No Rich White CHild left Behind

[Andre Cramblit]

Debate will focus on education act


By Cassie Blombaum
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, September 23, 2005
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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."