Historical Review of Indian Education: Cultural Policies United States Position.

Overview & Synopsis

Beginning in the year 1568, American Indians were thrust into an alien educational environment in which their languages--the very expressions of their tribal cultures--had no relevance or validity from the perspective of their teachers. The evolution of educational policy as it has affected Indians was initially tied to land transfer and acquisition, and it has been consistently assimilative in its orientation. The church, the federal government, and the schools could not and would not allow Indians to remain Indians. These three most powerful institutions in the United States all tried to change Indians, and they exerted intense pressure aimed at suppressing Indian cultures and Indian languages. The failure of the United States to educate Indian children continued until 1972 when Congress enacted the Indian Education Act specifically to meet the unique educational needs of American Indians at all levels of education. Indian involvement is a legislative mandate in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all Indian education programs funded under the Act. This is also a key provision of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975. Indian involvement and self-determination have characterized federally funded education programs since the 1970s. (JHZ)