Description
Book SynopsisThe story of Wilhelmina Yazzie and her son’s effort to seek adequate education in New Mexico schools revealed an educational system with poor policy implementation, inadequate funding, and piecemeal reform. In this collection of essays, contributors cover the background and significance of the lawsuit and its impact on racial and social politics.
Trade ReviewAn unchanged education effectuated by systems and institutions not designed for us will continue to marginalize our Indigenous people and children. The heart of this continuing fight is for justice and equity. It is about the right to exist as we choose. Wilhelmina Yazzie personalizes the heartbreaking story of generations of parents in this struggle. She eloquently speaks of her love of her language and culture and the value of a balanced education, treating both as equally valuable for the health of our children and the future well-being of our people.
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The Yazzie Case is an extraordinarily and profoundly compelling call to action. It should be read by policymakers and educators at all levels. The book provides a history that should be required reading for us to realize what we are doing to ourselves in a state where 80 percent of our children come from linguistic and culturally different backgrounds. That is what enriches our diversity. We must act to do the right thing for the right reasons at the right time. This is the time!"—Regis Pecos, former governor of Cochiti Pueblo
"A critically important collection. . . . The text offers high-quality educational and Indigenous education research, and it proposes recommendations and insights for practitioners in the field. Practitioners, lawyers, educators, parents, undergraduate and graduate students, policymakers, and white, non-Native public school teachers--all those who are invested in the education of our Native children will benefit."—John P. Hopkins, author of
Indian Education for All: Decolonizing Indigenous Education in Public Schools"A superb collection of essays analyzing the issues involved in the Martinez/Yazzie lawsuit and what needs to be done to fully implement the judge's decision supporting the plaintiffs."—Jon Allan Reyhner, coauthor of
American Indian Education: A HistoryTable of Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Tables
- Preface
- Wilhelmina Yazzie
- Introduction. An Examination of the Yazzie Side of the Martinez/Yazzie Lawsuit
- Wendy S. Greyeyes, Lloyd L. Lee, and Glenabah Martinez
Part I. The Case
- Chapter One. The Legal Significance and Background of the Yazzie/Martinez Lawsuit
- Preston Sanchez
- Chapter Two. Post-Summit Report on the Yazzie/Martinez Ruling: Action Report
- Glenabah Martinez, Terri Flowerday, Lloyd L. Lee, Leola Paquin, Wendy S. Greyeyes, Nathaniel Charley, and Carlotta Penny Bird
- Chapter Three. Witness Perspective from a Mother and Academic
- Georgina Badoni
- Chapter Four. The Significance of the New Mexico Indian Education Act in the Yazzie/Martinez Case
- Carlotta Penny Bird
Part II. The Response
- Chapter Five. The New Mexico Public Education Department Response: An Analysis of the 2021 Strategic Plan to Resolve the Yazzie/Martinez Case
- Wendy S. Greyeyes
- Chapter Six. Navajo Nation's Response to the Yazzie/Martinez Case: Implications for Navajo Nation's Educational Sovereignty
- Alexandra Bray Kinsella, Navajo Nation Department of Justice Attorney (2018-2021)
- Chapter Seven. Narratives and Responses to Yazzie/Martinez: Tribal Consultation and Community Engagement
- Natalie Martinez
- Chapter Eight. The Department of Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico: Role and Responsibilities with the Yazzie v. New Mexico Education Ruling
- Lloyd L. Lee
Part III. The Future
- Chapter Nine. The Yazzie/Martinez Ruling: The Politics of Culturally Relevant Curriculum
- Glenabah Martinez
- Chapter Ten. The Complexities of Language Learning for New Mexico's Indigenous Students
- Christine Sims and Rebecca Blum Martínez
- Chapter Eleven. Diné Language Teacher Institute and Language Immersion Education
- Tiffany S. Lee, Vincent Werito, and Melvatha R. Chee
- Chapter Twelve. Lessons from the Past: Fifty Years after Sinajini v. Board of Education of San Juan School District
- Cynthia Benally and Donna Deyhle
- Chapter Thirteen. Promoting Solidarity for Social Justice and Indigenous Educational Sovereignty in the Cuba Independent School District
- Leola Tsinnajinnie Paquin, Shiv R. Desai, Vincent Werito, Nancy López, and Karen Sanchez-Griego
- Conclusion. Constructing Critically Conscious Race Policy for Our State: The Case for a Re-racialization and Indigenizing of Our Education Policies
- Wendy S. Greyeyes and Navajo Nation president Jonathan Nez
Appendix A. Teaching Recommendations for this Book
- Appendix B. Martinez/Yazzie v. State of New Mexico Lawsuit Timeline
- Bibliography
- Contributors
- Index
