NationalAssociation for Bilingual Education
Special Interest Group
Indigenous Bilingual Education

Resolutions

2004 Resolution: The SIG did not submit resolutions this year.

2003 Resolution:

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION
RESOLUTION ______
DATED: JANUARY 31, 2003

AS, active members and strong supporters of the re-organized group in the National Association for Bilingual Education Indigenous populations Special Interest Council, AND:

AS, the State of New Mexico will be hosting the 2004 NABE Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico are addressing the following concerns:

Whereas NABE 2004 will take place in New Mexico, which has a significant number of children from Indigenous population in the schools and communities and all NABE members can benefit by becoming more aware of Indigenous peoples and perspectives AND;

Whereas, the original languages of the Native/Indigenous peoples of America, including the Artic regions, North, Central and South, need to be at the forefront of all other languages recognition/acknowledgement for this part of the world AND;

Whereas, the 508 Indigenous languages of North America represent the cultural foundations, history, and life of people who live on this land today, with ways AND;

Whereas, the Indigenous languages have been at risk for becoming lost while children fail to inherit them AND;

Whereas, the National Association for Bilingual Education has the role in promoting language and culture education AND;

Whereas, NABE will benefit if Indigenous Bilingual Educators and families participate at 2004 NABE conference AND;

Whereas, the language revitalization efforts of Indigenous peoples are an inspiration and example to all NABE members AND;

Whereas, the parents and families of the Indigenous people are the core and the purpose of bilingual education which is the foundation of all education AND;

Whereas, Indigenous educators and families still are not participating at NABE conferences consistently AND;

Therefore Be It Resolved That NABE endeavor to promote an Indigenous population presence and be the main theme of the NABE 2004 Conference by
ß Scheduling a Two-Day Indigenous Bilingual Education Pre-Conference Institute/Symposium as well as an all day conference institute
ß Schedule keynote speakers from the Indigenous Education Community
ß Encouraging an increase in Indigenous Bilingual Education Sessions
ß Native Reviewers on the Proposal Review Committees
ß Make an extra effort to involve Indigenous entertainment and school exhibits and presentations
ß Specific number of presentation sites allotted to Indigenous language/culture
ß More space for presentations
ß Promote affiliation and recognition with education organizations of Indigenous Bilingual Education interests such as: National Indian Education Association and the National American Indian Congress
ß Facilitate access to IBE research on the NABE website
ß Promoting awareness of the Native American Languages Act
ß Indigenous language Institute
ß Allowing Native Artisans and Indigenous vendors discounted exhibitor rates
ß Holding a NABE Pow Wow

This Resolution is respectfully submitted to the National Association for Bilingual Education Resolution Committee by the Indigenous Members of National Association for Bilingual Education, on this day, January 31, 2003, represented by:

Brian Charging Cloud,
Co-Chairperson
NABE Indigenous SIG Rosalita Roach,
Co-Chairperson
NABE Indigenous SIG

Concurring:

2001 Resolution:

Resolution promoting support for Indigenous Bilingual Educationin the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Whereas NABE has consistently supported indigenous language issues;and
Whereas historically, American Indian children like other langugeminority children have been underserved by the schools; and
Whereas the Federal Government has a special trust responsibilityfor the education of indigenous children and has played a direct,deliberate role in the loss of language in indigenous communities;and
Whereas the development of these languages is pedagogically, personally,and culturally advantageous to these children, their commuities,and our nation; and
Whereas the 1990 Native American Languages Act reaffirms the nationalgoal to restore and protect indigenous languages, but only verylimited funds have been appropriated for revitalization efforts;and
Whereas many indigenous children meet the criteria of Title VIIand are dependent upon Title VII programs for the needed languageprograms in the schools;
Now therefore be it resolved that NABE reaffirm to Congress theimportance of continuing to service children and communities throughTitle VII of the ESEA for indigenous languages so they will notbe left behind.

Approved by the NABE Special Interest Group for Indigenous BilingualEducation.

This was approved for presentation to the Executive Board bythe General Membership of NABE.


Motion by Joyce Silverthorne


Second by Thomas Brown

2000 Resolutions: none were made due to the NABE Resolutionsmeeting being scheduled at the same time as the IBE SIG businessmeeting.

1999 Resolutions
Issues: English-only is very bad for us, because the states whopass it usually eliminate funding for bilingual education immediatelythereafter.

1. Resolution submitted by the Special Interest Group AmericanIndian/Alaska Native changing the name of the SIG:

Whereas, there is an increasing population in the United Statesof indigenous people immigrating from Latin America who do notspeak Spanish as a primary language; and
Whereas, over 200 languages are spoken by people indigenous tothe geographic boundaries of the United States; and
Whereas, there are a number of indigenous nations whose boundariesoverlap international boundaries, including, Tlingit, Blackfeet,Mohawk/Iriquois, Yaqui, Cree, Tono'o'otham, Gwich'in, etc.; and
Whereas, groups of the Pacific and Carribean Islands include speakersof indigenous languages; and
Whereas, the term "American Indian/Alaska Native" isnot inclusive of all indigenous languages; and
Whereas, language is a spiritual component of culture; and
Whereas, language is fundamental to maintaining culture and isan inherent component of treaty obligations with indigenous nations;and
Whereas, issues of indigenous languages are part of the NABE mission,yet professionals in indigenous education are under-representedin NABE membership; and
Whereas, a name change that would be more inclusive to all indigenouslanguages would invite more membership and unity within NABE;and
Whereas, a name change would create more options for NABE membersto contribute to indigenous issues in their many communities;

Therefore, let it be resolved that the Special Interest Group"American Indian/Alaska Native" be changed to the moreinclusive name: "Indigenous Bilingual Education".


2. Resolution submitted by the Special Interest Group "AmericanIndian/Alaska Native" requesting NABE support for IndigenousEducation in the Title VII reauthorization:

Whereas, the indigenous people of the United States have distincteducational concerns that are not apparent under the generic term"bilingual education"; and
Whereas, the indigenous children historically have the greatestneed for bilingual education due to having the lowest test scoresand graduation rates; and
Whereas, the educational community has a responsibility to addresssolutions in indigenous education; and
Whereas, indigenous children are often not classified as eligiblefor bilingual education services due to not being fluent in theirheritage language, even though their English is not at academiclevel ; and
Whereas, additional factors of historical oppression create anongoing need for indigenous children to continue to benefit frombilingual education; and
Whereas, potential wording in the Title VII reauthorization mayexclude indigenous children who would benefit from being in bilingualeducation;

Therefore, be it resolved that NABE support indigenous bilingualeducation in the Title VII reauthorization; and let it furtherbe resolved that NABE consult and collaborate with members ofthe American Indian/Alaska Native SIG and other organizationsspecializing in indigenous education.

Resolutions submitted 1998

We are the First Americans. We became U.S. citizens in 1924.If we don't use those rights, we are not using the powers we have.We need to organize and lobby the Board and the NABE members tostart being recognized as the First People. We have the rightof law due to the treaties.
Number one, we need to let others know who we are and that weare here. We need a map of Indian country showing people who andwhere we are and what languages we speak.

The following resolution was drafted by the AIAN Council:

Whereas the American Indian and Alaska Native people of theU.S. are represented by over 250 languages;
whereas a high percentage of American Indian and Alaska Nativestudents are at risk for losing their language and culture;
whereas students of American Indian and Alaska Native groups arestill at risk for low academic achievement;
whereas many students of American Indian and Alaska Native groupsare limited in English or in other at risk categories;
whereas American Indian and Alaska Native students are under representedin programs for gifted and talented;
whereas American Indian and Alaska Native students are over representedin special education and other at risk programs;
whereas teachers of American Indian and Alaska Native studentsneed constant professional development to promote excellence ineducation;
whereas successful educational practices that would benefit AmericanIndian and Alaska Native students would also be good for all students;
whereas American Indian and Alaska Native students achieve atthe highest standards with proven instructional strategies, culturallyappropriate curriculum, and program design matched to needs;
therefore, let it be resolved that NABE should lobby on behalfof the educational rights of American Indian and Alaska Nativestudents by ensuring that the special needs of American Indianand Alaska Native students are included in the reauthorizationof Title VII;
further let it be resolved that the reauthorization should promoteeducational excellence for American Indian and Alaska Native studentsthrough retention and development of indigenous languages in additionto the development of English;
further let it be resolved that the NABE legislative office consultwith the AIAN Special Interest Group of NABE in the developmentof all legislation related to American Indian and Alaska Nativestudents;
further let it be resolved that the AIAN Special Interest Groupof NABE be involved in the review of program proposals in orderto develop a American Indian and Alaska Native strand for NABE'99.

AIAN Council
Chairperson: Leon A. Rattler (MT)
Vice Chairperson: Zelma Peltier (ND)
AIAN Newsletter: Roy Howard (NM)
Members
Cris Hill (AK)
Lucille Watahomigie (AZ)
Janice Jones Schroeder (UT)
Rebecca M. Benally (UT)

1994 Resolutions

We held at meeting of the SIG at the NABE '94 meeting in LosAngeles. One of our stated goals for the '95 NABE conference wasthat the SIG would work to promote an Indian Education and NativeAmerican cultures focus, including:
A strand for Language and Culture Retention issues.
The nomination of Evelyn Begay and others by name to be on theprogram committee and to be readers.
To organize a Native American Institute
To get a NABE telephone credit card
To promote response from our group to the Call for Papers
To encourage NABE to schedule Native American entertainment
To have a Native American theme for the cover
To schedule visits to schools with Native American programs
To encourage NABE and OBEMLA to not lump Native American languageswith the category "other".