The First Nation Education Crisis

• Main Author: Gaubert, Katherine Ann
• Other Authors: Walichowski, Miranda N.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Native American Education; First Nations
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157699

The purpose of this research is to analyze the current educational crisis occurring in the Native American population. According to the Teach for America Organization, the high school graduation rate for Native Americans is at an overall 49%. While other minorities are gaining ground, only 11% of a Native graduating class will obtain a college degree, and projections predict that this number will continue to decrease. As the cultures of Native Americans are on the decline, academic circles are forgetting that Native students still have a seat at the table. Throughout the world, the unique situation of indigenous peoples is an issue of contention for many governments, and the United States is no exception. Native American education has a long, controversial history that has created deep divides between the First Nations and Federal Government (Adams, Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience). Studying how this crisis began, and how it has contributed to Native cultural decline will not only provide a clearer understanding of the issue, but perhaps offer an appropriate solution for future First Nation students.