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Transcript

ARTICLES OF A TREATY MADE AND CONCLUDED BY AND BETWEEN

Lieutenant General William T. Sherman, General William S. Harney, General Alfred H. Terry, General O. O. Augur, J. B. Henderson, Nathaniel G. Taylor, John G. Sanborn, and Samuel F. Tappan, duly appointed commissioners on the part of the United States, and the different bands of the Sioux Nation of Indians, by their chiefs and headmen, whose names are hereto subscribed, they being duly authorized to act in the premises.

ARTICLE I.
From this day forward all war between the parties to this agreement shall for ever cease. The government of the United States desires peace, and its honor is hereby pledged to keep it. The Indians desire peace, and they now pledge their honor to maintain it.

If bad men among the whites, or among other people subject to the authority of the United States, shall commit any wrong upon the person or property of the Indians, the United States will, upon proof made to the agent, and forwarded to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington city, proceed at once to cause the offender to be arrested and punished according to the laws of the United States, and also reimburse the injured person for the loss sustained.

If bad men among the Indians shall commit a wrong or depredation upon the person or property of nay one, white, black, or Indian, subject to the authority of the United States, and at peace therewith, the Indians herein named solemnly agree that they will, upon proof made to their agent, and notice by him, deliver up the wrongdoer to the United States, to be tried and punished according to its laws, and, in case they willfully refuse so to do, the person injured shall be reimbursed for his loss from the annuities, or other moneys due or to become due to them under this or other treaties made with the United States; and the President, on advising with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, shall prescribe such rules and regulations for ascertaining damages under the provisions of this article as in his judgment may be proper, but no one sustaining loss while violating the provisions of this treaty, or the laws of the United States, shall be reimbursed therefor.

ARTICLE II.
The United States agrees that the following district of country, to wit, viz: commencing on the east bank of the Missouri river where the 46th parallel of north latitude crosses the same, thence along low-water mark down said east bank to a point opposite where the northern line of the State of Nebraska strikes the river, thence west across said river, and along the northern line of Nebraska to the 104th degree of longitude west from Greenwich, thence north on said meridian to a point where the 46th parallel of north latitude intercepts the same, thence due east along said parallel to the place of beginning; and in addition thereto, all existing reservations of the east back of said river, shall be and the same is, set apart for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians herein named, and for such other friendly tribes or individual Indians as from time to time they may be willing, with the consent of the United States, to admit amongst them; and the United States now solemnly agrees that no persons, except those herein designated and authorized so to do, and except such officers, agents, and employees of the government as may be authorized to enter upon Indian reservations in discharge of duties enjoined by law, shall ever be permitted to pass over, settle upon, or reside in the territory described in this article, or in such territory as may be added to this reservation for the use of said Indians, and henceforth they will and do hereby relinquish all claims or right in and to any portion of the United States or Territories, except such as is embraced within the limits aforesaid, and except as hereinafter provided.

ARTICLE III.
If it should appear from actual survey or other satisfactory examination of said tract of land that it contains less than 160 acres of tillable land for each person who, at the time, may be authorized to reside on it under the provisions of this treaty, and a very considerable number of such persons shall be disposed to commence cultivating the soil as farmers, the United States agrees to set apart, for the use of said Indians, as herein provided, such additional quantity of arable land, adjoining to said reservation, or as near to the same as it can be obtained, as may be required to provide the necessary amount.

ARTICLE IV.
The United States agrees, at its own proper expense, to construct, at some place on the Missouri river, near the centre of said reservation where timber and water may be convenient, the following buildings, to wit, a warehouse, a store-room for the use of the agent in storing goods belonging to the Indians, to cost not less than $2,500; an agency building, for the residence of the agent, to cost not exceeding $3,000; a residence for the physician, to cost not more than $3,000; and five other buildings, for a carpenter, farmer, blacksmith, miller, and engineer-each to cost not exceeding $2,000; also, a school-house, or mission building, so soon as a sufficient number of children can be induced by the agent to attend school, which shall not cost exceeding $5,000.

The United States agrees further to cause to be erected on said reservation, near the other buildings herein authorized, a good steam circular saw-mill, with a grist-mill and shingle machine attached to the same, to cost not exceeding $8,000.

ARTICLE V.
The United States agrees that the agent for said Indians shall in the future make his home at the agency building; that he shall reside among them, and keep an office open at all times for the purpose of prompt and diligent inquiry into such matters of complaint by and against the Indians as may be presented for investigation under the provisions of their treaty stipulations, as also for the faithful discharge of other duties enjoined on him by law. In all cases of depredation on person or property he shall cause the evidence to be taken in writing and forwarded, together with his findings, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, whose decision, subject to the revision of the Secretary of the Interior, shall be binding on the parties to this treaty.

ARTICLE VI.
If any individual belonging to said tribes of Indians, or legally incorporated with them, being the head of a family, shall desire to commence farming, he shall have the privilege to select, in the presence and with the assistance of the agent then in charge, a tract of land within said reservation, not exceeding three hundred and twenty acres in extent, which tract, when so selected, certified, and recorded in the "Land Book" as herein directed, shall cease to be held in common, but the same may be occupied and held in the exclusive possession of the person selecting it, and of his family, so long as he or they may continue to cultivate it.

Any person over eighteen years of age, not being the head of a family, may in like manner select and cause to be certified to him or her, for purposes of cultivation, a quantity of land, not exceeding eighty acres in extent, and thereupon be entitled to the exclusive possession of the same as above directed.

For each tract of land so selected a certificate, containing a description thereof and the name of the person selecting it, with a certificate endorsed thereon that the same has been recorded, shall be delivered to the party entitled to it, by the agent, after the same shall have been recorded by him in a book to be kept in his office, subject to inspection, which said book shall be known as the "Sioux Land Book."

The President may, at any time, order a survey of the reservation, and, when so surveyed, Congress shall provide for protecting the rights of said settlers in their improvements, and may fix the character of the title held by each. The United States may pass such laws on the subject of alienation and descent of property between the Indians and their descendants as may be thought proper. And it is further stipulated that any male Indians over eighteen years of age, of any band or tribe that is or shall hereafter become a party to this treaty, who now is or who shall hereafter become a resident or occupant of any reservation or territory not included in the tract of country designated and described in this treaty for the permanent home of the Indians, which is not mineral land, nor reserved by the United States for special purposes other than Indian occupation, and who shall have made improvements thereon of the value of two hundred dollars or more, and continuously occupied the same as a homestead for the term of three years, shall be entitled to receive from the United States a patent for one hundred and sixty acres of land including his said improvements, the same to be in the form of the legal subdivisions of the surveys of the public lands. Upon application in writing, sustained by the proof of two disinterested witnesses, made to the register of the local land office when the land sought to be entered is within a land district, and when the tract sought to be entered is not in any land district, then upon said application and proof being made to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and the right of such Indian or Indians to enter such tract or tracts of land shall accrue and be perfect from the date of his first improvements thereon, and shall continue as long as be continues his residence and improvements and no longer. And any Indian or Indians receiving a patent for land under the foregoing provisions shall thereby and from thenceforth become and be a citizen of the United States and be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of such citizens, and shall, at the same time, retain all his rights to benefits accruing to Indians under this treaty.

ARTICLE VII.
In order to insure the civilization of the Indians entering into this treaty, the necessity of education is admitted, especially of such of them as are or may be settled on said agricultural reservations, and they, therefore, pledge themselves to compel their children, male and female, between the ages of six and sixteen years, to attend school, and it is hereby made the duty of the agent for said Indians to see that this stipulation is strictly complied with; and the United States agrees that for every thirty children between said ages, who can be induced or compelled to attend school, a house shall be provided, and a teacher competent to teach the elementary branches of an English education shall be furnished, who will reside among said Indians and faithfully discharge his or her duties as a teacher. The provisions of this article to continue for not less than twenty years.

ARTICLE VIII.
When the head of a family or lodge shall have selected lands and received his certificate as above directed, and the agent shall be satisfied that he intends in good faith to commence cultivating the soil for a living, he shall be entitled to receive seeds and agricultural implements for the first year, not exceeding in value one hundred dollars, and for each succeeding year he shall continue to farm, for a period of three years more, he shall be entitled to receive seeds and implements as aforesaid, not exceeding in value twenty-five dollars. And it is further stipulated that such persons as commence farming shall receive instruction from the farmer herein provided for, and whenever more than one hundred persons shall enter upon the cultivation of the soil, a second blacksmith shall be provided, with such iron, steel, and other material as may be needed.

ARTICLE IX.
At any time after ten years fro the making of this treaty, the United States shall have the privilege of withdrawing the physician, farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, engineer, and miller herein provided for, but in case of such withdrawal, an additional sum thereafter of ten thousand dollars per annum shall be devoted to the education of said Indians, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall, upon careful inquiry into their condition, make such rules and regulations for the expenditure of said sums as will best promote the education and moral improvement of said tribes.

ARTICLE X.
In lieu of all sums of money or other annuities provided to be paid to the Indians herein named under any treaty or treaties heretofore made, the United States agrees to deliver at the agency house on the reservation herein named, on or before the first day of August of each year, for thirty years, the following articles, to wit:

For each male person over 14 years of age, a suit of good substantial woollen clothing, consisting of coat, pantaloons, flannel shirt, hat, and a pair of home-made socks.

For each female over 12 years of age, a flannel shirt, or the goods necessary to make it, a pair of woollen hose, 12 yards of calico, and 12 yards of cotton domestics.

For the boys and girls under the ages named, such flannel and cotton goods as may be needed to make each a suit as aforesaid, together with a pair of woollen hose for each.

And in order that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs may be able to estimate properly for the articles herein named, it shall be the duty of the agent each year to forward to him a full and exact census of the Indians, on which the estimate from year to year can be based.

And in addition to the clothing herein named, the sum of $10 for each person entitled to the beneficial effects of this treaty shall be annually appropriated for a period of 30 years, while such persons roam and hunt, and $20 for each person who engages in farming, to be used by the Secretary of the Interior in the purchase of such articles as from time to time the condition and necessities of the Indians may indicate to be proper. And if within the 30 years, at any time, it shall appear that the amount of money needed for clothing, under this article, can be appropriated to better uses for the Indians named herein, Congress may, by law, change the appropriation to other purposes, but in no event shall the amount of the appropriation be withdrawn or discontinued for the period named. And the President shall annually detail an officer of the army to be present and attest the delivery of all the goods herein named, to the Indians, and he shall inspect and report on the quantity and quality of the goods and the manner of their delivery. And it is hereby expressly stipulated that each Indian over the age of four years, who shall have removed to and settled permanently upon said reservation, one pound of meat and one pound of flour per day, provided the Indians cannot furnish their own subsistence at an earlier date. And it is further stipulated that the United States will furnish and deliver to each lodge of Indians or family of persons legally incorporated with the, who shall remove to the reservation herein described and commence farming, one good American cow, and one good well-broken pair of American oxen within 60 days after such lodge or family shall have so settled upon said reservation.

ARTICLE XI.
In consideration of the advantages and benefits conferred by this treaty and the many pledges of friendship by the United States, the tribes who are parties to this agreement hereby stipulate that they will relinquish all right to occupy permanently the territory outside

their reservations as herein defined, but yet reserve the right to hunt on any lands north of North Platte, and on the Republican Fork of the Smoky Hill river, so long as the buffalo may range thereon in such numbers as to justify the chase. And they, the said Indians, further expressly agree:

1st. That they will withdraw all opposition to the construction of the railroads now being built on the plains.

2d. That they will permit the peaceful construction of any railroad not passing over their reservation as herein defined.

3d. That they will not attack any persons at home, or travelling, nor molest or disturb any wagon trains, coaches, mules, or cattle belonging to the people of the United States, or to persons friendly therewith.

4th. They will never capture, or carry off from the settlements, white women or children.

5th. They will never kill or scalp white men, nor attempt to do them harm.

6th. They withdraw all pretence of opposition to the construction of the railroad now being built along the Platte river and westward to the Pacific ocean, and they will not in future object to the construction of railroads, wagon roads, mail stations, or other works of utility or necessity, which may be ordered or permitted by the laws of the United States. But should such roads or other works be constructed on the lands of their reservation, the government will pay the tribe whatever amount of damage may be assessed by three disinterested commissioners to be appointed by the President for that purpose, one of the said commissioners to be a chief or headman of the tribe.

7th. They agree to withdraw all opposition to the military posts or roads now established south of the North Platte river, or that may be established, not in violation of treaties heretofore made or hereafter to be made with any of the Indian tribes.

ARTICLE XII.
No treaty for the cession of any portion or part of the reservation herein described which may be held in common, shall be of any validity or force as against the said Indians unless executed and signed by at least three-fourths of all the adult male Indians occupying or interested in the same, and no cession by the tribe shall be understood or construed in such manner as to deprive, without his consent, any individual member of the tribe of his rights to any tract of land selected by him as provided in Article VI of this treaty.

ARTICLE XIII.
The United States hereby agrees to furnish annually to the Indians the physician, teachers, carpenter, miller, engineer, farmer, and blacksmiths, as herein contemplated, and that such appropriations shall be made from time to time, on the estimate of the Secretary of the Interior, as will be sufficient to employ such persons.

ARTICLE XIV.
It is agreed that the sum of five hundred dollars annually for three years from date shall be expended in presents to the ten persons of said tribe who in the judgment of the agent may grow the most valuable crops for the respective year.

ARTICLE XV.
The Indians herein named agree that when the agency house and other buildings shall be constructed on the reservation named, they will regard said reservation their permanent home, and they will make no permanent settlement elsewhere; but they shall have the right, subject to the conditions and modifications of this treaty, to hunt, as stipulated in Article XI hereof.

ARTICLE XVI.
The United States hereby agrees and stipulates that the country north of the North Platte river and east of the summits of the Big Horn mountains shall be held and considered to be unceded. Indian territory, and also stipulates and agrees that no white person or persons shall be permitted to settle upon or occupy any portion of the same; or without the consent of the Indians, first had and obtained, to pass through the same; and it is further agreed by the United States, that within ninety days after the conclusion of peace with all the bands of the Sioux nation, the military posts now established in the territory in this article named shall be abandoned, and that the road leading to them and by them to the settlements in the Territory of Montana shall be closed.

ARTICLE XVII.
It is hereby expressly understood and agreed by and between the respective parties to this treaty that the execution of this treaty and its ratification by the United States Senate shall have the effect, and shall be construed as abrogating and annulling all treaties and agreements heretofore entered into between the respective parties hereto, so far as such treaties and agreements obligate the United States to furnish and provide money, clothing, or other articles of property to such Indians and bands of Indians as become parties to this treaty, but no further.

In testimony of all which, we, the said commissioners, and we, the chiefs and headmen of the Brule band of the Sioux nation, have hereunto set our hands and seals at Fort Laramie, Dakota Territory, this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

N. G. TAYLOR,
W. T. SHERMAN,
Lieutenant General
WM. S. HARNEY,
Brevet Major General U.S.A.
JOHN B. SANBORN,
S. F. TAPPAN,
C. C. AUGUR,
Brevet Major General
ALFRED H. TERRY,
Brevet Major General U.S.A.
Attest:
A. S. H. WHITE, Secretary.

Executed on the part of the Brule band of Sioux by the chiefs and headman whose names are hereto annexed, they being thereunto duly authorized, at Fort Laramie, D. T., the twenty-ninth day of April, in the year A. D. 1868.

Executed on the part of the Ogallalla band of Sioux by the chiefs and headmen whose names are hereto subscribed, they being thereunto duly authorized, at Fort Laramie, the 25th day of May, in the year A. D. 1868.

Executed on the part of the Minneconjou band of Sioux by the chiefs and headmen whose names are hereunto subscribed, they being thereunto duly authorized.

Executed on the part of the Yanctonais band of Sioux by the chiefs and headmen whose names are hereto subscribed, they being thereunto duly authorized:

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EnlargeDownload Link Citation: Treaty with the Sioux-Brule, Oglala, Miniconjou, Yanktonai, Hunkpapa, Blackfeet, Cuthead, Two Kettle, San Arcs, and Santee-and Arapaho, 4/29/1868; General Records of the United States Government; Record Group 11; National Archives. View All Pages in the National Archives Catalog View Transcript In this treaty, signed on April 29, 1868, between the U.S.

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American Indian Boarding Schools ran 1860-1990

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American Indian Boarding Schools ran 1860-1990

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(TW: abuse, sexual abuse, mental health, suicide)
Native American Boarding Schools (also known as Indian Boarding Schools) were established by the U.S. government in the late 19th century as an effort to assimilate Indigenous youth into mainstream American culture through education. This era was part of the United States' overall attempt to kill, annihilate, or assimilate Indigenous peoples and eradicate Indigenous culture.

The Native American assimilation era first began in 1819, when the U.S. Congress passed The Civilization Fund Act. The act encouraged American education to be provided to Indigenous societies and therefore enforced the "civilization process".

The passing of this act eventually led to the creation of the federally funded Native American Boarding Schools and initiated the beginning of the Indian Boarding School era. The duration of this era ran from 1860 until 1978. Approximately 357 boarding schools operated across 30 states during this era both on and off reservations and housed over 60,000 native children. A third of these boarding schools were operated by Christian missionaries as well as members of the federal government. These boarding schools housed several thousand children.

Native American Boarding Schools first began operating in 1860 when the Bureau of Indian Affairs established the first on-reservation boarding school on the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington. Shortly after, the first off-reservation boarding school was established in 1879. The Carlisle Indian School located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania was founded by Richard Henry Pratt. He modeled the boarding school off an education program he designed while overseeing Fort Marion Prison in St. Augustine, Florida. He developed the program after experimenting with Native American assimilation education on imprisoned and captive Indigenous peoples. Pratt served as the Headmaster of the Carlisle Indian School for 25 years and was famously known for his highly influential philosophy which he described in a speech he gave in 1892. He stated, "A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one. In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man."

Attendance to the boarding schools was made mandatory by the U.S. Government regardless of whether or not Indigenous families gave their consent. Upon arrival, Native children were given Anglo-American names, bathed in kerosene, given military-style clothing in exchange for their traditional clothing, and their hair would be shaved off for the boys and cut into short bob styles for girls.

Education primarily focused on trades to make Native students marketable in American society. Male students were taught to perform manual labor such as blacksmithing, shoemaking, and farming amongst other trades. On the other hand, female students were taught to cook, clean, sew, do laundry, and care for farm animals. Standard academic subjects like reading, writing, math, history, and art were also taught, however, these subjects emphasized American beliefs and values. For example, students were taught the importance of private property, materialized wealth, students were forced to convert to Christianity, and celebrate American holidays such as Columbus Day. Richard Henry Scott eventually implemented a "Placing Out System" that placed Native students into American communities for a certain amount of time, varying from a Summer to a full year. These programs tended to exploit students and used them for domestic and physical labor.

Native students were not allowed to speak in their Native languages. They were only allowed to speak English regardless of their fluency and would face punishment if they didn't. The discipline enforced at these boarding schools was severe. Punishments varied and included privilege restrictions, diet restrictions, threats of corporal punishment, and even confinement. Additionally, Native students were neglected and faced many forms of abuse including physical, sexual, cultural, and spiritual. They were beaten, coerced into performing heavy labor. Their daily regimen consisted of several hours of marching and recreational time consisted of watching disturbing movies such as Cowboys and Indians.

Since they were used as forms of punishment, food and medical attention were scarce. This led to boarding schools becoming more susceptible to infections and diseases like tuberculosis, the flu, trachoma. Due to these conditions, Native students would become ill and die at these boarding schools often. In 1899, a measles epidemic spread through the Phoenix Indian School, experiencing rates as high as 325 cases of measles in addition to 60 cases of pneumonia, and 9 student deaths within 10 days. Parents were rarely informed of their children's deaths; some parents would learn of their child's death after they were buried in school cemeteries. Some students were buried in unmarked graves. Those that survived these inhumane conditions were scarred from the traumatic experiences for the remainder of their lives.

Although a majority of Native children were forced to attend these boarding schools, some parents chose to send their children because those were the only schools available to their children. However, several forms of resistance were performed in response to having their children pulled from their homes and forced to attend these boarding schools. Some forms of resistance included entire villages refusing to enroll their children in the boarding schools, coordinated mass withdrawals, as well as encouraging their children to run away from the school. Indian agents - individuals hired to interact with Indigenous communities on behalf of the U.S. Government - would retaliate by withholding rations and supplies to Indigenous communities. These agents were also responsible for seizing children from their families and their homes until boarding schools were filled.

While the Native American Boarding School era has ended, the U.S. government still operates a few off-reservation boarding schools. As of 2020, 7 boarding schools continue to be federally funded, 3 of which are controlled by Indigenous community leaders. In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was passed to decrease U.S. federal control of Native affairs and instead allowed for Native self-determination and self-governance. An example of this transition can be seen with the Santa Fe Indian School which was established in 1890 and originally implemented the Carlisle model. By the 1920s, the school began transitioning after Indigenous leaders fought to gain control over the school. It is currently managed by Indigenous leaders where the focus has switched to traditional arts, sovereignty, Native cultures, and community.

Native youth still face several challenges within the American education system. They rarely have access to curriculums that are culturally relevant to them and experience difficulties in the classroom at alarming rates. According to reports given by the Kids Count Data Center and The National Violent Death Reporting System, Native students are:

1.2 times more likely to be behind in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math

1.4 times more likely to be suspended from school

1.5 times more likely to die in a homicide or suicide

1.7 times more likely to experience two or more adverse childhood experiences

1.8 times more likely to attend a high-poverty school

2.0 times more likely to drop out of high school

The tragedies Native children faced during this era have impacted the lives of not only the children but also their families and communities. These impacts have caused Indigenous communities to experience deep-rooted ramifications in regards to mental health and the overall relationship between Native communities and the American education system. They are often displayed in the form of poverty, difficulties in the American education system, poor physical health, and poor mental health. Many Native students who survived the boarding school era went on to suffer from mental health and other related issues such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, a lack of cultural identity, and the development of negative stereotypes (i.e. lazy, alcoholics, etc.), to name a few. These traumatic experiences have been passed down from generation to generation and continue to impact Indigenous communities today.

Documentaries

Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools ()

Unseen Tears: The Native American Boarding School Experience in Western New York, 2009 ( Films for Action )

Literature

Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII by Chester Nez and Judith Schiess Avila

Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience, 1875-1928 by David Wallace Adams

They Called it Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School by K. Tsianina Lomawaima

Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School by Adam Fortunate Eagle

Websites
Additional Book Recommendations from The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

References

American Indian Relief Council. Native American History and Culture: Boarding Schools - American Indian Relief Council Is Now Northern Plains Reservation Aid, American Indian Relief Council, www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=airc_hist_boardingschools.

Bear, Charla. "American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many." NPR, NPR, 12 May 2008, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16516865.

Boone, Katrina. "America Has Always Used Schools as a Weapon Against Native Americans." Education Post, Education Post, 13 Dec. 2018, educationpost.org/america-has-always-used-schools-as-a-weapon-against-native-americans/.

Elliot, Sarah K. "Antiques Roadshow." PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 13 Apr. 2020, www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/stories/articles/2020/4/13/early-years-american-indian-boarding-schools.

Little, Becky. "How Boarding Schools Tried to 'Kill the Indian' Through Assimilation." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Aug. 2017, www.history.com/news/how-boarding-schools-tried-to-kill-the-indian-through-assimilation.

Nabs. "US Indian Boarding School History." The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, boardingschoolhealing.org/education/us-indian-boarding-school-history/.

Native Hope. The Issues Surrounding Native American Education, Native Hope, blog.nativehope.org/the-issues-surrounding-native-american-education.

Melissa is a 25 year old Dominican-American from Philly. She is part of the writing team at TIF and writes articles. She enjoys hiking, reading, relaxing with her cat and hopes to expand knowledge in climate change impacts on BIPOC communities and spread awareness through The Indigenous Foundation.

(TW: abuse, sexual abuse, mental health, suicide)
Native American Boarding Schools (also known as Indian Boarding Schools) were established by the U.S. government in the late 19th century as an effort to assimilate Indigenous youth into mainstream American culture through education. This era was part of the United States' overall attempt to kill, annihilate, or assimilate Indigenous peoples and eradicate Indigenous culture.

The Native American assimilation era first began in 1819, when the U.S. Congress passed The Civilization Fund Act. The act encouraged American education to be provided to Indigenous societies and therefore enforced the "civilization process".

The passing of this act eventually led to the creation of the federally funded Native American Boarding Schools and initiated the beginning of the Indian Boarding School era. The duration of this era ran from 1860 until 1978. Approximately 357 boarding schools operated across 30 states during this era both on and off reservations and housed over 60,000 native children. A third of these boarding schools were operated by Christian missionaries as well as members of the federal government. These boarding schools housed several thousand children.

Native American Boarding Schools first began operating in 1860 when the Bureau of Indian Affairs established the first on-reservation boarding school on the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington. Shortly after, the first off-reservation boarding school was established in 1879. The Carlisle Indian School located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania was founded by Richard Henry Pratt. He modeled the boarding school off an education program he designed while overseeing Fort Marion Prison in St. Augustine, Florida. He developed the program after experimenting with Native American assimilation education on imprisoned and captive Indigenous peoples. Pratt served as the Headmaster of the Carlisle Indian School for 25 years and was famously known for his highly influential philosophy which he described in a speech he gave in 1892. He stated, "A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one. In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man."

Attendance to the boarding schools was made mandatory by the U.S. Government regardless of whether or not Indigenous families gave their consent. Upon arrival, Native children were given Anglo-American names, bathed in kerosene, given military-style clothing in exchange for their traditional clothing, and their hair would be shaved off for the boys and cut into short bob styles for girls.

Education primarily focused on trades to make Native students marketable in American society. Male students were taught to perform manual labor such as blacksmithing, shoemaking, and farming amongst other trades. On the other hand, female students were taught to cook, clean, sew, do laundry, and care for farm animals. Standard academic subjects like reading, writing, math, history, and art were also taught, however, these subjects emphasized American beliefs and values. For example, students were taught the importance of private property, materialized wealth, students were forced to convert to Christianity, and celebrate American holidays such as Columbus Day. Richard Henry Scott eventually implemented a "Placing Out System" that placed Native students into American communities for a certain amount of time, varying from a Summer to a full year. These programs tended to exploit students and used them for domestic and physical labor.

Native students were not allowed to speak in their Native languages. They were only allowed to speak English regardless of their fluency and would face punishment if they didn't. The discipline enforced at these boarding schools was severe. Punishments varied and included privilege restrictions, diet restrictions, threats of corporal punishment, and even confinement. Additionally, Native students were neglected and faced many forms of abuse including physical, sexual, cultural, and spiritual. They were beaten, coerced into performing heavy labor. Their daily regimen consisted of several hours of marching and recreational time consisted of watching disturbing movies such as Cowboys and Indians.

Since they were used as forms of punishment, food and medical attention were scarce. This led to boarding schools becoming more susceptible to infections and diseases like tuberculosis, the flu, trachoma. Due to these conditions, Native students would become ill and die at these boarding schools often. In 1899, a measles epidemic spread through the Phoenix Indian School, experiencing rates as high as 325 cases of measles in addition to 60 cases of pneumonia, and 9 student deaths within 10 days. Parents were rarely informed of their children's deaths; some parents would learn of their child's death after they were buried in school cemeteries. Some students were buried in unmarked graves. Those that survived these inhumane conditions were scarred from the traumatic experiences for the remainder of their lives.

Although a majority of Native children were forced to attend these boarding schools, some parents chose to send their children because those were the only schools available to their children. However, several forms of resistance were performed in response to having their children pulled from their homes and forced to attend these boarding schools. Some forms of resistance included entire villages refusing to enroll their children in the boarding schools, coordinated mass withdrawals, as well as encouraging their children to run away from the school. Indian agents - individuals hired to interact with Indigenous communities on behalf of the U.S. Government - would retaliate by withholding rations and supplies to Indigenous communities. These agents were also responsible for seizing children from their families and their homes until boarding schools were filled.

While the Native American Boarding School era has ended, the U.S. government still operates a few off-reservation boarding schools. As of 2020, 7 boarding schools continue to be federally funded, 3 of which are controlled by Indigenous community leaders. In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was passed to decrease U.S. federal control of Native affairs and instead allowed for Native self-determination and self-governance. An example of this transition can be seen with the Santa Fe Indian School which was established in 1890 and originally implemented the Carlisle model. By the 1920s, the school began transitioning after Indigenous leaders fought to gain control over the school. It is currently managed by Indigenous leaders where the focus has switched to traditional arts, sovereignty, Native cultures, and community.

Native youth still face several challenges within the American education system. They rarely have access to curriculums that are culturally relevant to them and experience difficulties in the classroom at alarming rates. According to reports given by the Kids Count Data Center and The National Violent Death Reporting System, Native students are:

1.2 times more likely to be behind in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math

1.4 times more likely to be suspended from school

1.5 times more likely to die in a homicide or suicide

1.7 times more likely to experience two or more adverse childhood experiences

1.8 times more likely to attend a high-poverty school

2.0 times more likely to drop out of high school

The tragedies Native children faced during this era have impacted the lives of not only the children but also their families and communities. These impacts have caused Indigenous communities to experience deep-rooted ramifications in regards to mental health and the overall relationship between Native communities and the American education system. They are often displayed in the form of poverty, difficulties in the American education system, poor physical health, and poor mental health. Many Native students who survived the boarding school era went on to suffer from mental health and other related issues such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, a lack of cultural identity, and the development of negative stereotypes (i.e. lazy, alcoholics, etc.), to name a few. These traumatic experiences have been passed down from generation to generation and continue to impact Indigenous communities today.

Documentaries

Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools ()

Unseen Tears: The Native American Boarding School Experience in Western New York, 2009 ( Films for Action )

Literature

Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII by Chester Nez and Judith Schiess Avila

Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience, 1875-1928 by David Wallace Adams

They Called it Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School by K. Tsianina Lomawaima

Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School by Adam Fortunate Eagle

Websites
Additional Book Recommendations from The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

References

American Indian Relief Council. Native American History and Culture: Boarding Schools - American Indian Relief Council Is Now Northern Plains Reservation Aid, American Indian Relief Council, www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=airc_hist_boardingschools.

Bear, Charla. "American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many." NPR, NPR, 12 May 2008, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16516865.

Boone, Katrina. "America Has Always Used Schools as a Weapon Against Native Americans." Education Post, Education Post, 13 Dec. 2018, educationpost.org/america-has-always-used-schools-as-a-weapon-against-native-americans/.

Elliot, Sarah K. "Antiques Roadshow." PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 13 Apr. 2020, www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/stories/articles/2020/4/13/early-years-american-indian-boarding-schools.

Little, Becky. "How Boarding Schools Tried to 'Kill the Indian' Through Assimilation." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Aug. 2017, www.history.com/news/how-boarding-schools-tried-to-kill-the-indian-through-assimilation.

Nabs. "US Indian Boarding School History." The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, boardingschoolhealing.org/education/us-indian-boarding-school-history/.

Native Hope. The Issues Surrounding Native American Education, Native Hope, blog.nativehope.org/the-issues-surrounding-native-american-education.

Melissa is a 25 year old Dominican-American from Philly. She is part of the writing team at TIF and writes articles. She enjoys hiking, reading, relaxing with her cat and hopes to expand knowledge in climate change impacts on BIPOC communities and spread awareness through The Indigenous Foundation.

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The U.S. history of Native American Boarding Schools - The Indigenous Foundation

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(TW: abuse, sexual abuse, mental health, suicide) Native American Boarding Schools (also known as Indian Boarding Schools) were established by the U.S. government in the late 19th century as an effort to assimilate Indigenous youth into mainstream American culture through education. This era

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The Dawes Act of 1887 Diminished Tribal Ownership

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South Dakota Public Broadcasting produces commercial-free TV, Radio, and Internet programs and provides valuable community education outreach and resources.

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With Congress' passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, the government of the United States confers citizenship on all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the country.

Before the Civil War, citizenship was often limited to Native Americans of one-half or less Indian blood. In the Reconstruction period, progressive Republicans in Congress sought to accelerate the granting of citizenship to friendly tribes, though state support for these measures was often limited. In 1888, most Native American women married to U.S. citizens were conferred with citizenship, and in 1919 Native American veterans of World War I were offered citizenship. In 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act, an all-inclusive act, was passed by Congress. The privileges of citizenship, however, were largely governed by state law, and the right to vote was often denied to Native Americans in the early 20th century.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

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Congress enacts the Indian Citizenship Act | June 2, 1924 | HISTORY

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With Congress' passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, the government of the United States confers citizenship on all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the country. Before the Civil War, citizenship was often limited to Native Americans of one-half or less Indian blood.

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Wanblee parents march to Pine Ridge; demand local high school

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Wanblee parents march to Pine Ridge; demand local high school

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https://www.crazyhorse.k12.sd.us/history

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Crazy Horse was known at the defender of the Black Hills and of his people.  Crazy Horse was the greatest warrior of the Lakota people. He fought many enemies of the Lakota people from Pawnee, Crow and Whites. Anytime he would get ready for war others would get excited as his war parties where always successful. He was always ready to come to the aide of his people and defend them.

A quiet, compassionate man when he was not on the battlefield, he never wore any eagle feathers. The only feather he wore was that of a Red Tailed Hawk feather.  Crazy Horse never let himself be photographed, though he was described to be a light complexion man, with gray eyes and brown curly hair.

Crazy Horse first took a scalp when he was just 14 years of age. From here he would soon have a scalp shirt with over a hundred scalps. During what many call the Red Cloud Wars Crazy Horse made a name for himself. The Red Cloud War started when the Bozeman Trail was created and cut through land that was the property of the Lakota.  When forts and travels started to interfere with areas where hunting normally took place, Red Cloud started to attack. Crazy Horse fought many of these battles during this time. Some have made it into the history books such as the Battle of Kills One Hundred, though the history books call this Fettermans Massacre. The battles continued and lasted until in 1868 the Fort Laramie Treaty was signed and the forts where shut down.

Crazy Horse never signed any treaty. He never believed the whites would honor them. When many of the bands of Lakota started to settle down near forts, Crazy Horse remained out riding across the reservation. Later, bands were told to return to forts or be considered hostile. Still he remained riding across the plains. During June 1876 while a great encampment of Lakota where camped, General Custer attacked the camp. Crazy Horse lead a charge against the Cavalry. He rode back and forth taunting them to shoot at him. He has the power to be untouchable to any bullet fired at him. This battle was the greatest defeat in US history. The United States lost and dropped their flag to the Lakota people.

The prolonged war and battles started to take its toll on Crazy Horse's people. Their moccasins had holes on their soles, and their tipis were in need of repairs. He looked at his people and took pity on them. He decided to surrender and he moved his people around the northern Black Hills. He followed along the Cheyenne River and across part of the western edge of the Badlands. His people honored him as they rode into Fort Robinson signing a song.

Crazy Horse surrendered at Fort Robinson while many of the officers wanted to take him away to answer for his crimes. When the guardsmen came to take him in a struggle broke out. One of his friends and allies grabbed him and held him. A soldier then came up behind him and stabbed him. The stab wound punctured his kidney and he died later that night. His mother and father took his body and headed away to place his body where no one would find it.

To this day, Crazy Horse was known as the defender of his people and the greatest warrior to have lived.

written by: Mike Curran, Lakota Teacher

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Crazy Horse was known at the defender of the Black Hills and of his people. Crazy Horse was the greatest warrior of the Lakota people. He fought many enemies of the Lakota people from Pawnee, Crow and Whites. Anytime he would get ready for war others would get excited as his war parties where alway…

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American Indian Movement (AIM) ends Wounded Knee Occupation

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American Indian Movement (AIM) ends Wounded Knee Occupation

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On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, armed members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) surrender to federal authorities, ending their 71-day siege of Wounded Knee, site of the infamous massacre of 300 Sioux by the U.S. 7th Cavalry in 1890.

AIM was founded in 1968 by Russell Means, Dennis Banks, and other Native-American leaders as a militant political and civil rights organization. From November 1969 to June 1971, AIM members occupied Alcatraz Island off San Francisco, saying they had rights to it under a treaty provision granting them unused federal land. In November 1972, AIM members briefly occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C., to protest programs controlling reservation development.

Their actions were acclaimed by many Native Americans, but on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Oglala Sioux Tribal President Dick Wilson had banned all AIM activities. AIM considered his government corrupt and dictatorial, and planned the occupation of Wounded Knee as a means of forcing a federal investigation of his administration. By taking Wounded Knee, The AIM leaders also hoped to force an investigation of other reservations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and broken Indian treaties. In addition to its historical significance, Wounded Knee was one of the poorest communities in the United States and shared with the other Pine Ridge settlements some of the country's lowest rates of life expectancy.
READ MORE: Remembering the Wounded Knee Massacre
On February 27, 1973, some 200 AIM-led Sioux seized control of Wounded Knee, taking 11 allies of Dick Wilson hostage as local authorities and federal agents descended on the reservation. The next day, AIM members traded gunfire with the federal marshals surrounding the settlement and fired on automobiles and low-flying planes that dared come within rifle range. Russell Means began negotiations for the release of the hostages, demanding that the U.S. Senate launch an investigation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pine Ridge, and all Sioux reservations in South Dakota, and that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hold hearings on the scores of Indian treaties broken by the U.S. government.

The Wounded Knee occupation lasted for a total of 71 days, during which time two Sioux men were shot to death by federal agents. One federal agent was paralyzed after being shot. On May 8, the AIM leaders and their supporters surrendered after White House officials promised to investigate their complaints. Russell Means and Dennis Banks were arrested, but on September 16, 1973, the charges against them were dismissed by a federal judge because of the U.S. government's unlawful handling of witnesses and evidence.

Violence continued on the Pine Ridge Reservation throughout the rest of the 1970s, with several more AIM members and supporters losing their lives in confrontations with the U.S. government. In 1975, two FBI agents and a Native-American man were killed in a massive shoot-out between federal agents and AIM members and local residents. In a controversial trial, AIM member Leonard Peltier was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

With many of its leaders in prison, AIM disbanded in 1978. Local AIM groups continued to function, however, and in 1981 one group occupied part of the Black Hills in South Dakota. The U.S. government took no steps to honor broken Indian treaties, but in the courts some tribes won major settlements from federal and state governments in cases involving tribal land claims. Russell Means continued to advocate Native-American rights at Pine Ridge and elsewhere and in 1988 was a presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party. In 2001, Means attempted to run for the governorship of New Mexico, but his candidacy was disallowed because procedure had not been followed.

Beginning in 1992, Means appeared in several films, including Last of the Mohicans. He also had a guest spot on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. His autobiography, Where White Men Fear to Tread, was published in 1997. Means died on October 22, 2012, at age 72.

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American Indian Movement (AIM) ends occupation of Wounded Knee

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On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, armed members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) surrender to federal authorities, ending their 71-day siege of Wounded Knee, site of the infamous massacre of 300 Sioux by the U.S. 7th Cavalry in 1890.

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https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/timeline/530.html

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The Indian Education Act establishes the Office of Indian Education and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and provides federal funds for American Indian and Alaska Native education at all grade levels. It also empowers American Indian and Alaska Native parents to form advisory boards for federally operated boarding schools and for public schools that have programs for American Indian students.

Theme

Federal-Tribal Relations

Region

Arctic, California, Great Basin, Great Plains, Northeast, Northwest Coast, Plateau, Southeast, Southwest, Subarctic

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The Indian Education Act empowers parents; funds student programs

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The Indian Education Act establishes the Office of Indian Education and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and provides federal funds for American Indian and Alaska Native education at all grade levels. It also empowers American Indian and Alaska Native parents to form advisory boards for federally operated boarding schools and for public schools that have programs for American Indian students.

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Integrating Waldorf Education with Lakota Language and Culture

Empowering our children for a brighter future

Fostering curiosity, imagination, and creativity

Supporting the cultural and individual identity of Lakota children

Education that integrates head, heart, and hands

Integrating Waldorf Education with Lakota Language and Culture

Empowering our children for a brighter future

Fostering curiosity, imagination, and creativity

Supporting the cultural and individual identity of Lakota children

Education that integrates head, heart, and hands

Integrating Waldorf Education with Lakota Language and Culture

Empowering our children for a brighter future

Fostering curiosity, imagination, and creativity

Supporting the cultural and individual identity of Lakota children

Education that integrates head, heart, and hands

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Next

Welcome to Indigenous Waldorf Education

Located in the heart of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the Lakota Waldorf School (LWS) is an independent, nonsectarian, and tuition-free school serving children, Grades K-8.

LWS was founded in 1993 by parents from the Oglala Lakota Tribe committed to an alternative vision of education – one that would help Lakota children connect with their roots while also preparing them academically to meet the world. The Waldorf curriculum was chosen because it dovetails so well with the Lakota culture and is well-positioned to preserve the Lakota language.

Today our school is distinguished as the only one in North America to integrate the wonders of Waldorf Education with a program on Lakota language and culture. LWS is also recognized as the only Waldorf School in the states located on an Indian Reservation.

Wakanyeja unkitawapi ki Lakoliyapi na Lakol ounyanpi ki yuha manipi kte heca.

Our children must walk with the Lakota language and Lakota way of life.

Testimonials

“Lakota Waldorf School has provided my daughter a unique education that I would not be able to afford in other part of the country. The school creates a community that doesn’t only focus on learning, but also focuses on educating the whole child. My daughter has also become more confident with using her native language and in her own cultural identity.”

Ruth Anderson

“My grandson has just completed his first year at Lakota Waldorf and I am impressed at the change in his attitude, behavior, and love of learning but most importantly, our Lakota culture and language. He had previously attended another school and was beginning to lose his desire to attend school. Once he started at LWS, his enthusiasm returned and now he loves going to school.”

Cordelia White Elk

“Our daughters have attended Lakota Waldorf School since kindergarten. They truly flourish under this Waldorf curriculum integrated with their Lakota language and culture. We are grateful for the dedication and support of the teaching staff that have helped our children grow immensely. We love how our children wake up enthusiastic about going to school. They sing Lakota songs all week and teach us how to say different things in Lakota.”

Derek & Katie Hunter

“Lakota Waldorf School has provided my daughter a unique education that I would not be able to afford in other part of the country. The school creates a community that doesn’t only focus on learning, but also focuses on educating the whole child. My daughter has also become more confident with using her native language and in her own cultural identity.”

Ruth Anderson

“My grandson has just completed his first year at Lakota Waldorf and I am impressed at the change in his attitude, behavior, and love of learning but most importantly, our Lakota culture and language. He had previously attended another school and was beginning to lose his desire to attend school. Once he started at LWS, his enthusiasm returned and now he loves going to school.”

Cordelia White Elk

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Lakota Tipi Camp

Come spend your vacation in the beautiful land of the Lakota people and take a life-long experience home with you. Explore the beauty of the prairie and the badlands, live in traditional Tipis, enjoy evening-meals around the camp fire and experience the beauty of our local Pow-Wows.

“Storytelling, artistic projects, nature activities, mealtime traditions, playtime, and hands-on learning opportunities – It is remarkable to see how the philosophy and methods of Waldorf Education are intrinsically aligned with these fundamental teaching practices of indigenous people.”

Caroline Stadnick

LWS Resource Teacher & Counselor

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Help Us Reach Our Fundraising Goal for Campus Expansion Integrating Waldorf Education with Lakota Language and CultureEmpowering our children for a brighter futureFostering curiosity, imagination, and creativitySupporting the cultural and … Home Read More »

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American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978

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American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978

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American Indian Religious Freedom Act 40th Anniversary: August 11, 2018

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https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2013/12/23/rosebud-sioux-support-teach-for-america-south-dakota-efforts/4174431/

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The Rosebud Sioux Tribe passed a resolution this month announcing its formal support of Teach for America-South Dakota corps members and alumni in their efforts to advance Native student achievement in the state.

The resolution follows a similar resolution passed by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council earlier this year supporting the organization's commitment to Native students on the Pine Ridge reservation.

Teach for America-South Dakota has been partnering with schools on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations since 2004. This year, more than 40 new Teach for America teachers are teaching in reservation schools on Rosebud, Pine Ridge and for the first time Standing Rock and Lower Brule.

Teach for America recruits, trains and develops recent graduates and professionals to teach in urban and rural public schools, including some that are tribally operated under grant or contract with the Bureau of Indian Education and some that are BIE-operated.

In 2010, Teach for America launched its Native Alliance Initiative to provide an additional source of effective teachers in Native communities and advance student achievement in Native schools. During the 2012-13 school year, 510 Teach for America corps members taught in Native communities in South Dakota, Hawaii, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

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Rosebud Sioux support Teach for America-South Dakota efforts

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The Rosebud Sioux Tribe passed a resolution this month announcing its formal support of Teach for America-South Dakota corps members and alumni in their efforts to advance Native student achievement in the state. The resolution follows a similar resolution passed by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council earlier this year supporting the organization's commitment to Native students on the Pine Ridge reservation.

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Thunder valley

P.O. BOX 290 PORCUPINE, SD 57772
P (605) 455-2700

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The Lakota Language & Education Initiative is paramount to the liberation and reclamation of our Lakȟól Wičhóȟʼaŋ (way of life) and Lakȟól woyúkčaŋ (thought). It is through this initiative that we actively work diligently to acquire, preserve and protect our language and lifeways through a multi-generational approach.

The Lakota Language & Education Initiative is paramount to the liberation and reclamation of our Lakȟól Wičhóȟʼaŋ (way of life) and Lakȟól woyúkčaŋ (thought). It is through this initiative that we actively work diligently to acquire, preserve and protect our language and lifeways through a multi-generational approach.

This work fosters a Lakota learning environment that develops strong leaders who are rooted in Lakota identity, Lakȟól Wičhóȟʼaŋ, are academically prepared and have the tools and accessibility to live a healthy and holistic life.

Our work includes:

Owáyawa Číkʼala | Lakota Immersion Montessori rooted our Lakota language and lifeways.

Owáyawa Tȟáŋka | Elementary Immersion Class at Pine Ridge School that provides immersive learning for grades K-1st that reflects the beliefs of our ancestors inside our ancestral language.

Wayáwa Tȟaŋkíŋkiŋyaŋ | Lakota Reclamation Program to increase knowledge and confidence in the Lakota language within our staff, families and communities.

Wówapi na Itówapiškáŋškaŋ Káǧapi | Curriculum Development that is comprehensive and culturally-infused for our children, families and adults. The comprehensive curriculum is designed by our fluent speakers, educators, and community.

Lakȟótiya Škíŋčiyapi | Youth Activities that promote wellness and health through physical activities.

Wówahokúŋkhiye | Teachings of Our Elders preserves the history and knowledge of our fluent speakers.

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Lakota Language & Education — THUNDER VALLEY

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The Lakota Language & Education Initiative is paramount to the liberation and reclamation of our Lakȟól Wičhóȟʼaŋ (way of life) and Lakȟól woyúkčaŋ (thought). It is through this initiative that we actively work diligently to acquire, preserve and protect our language and lifeways through a multi-gen…

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2012 Commission of Oceti Sakowin Accreditation

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2012 Commission of Oceti Sakowin Accreditation

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Commission for Oceti Sakowin Accreditation

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COSA Commissioners are noted educational leaders who establish policy and review schools for candidacy and accreditation status.

COSA is currently comprised of representatives from eight of the nine reservations within the current boundaries of South Dakota. The Commission representation is the Tribal Education Directors of each of the 9 tribes or their designees:

Deborah Bordeaux
Executive Director
cosatribalad@gmail.com

Dr. Cherie Farlee
Tribal Education Director
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

Dr. Sherry Johnson
Tribal Education Director
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate

Dayna Brave Eagle
Tribal Education Director
Oglala Sioux Tribe

Cindy Young
Tribal Education Director
Rosebud Sioux Tribe

Emma Jean Blue Earth
Tribal Education Director
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Brian Wagner
Tribal Education Director
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe / Lower Brule Sioux Tribe

Jolene Arrow
Tribal Education Representative
Yankton Sioux Tribe

Our mission:

COSA provides accreditation that promotes quality learning, continuous improvement, and student success.

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COSA Commissioners | Commission for Oceti Sakowin Accreditation

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COSA Commissioners are noted educational leaders who establish policy and review schools for candidacy and accreditation status.

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Lakota Immersion Education a reality on the Pine Ridge Reservation since 2008

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Lakota Immersion Education a reality on the Pine Ridge Reservation since 2008

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Making Lakota Immersion Education a Reality on the Pine Ridge Reservation
posted March 20, 2017
On a crisp morning this winter, a group of kindergarteners at Red Cloud Indian School gathered around their teacher to listen to the classic story Where the Wild Things Are. But the teachers in this particular classroom did something different: they read the book entirely in the Lakota language. When a student wasn't familiar with a word from the book, the teachers used gestures or movements to act out the meaning and help students understand. And once the story was over, the teachers then launched into a math lesson in Lakota-with students joyfully chanting new sets of numbers- without once breaking into English.

These kindergarten students are the first to take part in the Lakota Language Immersion Classroom (LLIC)-one of the reservation's first elementary-school tracks that allows students to learn entirely in the Lakota language. A program of Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation and housed on Red Cloud's main campus, the LLIC is poised to advance language education by allowing students to learn in a completely new way, using Lakota as their primary tongue.

For Matthew Rama, Initiative Director of Thunder Valley CDC's Lakota Language Initiative and the lead teacher of the LLIC, this immersion approach is a key to helping Lakota students succeed.

"Across the reservation, our dropout rate is still close to 70 percent. Our approach to education in Indian Country has continued to fail our kids-and we all need to ask why we keep doing the same thing over and over and sticking to the same ineffective model," says Rama. "We need to make a change for the kids coming up now. We know that building their confidence in who they are as Lakota children-giving them pride in their culture and heritage-can make a powerful difference in their educational achievement. And that can begin by helping them claim their ancestral language as their own."

For years, Red Cloud and Thunder Valley CDC have been dedicated to educating and nurturing a new generation of Lakota language speakers. The survival of the still-endangered language is a central part of both organizations' missions-and both have launched major efforts to encourage both children and adults to speak Lakota in their daily lives. Since 2008, Red Cloud has been working to develop the first comprehensive K-12 Lakota language curriculum, so that all of its students-at every grade level-will have progressive Lakota language learning integrated into their general education. Thunder Valley CDC has focused on expanding access to the language through the programming of its multifaceted Lakota Language Initiative. One of these efforts, the Lakota Immersion Childcare Program, provides pre-kindergarten aged children with the rare opportunity to learn Lakota as a primary language. Without a language immersion elementary school to attend, however, the children risk losing their language fluency.

Now, for the first time, Thunder Valley CDC and Red Cloud have embarked on a journey to make Lakota immersion education at the elementary school level a reality on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Through a new partnership forged this year, Red Cloud's campus serves as the physical home of Thunder Valley CDC's immersion classroom.

"We are truly proud to be a partner to Thunder Valley [CDC] in its groundbreaking work on Lakota immersion education. Both of our organizations are deeply committed to sustaining the Lakota language for future generations. It's a privilege to be working together toward that goal," said Robert Brave Heart Sr., Red Cloud's executive vice president. "From our experience here at Red Cloud, we know that learning Lakota helps our students excel, both inside the classroom and out. We are committed to giving more students the chance to learn in that environment."

This collective pathway, according to Thunder Valley CDC Executive Director Nick Tilsen, is the type of collaboration that will halt language loss and ultimately contribute to ensuring Lakota children are poised to be successful in the 21st century. "The partnership between Thunder Valley CDC and Red Cloud," shared Tilsen, "is focused on putting the wellbeing of the children and the Lakota Language at the center of every decision."

Since the academic year began, Matthew Rama has watched his students interact with each other more and more without breaking into English. For him, it's been nothing short of inspiring. Having spent the last several years directing Thunder Valley CDC's immersion childcare program, he understands the power of the immersion experience, particularly for very young children. But this classroom, he explains, represents the next step in what immersion education can do. It's giving students a chance to learn more advanced concepts in every subject-from math and science to reading-using Lakota as their first language. And he is already seeing their skills expand exponentially.

"They are learning and exploring everything they would in a standard, English classroom, but at the same time they are engaging so much more in Lakota," said Rama. "Their skills sets and vocabularies have grown so much; they are using longer, more complex sentence structures when they speak. Their understanding of the language has improved an incredible amount. It's really exciting to see that progress in them."

To provide learning materials for the LLIC, Rama and other staff members from Thunder Valley's Lakota Language Initiative have translated Red Cloud's entire Kindergarten curriculum into Lakota. It includes a science component, a reading program called Learning A-Z, and a Houghton Mifflin Math program. In addition, Thunder Valley CDC's Lakȟótiyapi Press has created a multitude of Lakota multimedia tools, including books and videos, that are used in lessons. Rama and his fellow teachers are also incorporating some of the Lakota language materials developed by Red Cloud's Lakota Language Program staff.

While a sound curriculum is essential, Rama explains that providing a true immersion experience is also a critical component of this program. LLIC teachers want to challenge students to truly engage with the language in every context. And so when they are in the LLIC classroom, they make it a practice never to break into English. Even when students aren't there with them, the teachers speak to one another only in Lakota. When a student doesn't understand a word in Lakota, a teacher will point to objects around the room or mimic an activity to get the idea across without using English. After only a few months in the classroom, the practice is already making a difference. Students are becoming more and more confident in their language skills-and in themselves.

During this initial phase of the program, the LLIC is limited to five students, all of whom attended the Lakota Immersion Childcare Program and have a baseline knowledge of the language. Thunder Valley CDC is now translating Red Cloud's first grade curriculum, and next year this group of students will progress in the immersion track while a new group of graduates from the Lakota Immersion Childcare Program begins kindergarten in the LLIC. Over the next five years, a new grade level will be added as students move through the program. By 2020, the plan is to have a group of at least 25 students from kindergarten to fourth grade studying in the LLIC program. But staff at both Thunder Valley CDC and Red Cloud hope that there will be room and resources to expand enrollment and provide immersion opportunities for more students.

For now, though, Rama is focusing on his current students and learning what works best to support their command of the language. And every day, he has a chance to celebrate their successes.

"They are just a regular group of kindergarteners-so at this age, they have such a sense of wonder about the world," shared Rama. "The other day we were walking outside, returning to the classroom from Physical Education, and it started to snow. They were all so excited, running around and shouting together. But instead of speaking in English, they were calling out to each other, saying "Wá hiŋhé!" which means "It's snowing!" And the fact that they were expressing that wonder in Lakota was really great to see."
For more information about this strategic program and partnership, contact Robert Brave Heart at Red Cloud Indian School at (605) 867-5491 or Cecily Engelhart at Thunder Valley at (605) 455-2700.
Photos © Red Cloud Indian School

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Making Lakota Immersion Education a Reality on the Pine Ridge Reservation - Red Cloud Indian School

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On a crisp fall morning this winter, a group of kindergarteners at Red Cloud Indian School gathered around their teacher to listen to the classic story Where the Wild Things Are. But the teachers in this particular classroom did something different

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EMPOWERING PEOPLE. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES. BUILDING COMMUNITY. LAKOTA STYLE

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Sicangu CDC is a nonprofit that serves the Sicangu Lakota people on Rosebud Reservation. We empower people, strengthen families & build community: Lakota style.

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Pine Ridge Girls’ School radically changes the trajectory of Lakota girls’ lives by equipping them with vital foundations for new and promising futures full of choice and opportunity.

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Our Mission

Pine Ridge Girls’ School radically changes the trajectory of Lakota girls’ lives by equipping them with vital foundations for new and promising futures full of choice and opportunity.

Despite its long and rich culture and history, the Pine Ridge reservation is a place that continues to struggle with profound poverty and a legacy of educational failure.

On the Pine Ridge reservation, the high school dropout rate is 70%, and only 2% of those who graduate are college-ready. But Pine Ridge Girls School exists to change these statistics drastically.

We are the only school on any reservation in America providing an academically rigorous, all-girls, college-prep education, immersed in Lakota culture, language, and values. Our unique model is built on empowerment. It equips Lakota girls with the vital foundations they need to find their voices, thrive in competitive colleges, and become community and national leaders.

Pine Ridge Girls’ School is tuition-free and independent. We do not receive any state or federal funding but are funded by private donors who support our vision of new futures full of choice and opportunity for Native girls.

We expect to serve as a model for Native girls everywhere and a source of inspiration for schools in underserved communities nationwide.

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Despite its long and rich culture and history, the Pine Ridge reservation is a place that continues to struggle with profound poverty and a legacy of educational failure.

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https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/plains-treaties/dapl

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The controversial construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) gained national and international attention when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accepted an application filed by Energy Transfer Partners, a Texas-based developer behind the project.

The position of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is that the Dakota Access Pipeline violates Article II of the Fort Laramie Treaty, which guarantees the "undisturbed use and occupation" of reservation lands surrounding the proposed location of the pipeline. In 2015 the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, operating as a , passed a resolution regarding the pipeline stating that "the Dakota Access Pipeline poses a serious risk to the very survival of our Tribe and ... would destroy valuable cultural resources."

To generate momentum for their cause and demonstrate their opposition to the pipeline, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe organized runs, horseback rides, and marches. Many Native Nations, along with non-Native allies, celebrities, and several politicians supported the movement and travelled to join DAPL protesters at the Sacred Stone Camp on the Standing Rock Reservation. Conditions at the camp became intense. North Dakota law enforcement officials and private guards hired by Energy Transfer Partners clashed with protestors, sometimes violently, and made hundreds of arrests.

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Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access Pipeline | Teacher Resource

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Explore this interactive case study on the Dakota Access Pipeline and its violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty. Students will use the images, quotes, objects, and short passages to discover how youth groups organized, planned, and responded to address injustices.

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Oceti Sakowin Essential Understanding 2018

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Oceti Sakowin Essential Understanding 2018

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Adopted by State Board of Education Standards March 19, 2018

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NDN Collective was founded in 2018 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Today, NDN Collective works with more than 50 philanthropic partners and over 200 Native American organizations. NDN Collective frequently engages in left-of-center environmentalist activism.

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NDN Collective is a left-of-center Native American advocacy organization based in Rapid City, South Dakota. NDN Collective received one of the inaugural Bezos Earth Fund grants and is active in left-of-center environmentalist activism and protests.

NDN Collective campaigns to close the Mount Rushmore national monument. The group runs a petition alleging that the monument is an "international symbol of white supremacy and racial injustice" built on "stolen land."

Founding and History

NDN Collective was founded in 2018 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Today, NDN Collective works with more than 50 philanthropic partners and over 200 Native American organizations. NDN Collective frequently engages in left-of-center environmentalist activism. Despite being registered as a charitable organization, NDN Collective president and CEO Nick Tilsen has called the group a "movement infrastructure organization."

Environmentalist Activism

NDN Collective has gained national attention for its calls to close Mount Rushmore. Tilsen allegedly organized a July 3, 2020 protest, at which 150 demonstrators used vans to block security checkpoints in an effort to prevent ticketholders from attending then-President Donald Trump's Independence Day speech. The protest resulted in Tilsen's arrest. The organization continues to run an online petition to close Mount Rushmore as of February 2021, calling the monument an "international symbol of white supremacy and racial injustice" and claiming that it is built on "stolen land."

NDN Collective was also involved in protests to stop the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite the fact that the proposed pipeline route did not run through federally recognized Native American territories. After President Joe Biden cancelled the construction of the pipeline, NDN Collective announced that it would refocus its efforts towards shutting down the Dakota Access and Enbridge Line 3 pipeline projects.

In October of 2020, NDN Collective launched the Landback Campaign, a left-of-center campaign aimed at giving federal lands to tribal organizations. The Landback Campaign was launched using $3 million of funding from a Bezos Earth Fund grant. Aside from demanding federal land grants, the campaign has demanded the dismantling of government organizations that allegedly support "white supremacy," including the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service (NPS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In the lead up to the 2020 election, NDN Collective organized several get-out-the-vote efforts, including social media campaigns and voter engagement drives to encourage Native American people to vote in the 2020 presidential election.

Leadership

Nick Tilsen is the founder, president, and CEO of the NDN Collective. Tilsen is a lifelong left-of-center activist who has worked on projects related to environmentalism, entitlement programs, and housing development. Aside from running the NDN Collective, Tilsen was the founding executive director of the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, a Native American community organization in South Dakota. Tilsen previously worked as a local point of contact for the Ladders of Opportunity Initiative under the Obama administration, guiding investments towards low-income communities.

As of late 2020, Tilsen faced charges for his alleged role in a July 3, 2020, protest near Mount Rushmore prior to then-President Donald Trump's Independence Day remarks. The charges include second-degree robbery and grand theft, after Tilsen allegedly stole a shield from an member of the National Guard. The charges also include two counts of simple assault against law enforcement officers, with officers alleging that Tilsen engaged in physical menacing and made threats against them, in addition to three misdemeanor offenses.

Kim Pate is the vice president of the NDN Collective. Pate is a Nez Perce tribal lawyer who also practices in the state of California. The NDN Collective board features members of a number of left-of-center organizations, including Judith Leblanc of the Native Organizers Alliance, far-left activist Edgar Villanueva of the Schott Foundation, and Princess Daazhraii Johnson of the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition.

Funding

NDN Collective received $2,203,226 million in contributions and grants in 2018, its first year of operations. In 2019, contributions to the NDN Collective reached $11,369,310.

NDN Collective has received several large contributions from left-of-center organizations. In 2018, NDN Collective received grants of $2.5 million from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, $810,000 from the Surdna Foundation, and $400,000 from the Tides Foundation.

NDN Collective also received $300,000 from the Rudolf Steiner Foundation by way of a grant made by the Foundation to the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation with the purpose of supporting NDN Collective. Tilsen left the Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation in 2018 to lead NDN Collective.

In 2019, NDN Collective received a $12 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to support environmentalist activism. From this funding, NDN earmarked $9 million to disburse in separate, $100,000 grants to other Native American organizations as a part of NDN's Self Determination Grant program. The program was meant to fund other organizations "defending native lands against the fossil fuel industry." In the same year, NDN Collective received $750,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, $550,000 from the Tides Foundation, $400,000 from the Ford Foundation, and $100,000 from the Libra Foundation. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also listed a $750,000 grant approved for future contributions to NDN Collective in its 2019 filings.

In 2020, NDN Collective received a $500,000 grant from the Bush Foundation for its COVID-19 Response Project in 2020. That same year, NDN Collective received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that was approved on April 16, 2020, with a value between $150,000 and $350,000.

Since its founding, NDN Collective has also reportedly received grants from Novo Foundation, JPB Foundation, Northwest Area Foundation, and the Wend Collective.

Grantmaking Activities

NDN Collective is affiliated with NDN Partners, a for-profit organization. Through NDN Partners, NDN Collective distributed millions of dollars of grants to various organizations as a part of its two-part COVID-19 Response Project. In Phase 1, NDN Collective disbursed $2.5 million to 95 partners, and in Phase 2, the organization distributed $4.5 million to 105 organizations.

Associated Organizations

NDN Collective is associated with the NDN Foundation, a grantmaking and fundraising 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2019. According to the June 2020 NDN Collective newsletter, the Foundation is part of the "NDN Ecosystem," and the NDN Collective appoints the director of the NDN Foundation.

NDN Collective is also affiliated with the NDN Fund and NDN Action, two 501(c)(3) organizations founded in 2019, and the NDN Action Network, an advocacy organization founded in 2020.

1. Vincent Schilling. "NDN Collective offers millions to tribes, Indigenous nonprofits, artists and entrepreneurs." Indian Country Today. April 27, 2020. Accessed via Web Archive. Captured February 7, 2021. http://web.archive.org/web/20200508003756/https:/indiancountrytoday.com/news/ndn-collective-offers-millions-to-tribes-indigenous-nonprofits-artists-and-entrepreneurs-DZwVRkJ5b0ChDHSyhYlxig. ^

2. Steven Mufson, "Bezos makes first donations from $10 billion Earth Fund for fighting climate change." Washington Post. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original February 7, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. http://web.archive.org/web/20210207131336if_/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/16/bezos-climate-grants/. ^

3. Action Network, "Petition to Close Mt. Rushmore and Return All Public Lands in the Black Hills to THE OCETI SAKOWIN." accessed February 7, 2021, https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-close-mt-rushmore-and-return-all-public-lands-in-the-black-hills-to-the-oceti-sakowin. ^

4. NDN Collective July 2020 Newsletter. NDN Collective. https://ndncollective.org/newsletters/july-2020-newsletter/. ^

5. Michael Kavate. "Native American Activists Make Gains, but Philanthropy 'Continues to Scratch the Surface.'" Inside Philanthropy. Accessed via Web Archive. Archived July 7, 2020. http://web.archive.org/web/20200728183601/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2020/7/28/native-american-activists-make-gains-but-philanthropy-continues-to-scratch-the-surface. ^

6. KOTA Staff. "NDN Collective gets awarded $12M from Jeff Bezos." KOTA TV. November 26, 2020. Accessed Febaruary 7, 2021. https://www.kotatv.com/2020/11/26/ndn-collective-gets-awarded-12m-from-jeff-bezos/. ^

7. Arielle Zionts. "Mount Rushmore protest leader charged with two felonies." Rapid City Journal. July 6, 2020. https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mount-rushmore-protest-leader-charged-with-two-felonies/article_363e00b2-3a22-5de9-937f-2c518d3c5b6d.html. ^

8. Action Network, "Petition to Close Mt. Rushmore and Return All Public Lands in the Black Hills to THE OCETI SAKOWIN." Accessed February 7, 2021. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-close-mt-rushmore-and-return-all-public-lands-in-the-black-hills-to-the-oceti-sakowin. ^

9. NDN Collective July 2020 Newsletter. NDN Collective. https://ndncollective.org/newsletters/july-2020-newsletter/. ^

10. NDN Collective June 2020 Newsletter. https://ndncollective.org/newsletters/june-2020-newsletter/. ^

11. Nick Tilsen. "Our Voices Won't Be Silenced." NDN Collective. April 12, 2019. Accessed via Web Archive. Captured November 28, 2020. http://web.archive.org/web/20201128212155/https://ndncollective.org/our-voices-wont-be-silenced-fighting-the-sd-riot-boosting-act-and-the-keystone-xl-pipeline/. ^

12. Arielle Zionts. "South Dakotans show mixed reactions to halting oil pipeline." Rapid City Journal. February 1, 2021. https://www.wral.com/south-dakotans-show-mixed-reactions-to-halting-oil-pipeline/19494470/?version=amp. ^

13. Stuart Huntington. "Doubling Down on Native Values." Indian Country Today. November 25, 2020. Accessed February 7, 2021, https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/doubling-down-on-native-values-45uW-FHqq0GecLZIhH4leg. ^

14. Landback Campaign Manifesto. Accessed from Web Archive. Febaruary 8, 2020. https://landback.org/manifesto/ ^

15. "NDN Collective Responds to Inauguration of President Joe Biden." NDN Collective Press Release. January 21, 2021. https://ndncollective.org/ndn-collective-responds-to-inauguration-of-president-joe-biden/. ^

16. "Nick Tilsen." NDN Collective, January 26, 2021. https://ndncollective.org/people/nick-tilsen/. ^

17. "Nick Tilsen." Thunder Valley CDC. Accessed February 18, 2021. https://thundervalley.org/learn-more/our-team/nick-tilsen. ^

18. Arielle Zionts. "Tilsen Case Heading to Trial after Judge Finds Probable Cause." Rapid City Journal Media Group. last modified October 1, 2020. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tilsen-case-heading-to-trial-after-judge-finds-probable-cause/article_df671a98-7c24-5503-8381-9c218e69828b.html. ^

19. Grant Pritchett. "Tilsen's defense seeks training, pre-deployment materials in July 3 protest near Mt. Rushmore." Rapid City Journal. December 18, 2020. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tilsens-defense-seeks-training-pre-deployment-materials-in-july-3-protest-near-mt-rushmore/article_0820746b-bfdf-5965-8c11-583b01265bb0.html. ^

20. "Kim Pate." NDN Collective, January 26, 2021. https://ndncollective.org/people/kim-pate/. ^

21. "Board of Directors." NDN Collective. Accessed February 18, 2021. https://ndncollective.org/groups/board-of-directors/. ^

22. NDN Collective, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part I, Line 8. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/823/776/2019-823776329-17224955-9.pdf. ^

23. Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc., Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Attachment 17, Page 10 of 26. ^

24. The Surdna Foundation, Inc. Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2018, Part XV. ^

25. Tides Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II. ^

26. Rudolf Steiner Foundation, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II. ^

27. Mark Trahant. "Nick Tilsen Steps Down as CEO of Thunder Valley Corp to Lead NDN Collective." Indian Country Today. March 20, 2018. https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/nick-tilsen-steps-down-as-ceo-of-thunder-valley-corp-to-lead-ndn-collective-eHJ8HVHPLEalh0oK5yUqzQ. ^

28. Steven Mufson. "Bezos makes first donations from $10 billion Earth Fund for fighting climate change." Washington Post. November 16, 2020. Archived from the original February 7, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. http://web.archive.org/web/20210207131336if_/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/16/bezos-climate-grants/. ^

29. Stuart Huntington. "Doubling Down on Native Values." Indian Country Today. November 25, 2020, accessed February 7, 2021. https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/doubling-down-on-native-values-45uW-FHqq0GecLZIhH4leg. ^

30. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV. ^

31. Tides Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II. ^

32. Ford Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV. ^

33. The Libra Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV. ^

34. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV - Contributions Approved for Future Payment. ^

35. "Grant for NDN Collective." Bush Foundation. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.bushfoundation.org/grantees/2020-ndn-collective. ^

36. "NDN Collective, Inc." Coronavirus Bailouts. ProPublica. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/ndn-collective-inc-0d2b01ebb068c0b3215a64baf1b57b50. ^

37. Michael Kavate. "Native American Activists Make Gains, but Philanthropy 'Continues to Scratch the Surface.'" Inside Philanthropy. Accessed via Web Archive. Archived July 7, 2020. http://web.archive.org/web/20200728183601/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2020/7/28/native-american-activists-make-gains-but-philanthropy-continues-to-scratch-the-surface. ^

38. Vincent Schilling. "NDN Collective offers millions to tribes, Indigenous nonprofits, artists, and entrepreneurs." Indian Country Today. April 20, 2020. https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/ndn-collective-offers-millions-to-tribes-indigenous-nonprofits-artists-and-entrepreneurs-DZwVRkJ5b0ChDHSyhYlxig. ^

39. Request for Information from Qualified Vendors for Support Services. NDN Collective. PDF Document. Accessed February 8, 2020. https://ndncollective-org.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/app/uploads/2020/04/COVID-RFI-SM.pdf. ^

40. The NDN COVID-19 Response Project. "Phase I Completed." NDN Collective. Accessed February 8, 20201. https://ndncollective.org/covid-19/. ^

41. NDN Press Release. "NDN Collective Awards $4.5 million in grants to 105 Indigenous-led projects for transition & resilience." NDN Collective. December 16, 2020. Accessed via Web Archive. February 8, 2021. http://web.archive.org/web/20210208164007/https://ndncollective.org/ndn-collective-awards-4-5-million-in-grants-to-105-indigenous-led-projects-for-transition-resilience/. ^

42. "NDN Foundation." Cause IQ Organizational Profile. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/ndn-foundation,832724212/. ^

43. NDN Collective June 2020 Newsletter. NDN Collective. https://ndncollective.org/newsletters/june-2020-newsletter/. ^

44. NDN Collective November 2020 Newsletter. NDN Collective. https://ndncollective.org/newsletters/november-2020-newsletter/. ^

45. "NDN Fund." Cause IQ Organization Profile. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/ndn-fund,832763481/. ^

46. "NDN Action." Cause IQ Organizational Profile. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/ndn-fund,832763481/. ^

47. "NDN Action Network." Cause IQ Organizational Profile. Accessed February 6, 2021. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/ndn-fund,832763481/. ^

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NDN Collective is a left-of-center Native American advocacy organization based in Rapid City, South Dakota. NDN Collective received one of the inaugural Bezos Earth Fund grants and is active in left-of-center environmentalist activism and protests. NDN Collective campaigns to close the Mount Rushmore national monument.

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Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Founded in 2020 in Mission, SD

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Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Founded in 2020 in Mission, SD

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ABOUT WAKANYEJA TOKEYAHCI

Our Vision

Wakanyeja kin lakol inajin heca nake nula waun welo.

Our vision is that our children will stand with everything Lakota, and will be prepared to take on anything.

By contextualizing education through a Sicangu Lakota lens and utilizing project based learning techniques and individualized plans, we will create an educational system that works for our students and our community.

Our Approach

Individualized Student Learning

Project based learning in a cultural context

Emphasis on critical thinking & problem solving

Whole family engagement & support

We center these four parts together around wot̄akuye, the Lak̇ot̄a concept of kinship and interrelatedness. By bringing these parts together, we provide our students a transformative educational experience. They stand for everything Lak̇ot̄a. They will be academically prepared to succeed in school, career and life. They will be healthy and know how to lead. They will be fluent in the ways and language of the Lak̇ot̄a people. They will be secure in their identity. They will be the future builders of a prosperous Lak̇ot̄a nation.

Student experience alone, however, is not enough to achieve our vision. We see ourselves serving a whole school community. Not just students, but also relatives and staff at all levels of implementation will engage in a learning and growth process drawing on these four areas as well as regularly contributing to the evaluation of our school's progress. By successfully involving our whole community, our students, families and staff will learn to be healthy community leaders with the potential for self-actualization.

Our History

Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Wounspe Tipi (Children First Learning Center) launched in August of 2020 to simultaneously address two crises currently facing the Sicangu Lakota Oyate: a failing education system and the endangerment of the Lakota Language.

Rosebud Sioux Tribe's Childcare program mapped the Rosebud Sioux reservation's fluent speakers. They identified 500 speakers at the age of 70 and above, 2 under the age of 30, and 0 under the age of 18. If younger generations do not preserve the Lakota language, it will be extinct within 10 years. Schools such as Wakanyeja Tokeyahci are instrumental in preserving our Lakota language.

Wakanyeja Tokeyahci has entered a two year space sharing agreement with the Boys and Girls Club of Rosebud to use their Mission, SD facility. WT will have access to a large classroom space, a certified commercial grade kitchen, a large gym, a multimedia space and a library room.
By co-locating with the Boys and Girls Club, students of WT will have access to excellent and affordable after-school programming, right in the same facility.

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EMPOWERING PEOPLE. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES. BUILDING COMMUNITY. LAKOTA STYLE

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Our Vision Wakanyeja kin lakol inajin heca nake nula waun welo. Our vision is that our children will stand with everything Lakota, and will be prepared to take on anything. By contextualizing education through a Sicangu Lakota lens and utilizing project based learning techniques and individualized plans, we will create an educational system that works for our students and our community.

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July 29, 2021 Welcoming home Children who died at Carlisle Indian School

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July 29, 2021 Welcoming home Children who died at Carlisle Indian School

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By Art Hughes

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With both grief and relief, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe welcomed the return of nine children who were buried at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania 140 years ago. The effort took more than six years and was driven by young people from the tribe. It's part of the ongoing effort to repatriate remains from the U.S. boarding schools that aimed to assimilate Native children.
24 Hour Residential School Crisis Line (Canada) - 1-866-925-4419
National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition; phone number - 612-354-7700

Christopher Eagle Bear (Sicangu Lakota) - Sicangu Youth Council Member

Ione Quigley (Sicangu Lakota) - Rosebud Sioux Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Lauren Peters (Tanax Amix of St. Paul Island, Alaska) - PhD student in Native American Studies at the University of California, Davis

Break 1 music: Memorial Song (song) Porcupine Singers (artist) Alowanpi - Songs Of Honoring - Lakota Classics: Past & Present, Vol. 1 (album)

Break 2 music: Coming In "Tewa" Song (song) Sidney Poolheco (artist) Heartfelt Songs (album)

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Thursday, July 29, 2021 - Welcoming home children who died at Carlisle Indian School " Native America Calling

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With both grief and relief, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe welcomed the return of nine children who were buried at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania 140 years ago. The effort took more than six years and was driven by young people from the tribe. It's part of the ongoing effort to repatriate remains from the [...]

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Welcome! Visit our North Dakota sister site, www.TeachingsofOurElders.org "WoLakota" implies balance and coming together. The WoLakota project supports students in high-need schools, pairing trained mentor-teachers with new teachers and providing Courage to Teach circles to tend to the ʻheartsʼ of each.

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2021 215 Bodies found at Residential School in Canada

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2021 215 Bodies found at Residential School in Canada

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There were 30 Indian boarding (residential) schools in South Dakota

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KAMLOOPS, British Colombia - The remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, have been found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school - one of the institutions that held children taken from families across the nation.

Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk'emlups te Secwépemc First Nation said in a news release that the remains were confirmed last weekend with the help of ground-penetrating radar.

More bodies may be found because there are more areas to search on the school grounds, Casimir said Friday.

In an earlier release, she called the discovery an "unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented at the Kamloops Indian Residential School."

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 First Nations children were required to attend state-funded Christian schools as part of a program to assimilate them into Canadian society. They were forced to convert to Christianity and not allowed to speak their native languages. Many were beaten and verbally abused, and up to 6,000 are said to have died.

The Canadian government apologized in Parliament in 2008 and admitted that physical and sexual abuse in the schools was rampant. Many students recall being beaten for speaking their native languages; they also lost touch with their parents and customs.

Indigenous leaders have cited that legacy of abuse and isolation as the root cause of epidemic rates of alcoholism and drug addiction on reservations.

A report more than five years ago by a Truth and Reconciliation Commission said at least 3,200 children had died amid abuse and neglect, and it said it had reports of at least 51 deaths at the Kamloops school alone between 1915 and 1963.

"This really resurfaces the issue of residential schools and the wounds from this legacy of genocide towards Indigenous people," Terry Teegee, Assembly of First Nations regional chief for British Colombia, said Friday.

British Columbia Premier John Horgan said he was "horrified and heartbroken" to learn of the discovery, calling it a tragedy of "unimaginable proportions" that highlights the violence and consequences of the residential school system.

The Kamloops school operated between 1890 and 1969, when the federal government took over operations from the Catholic Church and operated it as a day school until it closed in 1978.

Casimir said it's believed the deaths are undocumented, although a local museum archivist is working with the Royal British Columbia Museum to see if any records of the deaths can be found.

"Given the size of the school, with up to 500 students registered and attending at any one time, we understand that this confirmed loss affects First Nations communities across British Columbia and beyond," Casimir said in the initial release issued late Thursday.

The leadership of the Tk'emlups community "acknowledges their responsibility to caretake for these lost children," Casimir said.

Access to the latest technology allows for a true accounting of the missing children and will hopefully bring some peace and closure to those lives lost, she said in the release.

Casimir said band officials are informing community members and surrounding communities that had children who attended the school.

The First Nations Health Authority called the discovery of the children's remains "extremely painful" and said in a website posting that it "will have a significant impact on the Tk'emlúps community and in the communities served by this residential school."

The authority's CEO, Richard Jock, said the discovery "illustrates the damaging and lasting impacts that the residential school system continues to have on First Nations people, their families and communities,."

Nicole Schabus, a law professor at Thompson Rivers University, said each of her first-year law students at the Kamloops university spends at least one day at the former residential school speaking with survivors about conditions they had endured.

She said she did not hear survivors talk about an unmarked grave area, "but they all talk about the kids who didn't make it."

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215 bodies found at residential school in Canada

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KAMLOOPS, British Colombia - The remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, have been found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school - one of the institutions that held children taken from families across the nation.

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In response to Noem's delay on the social study standards

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South Dakota educators and policy-makers are continuing to adjust the state's social studies standards. The process sets minimum requirements for educating South Dakota students.

But conflicting ideas about the role of Native American history and culture in those standards has delayed that process.

In September, hundreds marched in Pierre to protest what they called the erasure of their legacy.

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South Dakota educators and policy-makers are continuing to adjust the state's social studies standards. The process sets minimum requirements for educating South Dakota students.But conflicting ideas about the role of Native American history and culture in those standards has delayed that process.In September, hundreds marched in Pierre to protest what they called the erasure of their legacy.

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Governor Noem delay of Social Studies Standards 2021

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Governor Noem delay of Social Studies Standards 2021

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Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered the Department of Education to delay revisions to social studies standards after acknowledging the agency "significantly" changed draft revisions submitted by a working group.

The DOE reduced the number of references to Native American and Oceti Sakowin history and culture, prompting outcry from Indigenous people and some educators. "Oceti Sakowin" refers to the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota tribes.

But it's unclear if Noem's delay is influenced by concerns about Native American content or critical race theory and action civics.

Noem's news release focused on the DOE's revisions and public response to the changes.

Noem has said South Dakotans should learn about Native American history and culture. But her spokesman did not say whether she agrees with the DOE's decision to reduce references to Native American history.

"DOE's changes increased balance to the proposed standards, but as the release says, 'it's clear there is more work to be done to get this right,'" said Ian Fury.

"Our focus remains the same: ensuring that South Dakota students learn a true and honest account of American and South Dakota history," the governor said in her news release.

Noem said the DOE should take up to a year to work on the standards as it hears from the public and Legislature.

Noem's announcement came after an Indigenous-led protest against the DOE revisions at the Capitol.

It also came hours after a National Review article accused Noem of caving to "woke leftists" in the DOE who worked with a contractor to silence conservative members of the working group.

"No comment," Fury said about whether Noem's announcement was influenced by the article.

Noem echoed arguments made in the article in a tweet from her campaign account: "In every state, radical education activists are scheming in order to impose CRT & Action Civics. I just froze the review of SD's K-12 social studies standards bc I have concerns. Restoring honest & true American & South Dakota history in our schools won't be easy but we must win."

That contrasts with the governor's news release, which makes no mention of CRT or action civics.

Members of the working group - mostly educators who worked with a company that received a $227,179 contract - have mixed reaction.

Paul Harens is a retired social studies teacher from Yankton.

"My instant reaction is if she's admitted there's a mistake, then she should allow the same people who did them the first time to come back and make some changes and not just hire a whole new crew," he said.

Harens said the working group put hours into revising the standards. He also wants to know who within the DOE made changes to the working group's recommendations.

Several people within the DOE contributed to the changes, said Deputy Secretary Mary Stadick Smith.

Changes to Native American and any other content was made to "broaden the lens to allow teaching about all cultures that make up South Dakota, to provide balance throughout the standards, to allow for progression of learning as students move from grade to grade, and to provide clarity and focus," she said.

Sherry Johnson is the education director for the Lake Traverse Reservation. She's worried about the delay and said the public hearings and revision process should continue as usual.

"Because the delay of it means she's not addressing it. And she's not addressing the concerns that are already there that are very prevalent on the comments," Johnson said. "I'm thinking the people are speaking and she's not wanting to hear what they're saying."

Hundreds of people have provided public comment and some criticize the DOE for removing Indigenous-related standards.

Harens said he thinks Noem ordered the delay due to public outcry, especially from Indigenous South Dakotans.

"I think it's because she's afraid of the Native reaction," he said. "I think she thought she could get away with it and nothing would happen. Well, too many people were angry, not only the Natives but a lot of other people."

Governor Noem also said she intends to ask the South Dakota Legislature to codify her executive order that denounces an antiracist scholar and the 1619 Project, bans schools from making students lobby or protest after school, and prohibits curriculum that makes or encourages students to take positions against others based on their race, sex, or the historical activity of their race or sex.

Noem said she will also ask the Legislature to ban critical race theory and action civics as the basis for instruction in South Dakota schools.

Johnson said Noem needs to define those topics since they mean different things to different people.

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Noem orders delay of social studies standards

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Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered the Department of Education to delay revisions to social studies standards after acknowledging the agency "significantly" changed draft revisions submitted by a working group. The DOE reduced the number of references to Native American and Oceti Sakowin history and culture, prompting outcry from Indigenous people and some educators.

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2021 Lakota immersion schools open, despite state obstacles

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2021 Lakota immersion schools open, despite state obstacles

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https://www.sdnewswatch.org/stories/as-native-students-continue-to-struggle-in-s-d-schools-a-new-lakota-immersion-model-emerges/

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For the third time in five years, Native American legislators and supporters of improving Native education in South Dakota have proposed legislation that would allow for creation of state-funded charter schools aimed at immersing students in Lakota Indian language, culture and history.

And once again, the measure has failed in the state House of Representatives, where lawmakers on the education committee on March 2 voted 8-4 to kill Senate Bill 139, which had already been passed by the Senate.

The latest immersion school bill was one manifestation of a larger, expanding effort to improve education of Native students in South Dakota. Several nonprofit groups and coalitions are seeking change at the legislative level and developing new schools and programs at the community level to improve educational outcomes.

Opponents of the latest Lakota Immersion charter school proposal said the bill would have siphoned too much funding away from school districts where the schools would be located and was not well-written in regard to how the charter schools would be funded, governed and managed.

Native American students have traditionally underperformed in South Dakota public schools by wide margins compared with their white peers and other minority groups in the state.

Disparities in performance indicate a clear and consistent ethnic achievement gap, and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened that gap, according to test scores and other data provided by the State Report Card issued by the Department of Education.

In the 2020-2021 school year, only 14% of Native students were considered proficient in math, compared with 49% of white students. That year, 23% of Native students were proficient in English-language arts, compared with 59% of white students; and in science, only 16% of Native students scored as proficient compared with 48% of white students.

Graduation rates, attendance rates and college/career readiness rates for Native students all lag behind those of their white peers by significant amounts. However, the most telling and worrisome statistic may be the chronic absenteeism rate, which for Native students was 51% in 2020-2021, compared with only 11% for white students. Chronic absenteeism is also tied to poverty, with 32% of economically disadvantaged students chronically absent that year. As evidence of the impacts of the pandemic, Native students saw chronic absenteeism increase to 51% in 2020-21 from 37% in 2018-19, two years before the pandemic.

The prime sponsor of SB 139, Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert, D-Mission, provided emotional testimony in his defense of the measure and its potential outcomes for Native youth.

Heinert and others say the consistent failure of the existing public school system shows a great need for reform, and notes that significant research and examples from existing immersion schools show that Native achievement levels and graduation rates improve significantly under the cultural and language-immersion model being presented.

"I'm not saying every kid needs this, because we've had Native students that have gone through the public schools system and gotten along just fine, but we have many more who have struggled and not been successful," Heinert said in an interview with News Watch. "As a former teacher, I have seen kids that had plenty of talent, plenty of ability, but the current schools didn't make any sense to them, and unfortunately, they either dropped out or got into some trouble because we were talking to them in the wrong way."

Finding a path to academic achievement for non-white students in the U.S. has been a challenge for generations and for members of all minority groups. Many factors, including poverty, play a role in lower success levels for minority students.

But supporters of Lakota Immersion in South Dakota say quantitative and qualitative data support the concept that students perform better and feel more comfortable in settings and with curricula that better reflect their identity, culture and history.

Native immersion schools across the U.S., such as those based on a model developed at the Native American Community Academy in New Mexico, have seen improved graduation rates and academic achievement for Native students.

In a 98-page research study by the American Indian College Fund, supported by the Kellogg Foundation in Michigan, authors found significant evidence of the efficacy of language-immersion education for Native American students.

"A people's initiative, Native American language immersion encompasses educational practices and social development that lie outside the mainstream language teaching, education and socialization methods of American children," the report reads. "Native language immersion schools have remarkable benefits: students show impressive educational achievement, participants demonstrate considerable language knowledge gains in relatively short periods of time, programs contribute significantly to family strength, and college students/adult learners are retained as a positive correlate with language and culture learning."

On a most basic level, backers of immersion charter schools in South Dakota say it is time to give the concept a try, and that Senate Bill 139, not unlike Senate bills proposed in past sessions, would allow for an experiment they believe can be a game changer in regard to Native student achievement and an overall betterment of life and living standards for Native Americans in South Dakota as adults.

While other immersion schools and educational programs exist on reservations in South Dakota, they tend to be nonprofit institutions that rely on donations and grant awards that can be unsteady and susceptible to the vagaries of the larger economy or giving trends.

Supporters of the measure say adequate, consistent funding levels provided by state support are key to the success of immersion schools and their students.

Charter schools are publicly funded, tuition-free schools run independently of traditional local school districts. The schools often focus on improving achievement in underperforming student populations and may place a greater focus on specific teaching methods or subjects not offered in traditional schools.

Most still report to local school boards or other designated authorizing agent, and students typically are held to all state achievement and testing standards.

Opponents of charter schools often argue that they shift per-student funding away from existing public schools and can allow for unorthodox or untested teaching methodologies and curricula.

Charter schools are considered by supporters to be effective because they allow for innovation in teaching methods and also greater flexibility in curriculum development, staffing, scheduling and teaching styles. South Dakota is one of only five states in the nation that do not allow for charter schools; four of those states are in the Great Plains, including South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana (Vermont is the fifth.)

Achievement gap is wide in SD between white and Native American students

The South Dakota public K-12 school system has about 136,000 students in 688 schools. White students are by far the majority population, making up about 72% of the overall student count, with Native Americans the largest minority with about 11% of the overall student count. This chart shows data from the State Report Card 2020-2021 published by the South Dakota Department of Education and is broken down by all students, white students and Native American students.

CATEGORY

STUDENT PROFICIENCY BY SUBJECT
English Language Arts proficiency
All - 53%

White - 59%

Native - 23%
Mathematics proficiency
All - 43%

White - 49%

Native - 14%
Science proficiency
All - 42%

White - 48%

Native - 16%

ATTENDANCE/GRADUATION
Overall attendance rate
All - 88%

White - 94%

Native - 59%
High school completion
All - 90%

White - 94%

Native - 63%
Chronic absenteeism rate
All - 18%

White - 11%

Native - 51%
College/career readiness
All - 57%

White - 65%

Native - 21%

Proposed schools based on language, culture
Backers of Lakota-language and cultural immersion schools have proposed similar legislation in three of the past five years, including Senate Bill 139, the bill now under consideration by the Legislature.

The 16-page bill lays out a framework for public school districts to sponsor creation of Lakota Immersion schools in reservation areas. Initially, the bill called for formation of four schools in a five-year test period, but has been amended this session to allow only two schools. In its introduction, the bill sets forth its intent to improve education for Native students in South Dakota.

"The school unites the most important influences in a student's life, including educational experiences, families, and communities, to create a support network that nurtures the student's development toward productive adulthood," the bill reads. The immersion schools would "include a strong core instructional program designed to help each student meet high academic standards; enrichment activities designed to expand each student's learning opportunities and support cognitive, social, emotional, moral, and physical development; a full range of health and mental health services designed to safeguard each student's well-being and remove barriers to learning."

Native American students are the largest minority group in the state public school system. South Dakota has 688 public schools with about 136,000 students, roughly 11% of which are Native and 72% of which are white. The state spends about $1.65 billion a year to fund public schools.

The Senate bill bases its proposed curriculum largely on the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings and Standards, a set of state-approved concepts that provides a framework for teaching Native history and culture. The 35-page set of lesson plans and instructional guidelines includes teaching aids in history, culture, language, treaties, identity and way of life of Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Indians.

However, bills to make teaching of the Oceti standards mandatory in South Dakota public schools failed this session, and use of the standards remains mixed at best in South Dakota schools. A 2021 state survey of more than 700 educators in 125 school districts found that only 45% of educators reported using the Oceti understandings in their schools, and that 9% of educators said their schools did not celebrate Native history or culture in any way.

South Dakotans in general are largely supportive of including Native teachings in public schools. A News Watch poll of 500 registered state voters in October 2021 showed that 88% of respondents were very or somewhat supportive of teaching Native history and culture in South Dakota schools.

Questions of funding and governance
Opponents of the current Senate bill uniformly stress their support for improving educational achievement for Native students in South Dakota. This year, opponents of SB 139 are making essentially the same arguments as in past years when the immersion charter school concept was proposed.

Opponents this year include the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, the School Administrators of South Dakota, the South Dakota Education Association and a lobbying arm of the largest school districts in the state, including Sioux Falls.

Rob Munson, executive director of the School Administrators of South Dakota, told News Watch that a new law allowing Lakota Immersion schools is not needed because school districts across the state can already open and manage language-immersion schools. As examples, Munson pointed to Sonia Sotomayor Elementary in Sioux Falls, a publicly run and funded K-5 Spanish-language immersion school; and to a Lakota-language immersion class at Canyon Lake Elementary School within the Rapid City Area Schools system.

Munson and other opponents say they support greater attempts to use language immersion as a way to improve education for Native Americans, but are not confident in the funding and governance mechanisms within the proposed legislation.

"We support it [immersion education], but it can be done today, you just need to work within the parameters of your local school board like they're doing in Sioux Falls and Rapid City," he said.

Munson also said the bill as written could allow a single school to consume a disproportionate amount of an overall school district's budget, including state and federal money and any other revenues, such as from fundraising efforts, concession sales at sporting events or grants given to school districts for other specific purposes.

The final section of the bill would require school districts to fund the Lakota Immersion school based on a percentage of how many students are in the school compared with the entire district. Once that ratio is determined, the bill would require the new school to receive "that portion of the total funding received by the district," which could include monies used for the overhead to run the entire district, not just one school.

"That isn't a good way to fund a school," said Wade Pogany, director of the state school boards association. "It doesn't take into account need, it doesn't take into account special circumstances of the school, it doesn't take into account staffing."

Munson said there are also questions about whether the charter school could legally accept federal funding sent to the sponsoring school district.

"At the end of the day, this is going to be a private school being set up that will take public money to fund it without government oversight," Munson said. "And yet, the school district that sponsors it is still responsible."

Opponents also noted that the third version of the bill is very much like the other versions and does not appear to address concerns raised during prior hearings that could have made the legislation stronger and more acceptable to school districts and lawmakers.

"We're not opposed to Native kids and we're not opposed to what this bill is doing in many cases," Pogany said in his Senate testimony. "We're objecting to the same things we objected to last year ... the governance and funding."

The state education department has not taken a position on SB 139 this session. In response to questions from News Watch on the measure and the achievement gap, Education Secretary Tiffany Sanderson said in an email statement that the state is working with education partners across the state to explore ways to improve Native education:

"The Department of Education is committed to growing achievement for all of our students in South Dakota. In addition to the support we provide schools to strengthen student learning, we collaborate with the Department of Tribal Relations on resources and outreach," Sanderson wrote. "Through these collaborations, we have elevated the conversations about and support for Native American education. Tribal Relations staff understand Native American culture and government and have direct ties to key tribal decision-makers."

The DOE is working with school districts to encourage and enhance teaching of the Oceti standards, and has a pilot program called the Wookiye Project in which teachers at five schools will receive training in the use of the Oceti standards.

The office of Gov. Kristi Noem did not return emails seeking comment from News Watch on SB 139 or the Native American achievement gap.

When it comes to the specific criticism of SB 139, Heinert argues that nothing will change, and nothing will improve for Native students, without a new approach, and that to some extent, it is important to open the immersion schools even if all the details aren't nailed down precisely at the start. Solving any problems that arise, or addressing issues as they reveal themselves, would be a natural part of the development of the schools, he said.

"Nobody is coming forward with any other answers, so at some point we have to try something else," Heinert said.

Parents see value in language immersion
Sarah White, a former public school administrator in Rapid City who now serves as director of the South Dakota Educational Equity Coalition, said the state public education system has not accepted adequate responsibility for the long-range lack of success of Native American students. Testing data showing Native students consistently and historically underperform compared with their white peers is clear evidence of systematic failure of the current public school model in South Dakota, she said.

"The output of what the system is imposing yields an undeniable truth that the system was not meant for our students and is not designed for our students' success," she said. "We also see a clear and consistent evasion of responsibility for indigenous education in our state."

As a child, White attended reservation schools where she said her Native identity and culture were omnipresent in classes, on campus and in the community. When she went to college, she found that Native Americans were largely absent from the student population, in adornments on campus and the educational experiences in the classroom. White said she found it much harder to feel welcome and to excel in that academic setting.

White said the eldest of her four children attended traditional public schools in Nebraska and in Rapid City before transferring to a high school run by the Oglala Lakota School District in Pine Ridge.

Her son "fell through the cracks" and did not do well as a minority in majority-white schools, which also tended to have large classes, White said.

Upon admission to the school in Pine Ridge, her son began to flourish, she said.

"For the first time, he said he felt like he could actually be himself in an academic setting, and hearing that broke my heart," she said. "There's a combination of factors that contribute to his success, but I believe the biggest metric for achievement was that when he admitted he can finally be himself in that space."

Several studies have borne out the fact that cultural and language-immersion schools provide more stability and academic success for minority students, including Native Americans.

Many of the positive outcomes are not revealed by standardized test scores, White said.

"The increase in self-esteem, self-confidence, self-efficacy, those are all key points any teacher in those systems would point out," she said. "If you compared student success data from when the students were in public schools versus results from these institutions that see them and value them and represent them, it is significant."

Matthew Kull, a non-Native resident of the Belle Fourche area in western South Dakota, testified at the Senate committee hearing that he and his non-Native wife saw great benefits in placing their non-Native son in Lakota Immersion preschool when they lived in Pine Ridge.

Kull said that even though his son was very young - he will turn five this summer - he had picked up strong influences of Native culture during his time at a Native-run daycare on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

"At an early age, my son was blessed to be in a setting where he was able to learn another language while also learning about another culture," said Kull, who works as an educational consultant. "It's reflected in his speech patterns, and how he sees the world around him, especially among his 'animal and plant relatives,' as he calls them."
Matthew Kull
Kull said his son felt a sense of community in his Lakota Immersion school that will be nearly impossible to duplicate when he enters the traditional public school system this year.

"His school was everything a parent could ask for; his teachers were not just teachers, they were his aunties and grandmas, and he refers to them as such. His peers were not just his classmates, they were his brothers and sisters, and he tells me no less than once a seek how much he misses them. He understood Lakota kinship because of his time at that school and he thrived in that space, and as a parent, having left that behind breaks my heart."

Kull said he ran a workforce-development program while living in Pine Ridge and saw much higher success among Natives who had attended schools with strong Native cultural, language and history teachings compared with those who attended majority white schools.

"Young people who came to our program grounded in their language and culture were too often the minority, but by and large, those were the young people who were secure in their identity and thrived," he said.

In concluding his Senate committee testimony, Heinert urged lawmakers to be part of a potential solution rather than part of an ongoing problem that is hampering the chances of Native children and adults to be successful.

"We're kind of hung up on the funding issue, and maybe it is all about the money, though it's not to us," he said. "You know where my heart lies, and it's not going to go away ... let's stop being part of the problem and give these kids and these families a chance. That's all I'm asking."

Private immersion school on Rosebud raises hopes for future

One of the state's privately funded Lakota Immersion programs is located at the Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Elementary School on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The new school uses facilities at the Boys and Girls Club in Mission to provide "a full understanding of Lakota values and virtues."

The school opened in fall 2020 under the direction of the Sicangu Education Initiative, with founder Sage Fast Dog stressing the need to teach Lakota language and culture in a way that inspires and challenges indigenous youth.
Sage Fast Dog
"It's about being relevant and giving kids an opportunity to make a connection to the content," said Fast Dog, who grew up on the Rosebud reservation and who also serves on the Todd County School Board. "If you're serving Lakota children, then your content should reach their background knowledge and recognize who they are."

There are now 20 students in the Rosebud program, from various reaches of the reservation in south-central South Dakota. The inability to provide transportation for them to reach school each day highlights the primary challenge these educational programs face - sustainability. The Wakanyeja Ki Tokeyahci school is funded by state grants and private donations, making long-term viability a nagging question with limited solutions.

One major goal of SB 139 is to provide a consistent stream of public funding for Oceti Sakowin community-based schools. Fast Dog supports the bill and sees it as a ray of hope for an educational model that stresses family involvement as a means of keeping indigenous students engaged. Parents are asked to reinforce Lakota-language learning at home, and students undergo progress reports every two months and help set their own academic goals.

Family members or elders are also encouraged to participate in class and share stories of Lakota heritage and culture with faculty and students. Student progress is judged by academic preparedness, holistic wellness and leadership, and supporting Lakota-language and culture and indigenous identity.

"Historically, family involvement is transactional," said Fast Dog. "A parent might sign in that they went to a meeting, but there's no followup or strategic planning to get insight on how they could get integrated into curriculum to improve academic output. We want to transform the experience so that school culture and classroom culture reflect the students we serve."

Parents are encouraged to participate in class and share stories of Lakota heritage and culture with faculty and students. Several of the families involved with the Rosebud elementary school had older children who went through the public system are now trying a different approach with cultural concerns in mind. A recent survey found that there were only about 500 fluent Lakota-language speakers living on the Rosebud Reservation, most of whom were over age 65.

'They really like that there's a place where the language is taught, but at the same time the kids are learning math and how to read and write," said Fast Dog.
- Text by South Dakota News Watch reporter Stu Whitney.

Have information to add to this story? Contact us.

About Bart Pfankuch

Bart Pfankuch, Rapid City, S.D., is the content director for South Dakota News Watch. A Wisconsin native, he is a former editor of the Rapid City Journal and also worked at newspapers in Florida. Bart has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and writing coach.

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As Native students continue to struggle in S.D. schools, a Lakota-immersion model emerges - South Dakota News Watch

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For the third time in five years, Native American legislators and supporters of improving Native education in South Dakota have proposed legislation that would allow for creation of state-funded charter schools aimed at immersing students in Lakota Indian language, culture and history.

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South Dakota Education Equity Coalition is founded

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South Dakota Education Equity Coalition is founded

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The 2021 South Dakota State legislative session kicks off a new year of education equity organizing for NDN Collective and the South Dakota Education Equity Coalition. The coalition (SDEEC) was established in August 2019 by the Education Equity team at NDN Collective to improve educational opportunities for Native American students in the State of South Dakota with an innovative and multi-pronged approach to decolonize and Indigenize education.

"We are a community of cross-sector stakeholders committed to promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments for future generations," said Sarah Pierce, NDN Collective Director of Education Equity. "The primary purpose of SDEEC was to create an alliance in support of a bill to support education equity for Native students in the State of South Dakota. In 2020, Senate Bill 66 was the first iteration of our Oceti Sakowin Community-Based Schools Bill."

When a system perpetually underserves an entire demographic, it is a clear indication that authentic change is necessary to create something that is both responsive to needs and yields successful outcomes.

In last year's legislative session, Senate Bill 66 (SB 66) was introduced as a bill to enable the creation of schools that would engage the South Dakota Native community in a community-based school model infused with Oceti Sakowin (Lakota, Dakota, Nakota) culture. In the 2020, SB 66 was supported unanimously by all nine Oceti Sakowin Tribes in the state, the State Tribal Relations Committee, Tribal Education Directors, the Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association, and many other leaders in Indian education. The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate, but failed to make it out of the House Education Committee.
This year, the SDEEC is back with a new bill, Senate Bill 68 (SB 68), and a renewed commitment to get the bill passed.
"Since the close of the 2020 Legislative Session, SDEEC has worked diligently to educate and inform those in opposition to last year's bill (SB 66) on the merits of the bill. We made a collective decision to re-introduce the same legislation in the 2021 Legislative Session." said Pierce. "When a system perpetually underserves an entire demographic, it is a clear indication that authentic change is necessary to create something that is both responsive to needs and yields successful outcomes. That's what this bill aims to achieve for Indigenous students in South Dakota."

"Senate Bill 68 is a viable solution to a longstanding issue in Indian education that has been identified repeatedly by state legislators, educational administrators, teachers, and families and yet was never adequately addressed." said Amy Sazue, NDN Collective Education Equity Organizer. "This is a sustainable and measurable solution generated by Indian Education practitioners and community members, and can serve as a model of success for systems across the state. We have nothing to lose."

As the South Dakota Education Equity coalition prepares for the 2021 legislative session, they are asking individuals in support of their efforts to call their legislators, voice support for the bill and the concept of Oceti Sakowin Community Based Schools. South Dakota legislators and their contact information can be found . Support is also appreciated in the form of signatures on the coalition's petition on change.org .

To learn more about the South Dakota Education Equity campaign and sign up for updates, visit https://sdeducationequity.org .

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Indigenizing Education Equity: SD Ed Equity Coalition and NDN Collective ramp up efforts in 2021 - NDN COLLECTIVE

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As the South Dakota Education Equity coalition (SDEEC) prepares for the 2021 legislative session, they are asking individuals in support of their efforts to call their legislators, voice support for their bill and the concept of Oceti Sakowin Community Based Schools.

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Little Wound Students Create Heart of All Project

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Little Wound Students Create Heart of All Project

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Pilaunyapi
Students
Mandie Amiotte, Talaiah Bear Killer, Tina Bear Nose, Sioux Dawn Bianis, Tashaya Boltz, Adriana Bradford, Helina Brings Plenty, Miracle Brown Bull, Hanna Brunsch, Lance Christensen, Jr., Allison Clifford, Kansas Clifford, Gillian Cross, Terrance J. DeSersa, Tate Eagle Staff, Kobe Gay, Antonio Giago, Shelby Goggles, Emilio Gomez, Jada Good Crow, Lara Herman, BJ Hopkins, Jr., Wyatt Hunter, Elizabeth Iron Horn, Jaida Jacobs, Stephanie Janis, Tokala Janis, Faron LaBatte, Clarissa Lamont, Jessica Lays Bad, Jaeilyn Little Dog, Avaline Little Elk, Zoe Long Soldier, Patricia Looks Twice, Lainey Martinez, Mary Kate Martinez, Dakota Means, Benjamin Mills, Esperanza Montileaux, Savanah Montileaux, Kobe No Neck, Aaliyah Old Horse, Christina Plenty Wounds, Taiyah Pourier, Tionna Pourier, Kimimila Pretty Bear, Ohiyesawin Ramirez, Hattie Red Owl, Eternity Red Starr, Dawson Rooks, Tara Rouillard, Enola Running Hawk, Warren Shot, Charisma Shot With Arrow, Kendra Slow Bear, Julia Swan, William Thunder Horse, Wambli Zaniya White Bull, Cheyenne Whiting, Trey Yellow Boy, Riley Yellow Cloud, Belva Young, Camden Young, Kaden Young, Theo Young Bear
Narrators
Kansas Clifford
Antonio Giago
Jada Good Crow
Lara Herman
Elizabeth Iron Horn
Jaida Jacobs
Stephanie Janis
Joseph Marshall III
Tionna Pourier
Ohiyesawin Ramirez
Project Advisors
James Christensen
Jace DeCory
Tawa Ducheneaux
John Haas
Joseph Marshall III
Richard Meyers
Matilda Montileaux
Jessie Pulliam
Harold Salway Left Heron
Little Wound School Board
Misty Hunter Chairperson
Cecelia Fire Thunder Vice Chairperson
Nicole Little Whiteman Secretary/Treasurer
Raymond Janis Member
Linda May Member
Last but not least
Alex Fire Thunder Theme Songs
Chris Scales Episode Song Mastering
Anthony George Apple Music Director
Seth McClellan Video Consultant
Nick Firchau Audio Consultant
Alex Mackey Unsung Hero
Mark Hetzel Producer Director
Sharei Ricketts High School Principal
Paula Pourier Financial Administrator
Charles Cuny, Jr. Grant Administrator

This project was presented to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Research Review Board on September 21, 2019, and deemed not under its purview.
Per NEH guidelines, all products related to this grant will be free and available to the public. Per our values, this is a non-profit endeavor.

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About - HEART OF ALL Oral History Project

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Students Mandie Amiotte, Talaiah Bear Killer, Tina Bear Nose, Sioux Dawn Bianis, Tashaya Boltz, Adriana Bradford, Helina Brings Plenty, Miracle Brown Bull, Hanna Brunsch, Lance Christensen, Jr., Allison Clifford, Kansas Clifford, Gillian Cross, Terrance J.

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South Dakota signs 1st anti-transgender sports law of 2022

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WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about residential and boarding schools. If you are feeling triggered, here is a resource list for trauma responses from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition in the U.S. In Canada, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-866-925-4419.
PINE RIDGE, South Dakota - The search for truth began on a spring day under a brilliant blue sky at Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge reservation.

The air fairly buzzed with blossoming life, a buzz that belied the serious business at hand. Red Cloud, a Catholic Jesuit school once known as Holy Rosary School, is beginning its search for graves of children who may have been buried here long ago.

Basil Braveheart, a survivor of Holy Rosary boarding school, and his son Robert offered prayers and traditional Lakota song in preparation for a public demonstration Wednesday of the ground-penetrating radar that will be used to search for unmarked graves.

Related stories:
- US boarding school investigative report released
- Pope apologizes for Canada's residential schools
- Canada, US differ on boarding school policies

The search is part of Red Cloud's Truth and Healing Initiative, which began in 2019 and includes providing access to school archives and research, community engagement and survivor outreach.

As work began, however, an unexpected visitor arrived. Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland, a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community, was in the area to announce Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments in the Oglala Dam.

Newland worked with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in creating the recently released Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report, the first-ever inventory of federally operated schools.

He said the United States must come to terms with what happened.

"This is not just some gratuitous look at the past," Newland said, in response to Indian Country Today's question about why boarding school history is such an important issue in Indian Country.

"This report is a recounting and accounting of the United State's operation of these schools and part of an effort to better understand how this legacy impacts people across Indian Country," he said.

Demands for justice

At the request of community members and as part of its Initiative, Red Cloud school leaders hired Marsha Small, Northern Cheyenne, to conduct ground-penetrating radar to search for the graves of students who perished here during the boarding school days.

Red Cloud is using the radar to search the nearby cemetery that was used by the local Catholic community and the school, as well as areas that community members have identified as possible locations of graves.

Many tribal citizens, including members of the local chapter of the International Indigenous Youth Council, have demanded the school conduct the search.

About 50 percent of federal Indian boarding schools received support or involvement from a religious institution or organization, including funding, infrastructure and personnel. According to an investigation by ICT, various orders of priests and nuns within the Catholic Church operated most of the religious schools, although the Quakers, Episcopalians and other denominations also operated boarding schools. Currently, Catholics are the only Christian denomination running schools targeting Native Americans.

The Holy Rosary School was founded in 1887 and functioned as an Indian boarding school until 1980. The institution changed its name from Holy Rosary to Red Cloud School in 1969. Today, it is a day school operated by Catholic Jesuits.

Kevin Killer, president of the Oglala Sioux tribe, and Bryan Newland, assistant secretary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs listen on May 18, 2022, as Marsha Small explains the ground-penetrating radar technology used to search the grounds of Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Jarrod Burks, in front, of Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc helps with the radar. (Photo by Mary Annette Pember/Indian Country Today)

The purpose of Indian boarding schools, Newland said, was part of a twin policy of taking land from Native people and assimilating them.

The United States is trailing Canada in investigating the boarding school legacy. In 2006, the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement was approved by the Canadian government and Indigenous peoples, providing financial compensation to former residential school students and a $125 million payment by the Canadian government to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

In 2008, Canada created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which issued its final report in 2015. The Canadian government has issued a formal apology for creating and operating the schools.

The U.S. initiative is the first move toward a nationwide assessment of the boarding school systems.

The intent of the report is part of an effort to identify the names, numbers of schools, number of children who attended and those who died at the schools, and to find and protect their graves, which may be unmarked.

Assistant secretary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland, Ojibwe, speaks to a community gathering on May 18, 2022, at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, as Kevin Killer, president of the Oglala Sioux tribe, looks on. Ground-penetrating radar is set to begin at the school to search for graves of students who died there. (Photo by Mary Annette Pember/Indian Country Today)

According to Newland, the aim of the boarding school initiative is also to provide understanding of the cost in dollars appropriated from Native lands and wealth to operate the schools.

"I think everybody here knows that before you can begin any healing, the very first thing you have to do is acknowledge what happened," he said.

"And so for the very first time, we, as the United States, are acknowledging what we did with these schools and why they existed."

'We need action'

Some people at the gathering expressed impatience and anger at the slow pace of the Catholic Church in acknowledging its role in operating boarding schools. Pope Frances recently apologized to First Nations survivors of Canadian residential schools, but no church-wide apologies have been offered in the United States.

Alex White Plume, a citizen of the Oglala Sioux tribe, spoke to Red Cloud leaders and others at the gathering.

"We don't want no cheap apology," White Plume said. "The Catholic Church needs to own up and pay back rent so we can restore our traditional ways ... We're not going to heal until we see some sort of justice from the church and the United States."

Members of the Tokala Inajinyo Youth Leadership Mentoring Program on Rosebud Sioux tribal lands discuss on May 18, 2022, how they helped bring back ancestors who died at Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. They are, left to right, Rachel Janis, Alexis White Hat and Jaydenrose Whiting. (Photo by Mary Annette Pember/Indian Country Today)

Several members of the Indigenous Youth Council rode horses around the church, as Dallas Nelson, Marlon Kelly and Red Dog sang the American Indian Movement song. The group placed a sign against the wall of the church at Red Cloud.

"We are the grandchildren of the Lakota you weren't able to remove," the sign said.

Youth from Tokala Inajinyo Youth Leadership Mentoring Program based on the Rosebud Sioux tribal lands also joined the gathering. They helped bring home the remains of nine ancestors who died while attending Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania.

"I'm glad the Pope apologized but we need action,"said Alexis White Hat, a citizen of the Rosebud Sioux tribe.

"We need help in our communities and more efforts to educate the public about Native peoples and our histories," she added.

"Ours is a story of resilience; we are still here and speaking up for ourselves."
Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help Indian Country Today carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter.

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federal indian boarding school initiative

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Red Cloud Indian School begins search for graves

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WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about residential and boarding schools. If you are feeling triggered, here is a resource list for trauma responses from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition in the U.S. In Canada, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-866-925-4419 .

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Critical Race Theory Executive Order February 2022

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Critical Race Theory Executive Order February 2022

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NDN Collective opening school in Rapid City, SD

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NDN Collective opening school in Rapid City, SD

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Mary Bowman - NDN Collective

NDN Collective is the most ambitious, systemic effort to empower Indigenous communities in the history of philanthropy.

NISN Fellow - Education Equity Mary Bowman Standing Rock Sioux

Mary Bowman (She/Her), NISN Fellow and Education Equity Team Member, is Hunkpapa/Oglala Lakota from Rapid City, South Dakota. Mary has 15 years of experience working with Indigenous students in schools located around the Rapid City area. She believes that students deserve to see themselves in their curriculum and as a teacher has worked in classrooms helping students achieve academic success through cultural lessons in math, literacy, science, and social studies. Mary is the lead designer for the Oceti Sakowin Community Academy, an Indigenous School grounded in the language, thought and philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin set to open in Fall 2022. Mary has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Elementary Education and is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Lakota Leadership at Oglala Lakota College.

NDN Collective
408 Knollwood Dr
Rapid City, SD 57701
P: +1 (605) 791-3999
E:[email protected]

© 2022 NDN Collective. All rights reserved.

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Mary Bowman - NDN Collective NDN Collective is the most ambitious, systemic effort to empower Indigenous communities in the history of philanthropy. NISN Fellow - Education Equity Mary Bowman Standing Rock Sioux Mary Bowman (She/Her), NISN Fellow and Education Equity Team Member, is Hunkpapa/Oglala Lakota from Rapid City, South Dakota.

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Red Cloud School Renames to Lakota-Language Mahpiya Luta

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Red Cloud School Renames to Lakota-Language Mahpiya Luta

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After well over a century of use, the historic Red Cloud Indian School will be getting a new name. However, the name isn't exactly "new."

The parochial school located on the Pine Ridge Reservation will now be named in the Lakota language - Maȟpíya Lúta - a translation of Chief Red Cloud's name.

Jennifer Irving is the vice president of communications and marketing at the school. She said the idea for changing the name didn't come from an administrator's office.

"Really, we were inspired by our athletes - who years ago started requesting 'instead of Red Cloud can we put Maȟpíya Lúta on our jerseys?' It inspired the rest of us to catch up with our young leadership here," Irving said "That's really where that change happened."

Irving said a lot goes into a name.

"One of the things we were trying to be mindful of was how do we select a name that highlights not just our four schools, but six churches, the heritage center, and some of these broader community programs that we have," Irving said. "So, food sovereignty, truth and healing, we have a lot of work in Lakota language."

While the school has a deep history, Irving said the decision is about much more than rebranding.

"In a way maybe it was about reclaiming some space, but I think it was really about honoring Chief Red Cloud and really committing further to Lakota language revitalization," Irving said. "How are we moving forward together?"

The rebranding process is already underway and will continue over the coming school year.

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Red Cloud School renames to Lakota-language 'Maȟpíya Lúta'

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After well over a century of use, the historic Red Cloud Indian School will be getting a new name. However, the name isn't exactly "new."

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It's official: South Dakota has a new set of social studies standards that educators will start teaching to students in the fall of 2025.

That's after the South Dakota Board of Education Standards passed that set Monday in Pierre, despite hearing from a majority of educators and the state's nine tribes who all stood in solidarity opposing the standards.

A two-year implementation period for the standards will start in June at the South Dakota Department of Education office, along with the South Dakota Historical Society and the Office of Indian Education to help current teachers learn how to put the standards into practice, according to a press release from Gov. Kristi Noem's office.

All in all, the standards take students from kindergarten through 12th grade and include content in the form of stories, historical figures, maps, research, images and historical documents, according to the introduction to the standards written by the DOE and workgroup.

There is no statewide assessment for social studies.
More: South Dakota social studies standards pass, despite opposition from educators, tribes
Here are some grade-by-grade highlights from the new standards, which have a spiral sequence that teaches students concepts from history in a chronological order, with students studying world history four times and American history and/or civics five times.

To see the full 179-page set of social studies standards, you will need to find the recent Board of Education Standards agenda online and look at item 6.N.

Elementary school: From before 60 B.C. to 1908

In the earliest elementary grades, kindergarteners' content will consist of an "Introduction to America," followed by world history to 315 and America from 1492-1787 in first grade, and world history from 315-1492 and American history from 1787-1908 in second grade.

Kindergarteners must be able to tell stories about a list of 64 historical figures ranging from Christopher Columbus to Barack Obama; learn 32 different symbols of the U.S. including the flag, seal, various monuments and holidays; and, give examples of virtues and actions related to hard work, personal potential and individual independence, among other standards.

First graders must be able to recite the preamble to the U.S. Constitution from memory and a line from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
More: New social studies standards should be 'free from political agendas and activism,' DOE draft states
They must also demonstrate knowledge of several ancient civilizations across the globe and of European "exploration and settlement of what would become the United States," among other standards.

Second graders must understand citizenship, the importance of a "knowledgeable, good and hard-working citizenry," the fall of Rome, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance, including knowledge of Muslims, Christians, Confucianism, Japanese Buddhism and much more.

Third graders' content spans world history to 60 B.C.E. and American history from 1492-1763, followed by world history from 60 B.C.E. to 1300 C.E. and American history from 1763-1820 in fourth grade, then world history from 1300-1648 and American history from 1820-1908 in fifth grade.

In third grade, there's an added section to demonstrate knowledge of colonial America, slavery and how the American colonist was "generally defined by certain traits, including being hard-working, determined, religious, skeptical of authority, and self-governing."

Fourth graders must also demonstrate knowledge of events leading up to the American Revolution, the War of Independence and U.S. history from George Washington's presidency to the War of 1812.

By fifth grade, students must be able to recite the Gettysburg Address from memory as well as know more about "westward expansion's effects on relationships with Native Americans and the electoral divide over slavery." They will also cover women's suffrage, the Reformation, the Gilded Age and more.

Middle school: U.S. history from 1492 to 2008

In sixth grade, students' content falls under "Influential Ideas in History and Civics: to 1815."
More: What are the biggest changes between current and proposed social studies curriculum?
Sixth grade includes a large focus on world geography, spanning the globe from all major continents except for Australia and Antarctica; a return to understanding influential ideas from time periods covered in earlier grades; and, ideas from the Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment and the French Revolution.

In seventh grade, students' content looks at America from 1492 to 1877.

Seventh graders must give examples of patriotism; cover the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, memorizing paragraphs from the latter; explain traits of colonists; learn more about Washington's presidency, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the "sectional divide" in the U.S. over slavery.

In eighth grade, students will examine America from 1877 to 2008.

Eighth graders will cover the Gilded Age, time after the Civil War, suffrage in South Dakota, boarding schools, World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, cultural revolution, and the turn of the 21st Century up to the 2008 election, to name a few highlights.

High school: A little bit of everything, and more
More: How South Dakota's social studies standards became so controversial
High school standards include ancient to modern world history, world geography, U.S. history from 1492-2008, U.S. government and American civics, economics, and South Dakota and Native American history and civics.

These standards are broken down by subject, not by grade level, as the standards adopted in 2015 were.

World history and world geography standards cover much of what is covered in earlier grades, as well as identifying elements that make up a person's culture, including political culture.

Economics standards include mentions of Karl Marx, Adam Smith, the free market, capitalism, agricultural economics, economic decisions, the principles of supply and demand, economic systems, major market structures, the business cycle and macroeconomic measurements, money and financial institutions, trade and commerce, and much more.

U.S. history standards include demonstrating knowledge of American and South Dakotan geography, comparing modern ways of life to prior eras in history, understanding of Native American people "before the arrival of Europeans and Africans," settlement, colonial America, the American Revolution, founders' arguments and some repeats from earlier grades.

U.S. government and American civics standards cover modern ways of life compared to prior eras, principles and examples from world history that influenced America's founding, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, America's principles, the institution of slavery, the Civil War, civil rights, 20th Century Progressivism, domestic policy, foreign policy, citizenship, politics, South Dakota and Native American government and politics, and finally, the American experiment in self-government compared to other historical and present-day regimes.

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What South Dakota's K-12 students will learn in social studies classes starting in 2025

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South Dakota has a new set of social studies standards that educators will teach to students starting in the fall of 2025. Here's a breakdown.

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South Dakota Education Equity Coalition 

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South Dakota Education Equity Coalition 