November 2007 is National American Indian Heritage Month

WELCOME TO THE OREGON INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (OIEA) HOME PAGE!

You have reached the home page of the Oregon Indian Education Association. OIEA was formed in the mid-1970s and has worked on many important educational concerns.

* Worked to update and begin implementing the Oregon American Indian/Alaska Native Education State Plan, go here for PDF Document of the plan (right click and save target as to download to your computer). In the past, a series of implementation workshops have been held for staff at the Oregon Department of Education on the State Plan. It is hoped that these workshops provide additional background for state staff to work with individual school districts in implementing the State Plan statewide. The plan highlights strategies for addressing the eleven goals that encompass staff development, curriculum, infusion, dropout prevention, culturally appropriate assessment, early childhood, and parental involvement. The Oregon Indian Education Council (OIEC) is a separate group of Oregon tribal and non-tribal members that oversee the Oregon Indian Education State Plan.

* In addition, OIEA has been involved with others in helping to formulate state policy to eliminate stereotypical Native American mascots in Oregon public schools. Although originally justified as “honoring” Native Americans, instead Native Americans feel marginalized by stereotypical mascot depictions in Oregon public schools. Originally brought up to OIEA and the Oregon Indian Education Youth Association by student Che Butler who had experienced the negative effects of these stereotypical mascots during sports events, the OIEA membership overwhelming passed a resolution (click here for resolution) to establish the elimination of all Native American mascots in all school activities within the State of Oregon. As a result of Che’s powerful presentation to the Oregon State Department of Education’s Board, the Native American Mascot Advisory Committee (click here for news release) was formed to study this issue. Preliminary results of their draft report were reviewed in October 2007 by the Superintendent's Youth Advisory Team and a meeting of stakeholders from the districts with Native American mascots in their high schools along with members of the Mascot Advisory Committee. (Click here for State Superintendent Susan Castillo's recent Native American Mascot Letter.) Since Superintendent Castillo is asking the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon to respond from their respective Tribal Councils concerning this matter, OIEA and student Che Butler are available to meet individually with the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon and their respective Tribal Councils concerning this important matter that affects all Tribal students in Oregon schools. To contact OIEA to schedule Che's presentation during a Tribal Council meeting, please contact OIEA. Even when schools believe that they have a positive Native American mascot, opposing teams deride it and provide a truly negative environment for Indian students. We believe schools should be welcoming, safe and positive for all students and Indian mascots do not support that for our students.

(Click here for student Che Butler's recent letter to the Oregon State Department of Education)

* At the most recent OIEA conference members also resolved that all public school in the State of Oregon recognize and celebrate Native American diversity and incorporate historical and contemporary perspectives to the general student body on a daily basis during the month of November by designating November as Native American Heritage month to the State of Oregon (click here for resolution).

Superintendent Susan Castillo (pictured) speech at the 2007 OIEA conference