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American Indian advisory committee members urge Duluth schools to follow statute and increase transparency
Summary
Members of the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee and community speakers told the Duluth School Board they are not being fully consulted on American Indian education matters and cited a Minnesota statute they said requires maximum parent involvement.
Jordan Johnson and other community speakers told the Duluth School Board that the district has not provided the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) with adequate support, access to information or partnership in decision-making.
Johnson, who works with APAC, said committee members face barriers to engagement, including deactivation of the committee's Facebook page and repeated requests for budget documentation that he said have gone unanswered. He read sections of a Minnesota statute to remind the board that school districts and boards must “provide for the maximum involvement of parents of American Indian children enrolled in American Indian education programs” and said the committee must be afforded “necessary information and the opportunity effectively to express their views.” (As referenced during public comment: Minnesota statute 124D.78, subdivision 1.)
Dr. Mary Owens urged the board to take the committee’s concerns seriously and to increase transparency. Owens referenced the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and said that the law affirmed tribal and community control over services; she argued that American Indian parents and community members should be meaningfully involved in decisions about American Indian education programs.
Speakers said they were concerned that some staff and teachers who worked closely with American Indian students have left the district and asked the board to ensure community members are included “in every step” of processes that affect American Indian education. They asked the district to provide clear documentation on applications and hiring related to American Indian education leadership and to engage APAC in curriculum and program recommendations.
No formal action was taken during the listening session. Speakers asked the board to review how it supports APAC and to ensure compliance with the statutory requirement for parent involvement.
