Critic questions district’s Indian education policies

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal staff | Wednesday, January 17, 2007

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RAPID CITY — An elder in Rapid City’s American Indian community objected to changes the Rapid City School District has made in the Office of Indian Education during a parent advisory council meeting Tuesday at Central High School.

“I’m really upset about some of the things that are going on in this community for Indian children,” Mary Wright said. Wright helped start the Indian education programs in Rapid City.

Wright is a supporter of Art Zimiga, who retires at the end of the school year as the district’s director of the Office of Indian Education after five years.

After Zimiga announced his retirement last summer, the district hired Red Stone, a consulting group, to handle the daily operation of Indian education. Red Stone consultants John Haas, an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and Mitchell Stone have an office in the City/School Administration Center.

Zimiga moved to a new office at National American University in Rapid City.

When the change was made, superintendent of schools Peter Wharton said it would free Zimiga to pursue grants and other funding for the office of Indian Education. Zimiga also serves on state and national Indian education advisory committees.

Wright emphasized to parents and others attending the advisory council meeting that Zimiga is the director of Indian education.

“Some white guy sitting there is doing the talking for Indian Education, and I don’t think that’s quite right,” Mary Wright said. “I think that the Indians need to do this by themselves.”

Wright also objected to comments she claimed that Wharton made at a recent meeting that the district is “working to take your kids off the streets.”

“I’m really upset about that,” she said. Wright said she intends to contact more Indian families in Rapid City to tell them about her concerns.

“It’s not all nice-nice,” Wright said.

Wharton was at Tuesday’s meeting and said Wright took his comments out of context after he attempted to explain the success new alternative programs are having in getting more students of all backgrounds back in school.

“We had a conversation, and what I indicated was, we had kids back in class,” he said.

Wharton went on to say that Zimiga’s position has not been advertised because the district is going through restructuring.

Zimiga is welcome to apply for a new position if he wants to, Wharton said.

Wright’s comments come at a time when there is a resurgence of interest by Indian parents in Indian education, according to Mona Bettelyoun, president of the parent advisory committee.

“These are parents who are not “hung up on the same thing year after year,” Bettelyoun said.

Wright, who arrived late with Zimiga, also targeted Bettelyoun for failing to recognize her and Zimiga during introductions.

“I think some people have their own agendas,” Bettelyoun said. “It’s too bad we can’t all work cooperatively for the same thing, including our Native American drop-out rate.”

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com