A Vicious Cycle:
The Battle to Save America's Native Youths
Abstract
Native Americans have the highest drop-out rate compared to any other race or culture. Some students make the appalling decision to drop out of school as early as the fourth grade. While the Native American drop-out rate appears to be an out of control, vicious cycle, new ideas, improved teaching techniques, and more involvement in students’ lives are bringing renewed hope in reversing this destructive trend. It is hoped that through new programs offered to students by their schools and communities they may be encouraged to complete school and go on to do great things with their lives. Making sure that teachers receive the necessary training by giving them a strong understanding about the culture of their children could also become a very useful tool to detour their students from leaving school. No matter what culture any student comes from, more involvement by parents, schools, and communities can add to their success; for the Native American culture, involvement could be key to changing the drop-out rate dilemma.
On February 13, 2004, twenty-two eager 8th grade students loaded a school bus to visit a high school they might be attending the following school year. While the students were thrilled to be visiting a school that might offer them their high school diploma, the statistics against these students are astounding. These students currently attend Gila Crossing Community School, a school that is located on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Laveen, Arizona. Because these twenty-two bright children attend a school on an Indian reservation, they have a strong chance of failing. Reyhner (1992) notes that the Native American drop-out rate is currently at approximately 35.5%, which means it is double any other ethnic group in the United States. That means that out of the twenty-two students who went on the trip that day, approximately eight will start high school, and of those, only a portion will graduate. These statistics are alarming, yet they are common among the majority of reservation schools. Delisio (2001) explains “the challenge of curbing the Native American dropout rate is nationwide.” So why do so many Native Americans fail to complete high school? During a time when our schools are integrated and discrimination seems to be diminishing, has America left its Native youths behind? What causes this specific culture to fail so drastically in an area were so many others seem to have no problems? While the Native American drop-out rate appears to be an out of control, vicious cycle, new ideas, improved teaching techniques, and more involvement in students’ lives are bringing renewed hope in reversing this destructive cycle.
Many factors have added to the severe and appalling problem that is plaguing Native American children. One problem is common misunderstandings of the Native American culture and its children. Robinson of San Diego State University notes that “historically and currently, children of Native American nations have been so underserved and misunderstood that they stand at the forefront of our populations “at risk” for low achievement” (“Serving Native American Children and Families,” 1996). While many associate the traditional teepee, moccasins, or peace pipes with Native Americans, the culture is changing and evolving just like any other in this country. Since traditional Native values differ so drastically from the mainstream, there have been severe tribulations with changing customs. Garrett, Garrett, Harn, Rivera, and Roberts (2003) note that traditional Native American values such as sharing, cooperation, and noninterference contrast with mainstream values which focus on saving, domination, competition, and aggression. With growing populations, most tribes have had to turn to traditional ways of thinking and adjust to the ever-changing world outside of their community-centered reservations. Dunne (2001) notes that “the government’s role has shifted (from traditional racism) to assimilating Native Americans into mainstream American society.” With such a drastic clash of traditions and beliefs, how can the Native youths of America succeed in their schooling?
Many people in the education field have ideas about how to fix the Native American drop-out rate, but are any of the ideas they have formed practical? A person must first focus on community when attempting to fix the Native American drop-out rate because community is paramount in the Native American culture. One great example of how to fix the drop-out rate, with the help of the community, can be found at the Gila Crossing Community School. This school brings the community together through various programs and activities. One program in particular is called PACT and allows parents to be in the classroom with their children throughout the day. During the day, both child and parent are in the class to learn. The children are going to school to graduate from kindergarten and the parents are there to get their GED’s. This is not the only program that offers the adults of the community the opportunity to earn their GED. On the campus, there is a classroom geared to community members who dropped out of high school. They are then able to come to school and work with teachers to finish high school and earn their GED. Not only do some of adults reach their goal of receiving their High School diploma, but some also take college classes to earn their bachelor degree. With a program like PACT, the community gains an understanding of the importance of education. Dawn Wikinson of Gila Crossing Community is hopeful that with this new understanding of education, the generations of drop-outs on the reservations will diminish (D. Wilkinson, personal communication, February 11, 2004).
All Children learn unconsciously and consciously through their parents. The fact is that with Native American students “the immediate and extended families, tribe, clan, and heritage all contribute to the child’s cultural identity and play a significant role in overall development” (Baruth, Manning, 1996, p. 175). Without family involvement, students are left alone to question right from wrong. According to Sparks (2000) “in many Native American cultures, children learn new skills by observing them and then doing them.” So, if parents and families are not completing high school what messages are they sending to their children? Parents of all cultures must be involved with their students’ lives, but for Native American students this is particularly important. Banks (2001) suggests that “the strongest indicator for school success was “the support of their families,” especially their mothers and grandmothers.” While parental involvement is a key for the success of the students involvement does not have to stop there. Another program called FACE incorporates culture, students, and the family. The Office of Indian Education Programs (2004) explains, “FACE provides family literacy services for parents and children . . . in home and school . . . it primarily supports parents in their role as their child’s first and most influential teacher.” While it is proven that family involvement is huge for children, community involvement in students lives can also help considerably. Gila Crossing strives to make their community more successful; at the same time, they also try to involve the community with their school and its students. The school has created a garden which the children tend. The idea of reintroducing gardening to the tribe has spread from the school to many locations throughout the local community. Wikinson admits that the idea of gardening has brought many aspects of the community together and feels that it (the garden) could bring more positive aspects to the children (D. Wilkinson, personal communication, February 11, 2004). Perhaps, one could hypothesize that a more positive influence from the community could have an optimistic effect on the school and could become a great deterrent for at-risk student drop-outs.
No matter what grade a child is in, teachers can be some of the most influential people throughout their lives. But, are teachers making sure that they have a strong enough understanding of the Native American culture to teach their students? For many Native American students, this problem influences many of them to drop out. Dunne (2001) observed, “Native American students have responded eagerly to the introduction of Native Studies to the curriculums . . . Tribal leaders are hopeful that the resurgence of Native Studies will help this generation.” An interesting fact is that “the lack of attention to and respect for world view differences are often raised by Native Americans as a primary issue in educational discrimination” (“Serving Native American Children and Families,” 1996). Teachers must make sure that they have a strong understanding of the Native American culture before they try to educate its young. According to Sparks (2000) “school failure is far less likely to occur among minority groups who are positively oriented toward both their own and the dominate culture’s role in society.” While focus is put on the students quitting, Wright (2000) notes that “the teacher turnover rate for schools with high American Indian student populations averages 35 percent.” This fact stresses the importance of teacher understanding. While in the past there have not been many programs to prepare teachers to teach in rural settings, like most Indian reservations, one new program is showing potential. The program is called RAISE. Heimbecker (2002) explains that RAISE “prepares students to teach in impoverished rural and remote areas and work in inclusive schools with culturally and linguistically diverse population . . . students (student teachers) earn a dual teacher certification in special and elementary education.” The program is showing enormous potential to teach future teachers how to interact and teach in areas with which they might not be accustomed.
Even though there are many new programs, no single solution that will fix this appalling drop-out rate problem overnight. However, with every new idea that is turned into a program, every new teacher who is trained correctly, and every child who has someone who wants to be involved with his or her life, the vicious cycle of the drop-out rate will diminish. Native American students are no different from any other race of Americans. They deserve the best that education can offer them. With the help of community leaders and state and government officials, hopefully the cycle of failure in the reservation can someday end.
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