HB 2929: A stand for Indian Education

When the clouds grow heavy and the temperature rises, Oklahomans know its best to keep an eye on the skies. As the pressure drops, as it did this spring, tornadoes are likely to pop up like dandelions.

This May, it did. We had recorded 16 tornadoes in one day, according to CNN. Ironically, I spent that day running from Stroud where a tornado soon was spotted. When I hit Norman, the skies were green, hail was falling and the sirens were deafening. I felt like the Typhoid Mary of tornadoes.

But another type of tornado descended shortly after the school year recessed. It had been brewing for a while. Indian education proponents went round and round, vying for a state law that would mandate better education for Indian children.

Finally, Comanche County state representative Ann Coody drafted HB 2929. Several Indian education advocates followed the bill's every move and kept me apprised of it.

This legislation calls for the "Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education Act." It basically outlines many aspects of why augmenting Indian education in Oklahoma is a good idea.

After speaking to several Indian educators, I was reminded that scores of millions of dollars come to Oklahoma from federal coffers. Our little ones (or bigger ones if they are in high school) attend schools in mainstream districts and for that reason, federal funds follow.

I was informed that Oklahoma's Indian students receive about $180 per student in federal-to-district aid. For 550 total school districts in the state, about 385 school districts have Indian Education programs.

It was suggested to me that the sheer volume of Indian children going to school in Oklahoma School districts necessitates that HB 2929 be passed without delay.

Without Indian kids in public schools, fewer federal dollars would funnel into state education coffers. I like to add that to the exclusivity fees paid by gaming tribes with Class III compacts. Both imply that Indians in Oklahoma continue to be an asset and not a liability.

The bill also calls for the creation of the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education. This council will add input to help codify and amplify curriculum for Indian children.

As we stand under the auspices of the blue Oklahoma flag, it's a real fact that even historical accounts of the state fly under revisionist gusts. Now, this bill recognizes that Indian kids' welfare counts.

It's hard not to sound like a master's thesis on education when addressing this subject. The issues boil down to a simple item: If our children are monitored educationally, then what affects or defects them can be remedied.

The advisory council provision outlines that a total of 17 members have at least nine tribal members on it. This part can be a bit tricky. Hopefully, this won't mean larger tribes have more appointees. After all, there are 37 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma. Each of these tribes have members with children.

I got an e-mail the other day that cried out the good news that the bill had passed the legislature and was awaiting Gov. Brad Henry's signature. I was assured during the process that no state legislator stood against the bill.

Everywhere across Oklahoma's Indian Country, breaths were exhaled. The pressure has dropped some. But rather than seeking shelter in the lowest part of the house or in a cellar, we can stand out in full view of HB 2929.

And enjoy the weather.