As we progress forward into 2021, there are certain centuries long predispositions and prejudices that still remain prominent in America today. A group that is often overlooked in the populace continues to face much discrimination in modern society- Native Americans. Specifically, in the scope of education, many Natives attend below standard and under-funded schools.
Many Native American children attend schools that were built during the Great Depression and barely renovated since. While it is the government’s responsibility to uphold these small institutions, for many students such as those in Little Singer Community School in Navajo County, Arizona, this is not reflective of their reality.
Their small school is overtaken by asbestos, mold, and mice. Students of Little Singer must carry their seats between classes, because there are not enough chairs for every classroom. While this is just one school, it speaks to a greater problem faced by the Native American population in America.
The government oversees 183 different Native American schools in the United States, many of which perform poorly in standardized tests and exams. Native children have in the past scored much lower than their white counterparts on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Not only academically is there an existing risk of failure, but many students in underfunded schools are dropping out, with a rate that is two times the national average.
Without accounting for the educational disparities, other issues still remain prevalent in understanding the position of Native Americans in America. Violent crime prevails in many Indian reservations, with rates that are over two and a half times higher than the national average.
Indigenous women are also 10 times more likely to be murdered, with the rates for rape and sexual assault totaling over four times the national average.
Many of the areas where Native schools are located are plagued by poverty, high unemployment rates, and lack of access to proper healthcare.
This systemic oppression of native Americans continues to exists amongst the appropriation of the culture and the use of racist caricatures for mascots, sports teams, and media. As a society and country, we must place aside those stereotypes and work to fix the insurmountable social and political issues that plague the indigenous population of America.