our growing pool of native graduate students on this
campus."
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