Public Education in New Mexico

3: Indian Education in New Mexico

Chapter 3 3 Indian Education in New Mexico Public education for all K–12 students in New Mexico is the responsibility of the state. This responsibility is mandated by the state constitution and by other statutes and includes the education of Native American students. The United States government shares responsibility for the education of these students based upon treaties with tribes entered into between 1778 and 1871. Native American students have the option of attending federally funded BIA schools, New Mexico public schools, or private schools. During the 2001 school year, 32,011 Native American students were enrolled in twenty-four public school districts in New Mexico, and represented twenty-two independent tribes, four languages , and five dialects. The 32,011 students represented approximately 11 percent of the total state public school enrollment and 70 percent of the total Native American student enrollment. There were 11,278 students enrolled in federally funded BIA schools, and approximately 1,100 students were enrolled in private or mission schools. While many districts had few or no Native American students enrolled in their schools, Zuni Public Schools had the highest enrollment percentage of Native American students with 99.3 percent; Dulce Independent Schools had the second highest enrollment (89 percent); and Central Consolidated Schools (88 percent) had the third highest percentage. Gallup-McKinley County Schools (79.5 percent) had the next highest enrollment percentage of Native American students. (See Tables 4 and 5 for tribes and school districts with enrollment percentages of Native American students over 30 percent, and Figure 5 for Native American languages in New Mexico.) For the school year 1999–2000, 1,854 Native American students graduated from public high schools compared with 7,554 Hispanic students, 7,910 Anglo students, 416 Black students, 206 Asian students, and 80 Other students. For this same school 59 term, the dropout percentage rate was 5.81 percent (Native American), 7.76 percent (Hispanic), and 3.89 percent (Anglo), respectively. Academically, Native American students performed at a lower level than all other ethnic groups on state-mandated testing. (New Mexico Legislature 2001). Testing results are discussed later in this chapter. History The early history of Indian education in the state of New Mexico, the methods used by the federal government and the state to fulfill their responsibility to the students, and how students are presently taught in state and government schools includes a series of epic events which reflect conquest, religious education, language issues and instruction, culture clashes, formal and informal culturally irrelevant curriculum, revolt, renewal, neglect, some success, and some failure. The role of the federal government in the education of the Indian student population has been Chapter 3 60 Table 4. Pueblos and Reservations in New Mexico Nineteen Present-day Pueblos: Four Present-day Reservations: Acoma Jicarilla Apache Cochiti Mescalero Apache Isleta Navajo Nation Jémez Ute Mountain Utes Laguna Nambé Picurís Pojoaque Sandia San Felipe San Ildefonso San Juan Santa Ana Santa Clara Santo Domingo Taos Tesuque Zia Zuni significant because it accepted responsibility through the different treaties. The diverse native culture of this unique student population is also part of this history. Early History The education of Indian students began, centuries ago, with tribal elders and parents teaching the younger members by example or by “storytelling.” Young men were included in hunts and were taught how to fish, plant, and develop language skills while in the company of older male members of their community. Young women were taught cooking, planting, weaving, making pottery, and developing language skills in much the same way. The elders and parents also taught younger tribal members (male and female) about their religion and cultural beliefs. Among the Pueblos, the estufa (the kiva) was school, clubhouse, and even armory for the male youth. There, around the fireplace in the estufa, during the long evenings of winter the elders taught songs and prayers embodying traditions and myths, first of their clan, then of their tribe (Bandelier 1871, 19). The Spanish Period With the arrival of the Spaniards in the 1500s, young tribal members received their formal lessons from the Franciscan friars whose emphasis was on teaching the Catholic doctrine. Jorge Noriega says “The Spanish Jesuits, who had pioneered a system of some 30 mission schools in Paraguay and Uruguay from 1609 onward, termed ‘Reductions’—an entirely appropriate description given their intended role in diminishing indigenous cultural Indian Education in New Mexico...