LIKE CALL THE INFORMATIONAL
HEARING TOGETHER. UM WITH A
NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS
LEGISLATIVE SELECT COMMITTEE FOR
THIS HEARING. TODAY. UH, WE WILL
GO OVER. UM THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION'S CURRENT STANDARDS OF
CURRICULUM. FROM STATE
SUPERINTENDENT OF INSTRUCTION.
TONY THURMAN. OUR NEXT PANEL
WOULD BE CALIFORNIA INDIAN
EDUCATION SUCCESSES AND
CHALLENGES. UH, TESTIMONY
PROVIDED BY VICE CHAIRMAN JOHNNY
HERNANDEZ. UM MARY LEVI, UH,
RENOWNED EDUCATOR. MAGGIE PETERS
, LEARNING SPECIALIST FROM
HUMBOLDT COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION. AND CURRICULUM IN
PRACTICE WILL BE THE NEXT PANEL
WITH DR NICOLE CRAWFORD
DIVERSITY AND RACIAL EQUITY
COORDINATOR PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED
SCHOOL DISTRICT KATE ANDERSON,
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS,
AGU CALIENTE BAND, THE INDIANS
AND ANTHONY PURNELL, FORMER
TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER AGUA
CALIENTE BANDA INDIANS. AND WE
DO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FIRST,
UM, PANEL PARTICIPANT, UM, STATE
SUPERINTENDENT INSTRUCTION IS
RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE, SO WE
WOULD ASK IF WE COULD START WITH
THE NEXT PANEL PANEL THREE. THAT
WOULD BE THE CALIFORNIA INDIAN
EDUCATION SUCCESSES. BUT BEFORE
WE DO THAT, WE WANT TO GIVE LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO MIWA NISAN BÀN
PEOPLE FROM THE AREA THAT'S HERE
AND AS CHAIR OF THE NATIVE
AMERICAN SELECT COMMITTEE,
NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. I WANNA
OPEN WITH A TRADITIONAL KUYA
BIRD SONG.
UM I TIME. SO TIME. SO ON WHAT
MONEY W. I SO WHAT? MÀ HØI MY,
MONEY MONEY. TIME. I'M A MONEY,
MAN. ON THE WAY. TIME. ON WHAT?
THE MONEY WHAT I AM. WHAT I. I
MOVE ON. MORNING MONEY. WHAT?
UH, OH, WELL, THANK YOU, UM FOR
THAT, AND WE HAVE ASKED
PERMISSION FROM THE LOCAL TRIBES
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR
TRADITIONAL SONGS. SO THANK YOU.
UM AS WE START THIS, THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE HEARING WE JUST WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY, GETTING
FACTUAL CURRICULUM INTO THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM. DURING THE
DIFFERENT, UM, COLONIZATION
PERIODS TO THE GOLD RUSH ERA.
TWO THINGS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE
HAVE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS READY TO
GO ON THESE PANELS. UM SO I WANT
TO START WITH PANEL THREE. VICE
CHAIRMAN JOHNNY HERNANDEZ FROM
THE SAMOA BAND OF TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT. UM MARY LEVI, UH,
CURRICULUM CONSULTANT AND
RENOWNED RETIRED EDUCATOR.
MAGGIE PETERS, LEARNING
SPECIALIST HUMBOLDT COUNTY
OFFICE OF EDUCATION. IF YOU'RE
PRESIDENT, YOU COULD COME UP TO
THE TABLE.
THANK YOU AS WE BEGIN THE
TESTIMONY WITH VICE CHAIRMAN
JOHNNY HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU.
CHAIRMAN RAMOS. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
YES. OKAY? I'M IN TOWN GENITAL
ON JOHNNY HERNANDEZ AND YOU HAVE
YOUR TIME. NOW. WHO IN HAKUBA, I
TOOK YOU HAVE YOUR CAMPAÑA ASKED
THE VP ADVICE CHAIRMAN. MY NAME
IS JOHNNY HERNANDEZ. I HAVE THE
HONOR OF SERVING AS A VICE
CHAIRMAN OF ASSEMBLING NATION
AND I CHAIR OUR TRIBES EDUCATION
BOARD TESTING FINE TODAY AND
SUPPORTIVE ASSEMBLY BILL. 1823
I'M SORRY 18 TO 1 BILL TO AMEND
TWO SECTIONS OF EDUCATION CODE.
REGARDING STUDENT INSTRUCTION
AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS TO INCLUDE
THE FACTUAL AND ACCURATE HISTORY
OF TREATMENT OF NATIVE
AMERICANS. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
RAMOS AND MEMBERS OF THE
ASSEMBLY'S COMMITTEE ON NATIVE
AMERICAN AFFAIRS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF THIS IMPORTANT BILL. FOR FAR
TOO LONG THE TRUTH ABOUT TRIBES,
TRIBAL CULTURES, LANGUAGES AND
TRADITIONS AND THE CRIMES AND
ATROCITIES HAVE LOOKED UPON
MANAGE. GENERATIONS OF NATIVE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM
THE MAINSTREAM CONVERSATION,
ESPECIALLY IN THE CLASSROOMS.
THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF
A BETRAYAL TO OUR NATIVE PEOPLE.
WELL WE, AS NATIVE AMERICANS
HOLD TRUE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM
WHAT IS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL, WHICH
HAS LEFT US VULNERABLE AND HAS
CAST DOUBT UPON OUR PLACE WITHIN
THE STATE. THE BILL WILL HELP
ENSURE FUTURE GENERATIONS. ONE
EXPERIENCE THE SAME PAIN GOING
FORWARD. MOREOVER THIS BILL WILL
ENSURE THAT ALL CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS WILL LEARN THE TRUTH
ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE AS PART OF THEIR
EDUCATION. AS CALIFORNIA NATIVE
NATIONS. WE HAVE MANY UNIQUE
SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND LEGAL AND
POLITICAL IDENTITIES. OFTEN
CHALLENGED BY FORCES OUTSIDE OUR
GOVERNMENT, FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES. FROM A YOUNG AGE WE
FIND OURSELVES BALANCING BETWEEN
TWO WORLDS THE WORLD OF OUR
TRIBES AND OUR ANCESTORS AND THE
WORLD WILL COME FROM TWO. NO.
YOU KNOW, THROUGH SCHOOL WORK
AND IN INTERACTIONS WITH THE
WORLD AT LARGE. IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
ABOUT AND UNDERSTAND
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN ONE OF THEM. PAST
GENERATIONS OF MOTHERS AND
FATHERS WITHIN HER OWN TRIBE
HAVE LIVED THROUGH VIOLENT
REPRESSION OF THEIR LANGUAGE,
CULTURE AND IDENTITY IN SCHOOLS.
AND THEY TOOK A GRASSROOTS
APPROACH TO CRITICISM. DIVIDE
AND IN SAN MARTINO COLLABORATION
BETWEEN SALMON, WELSH TRAVEL
CITIZENS. AND EDUCATORS CREATED
THE 17 0 CITY UNIFIED DISTRICT
TITLE. SIX EDUCATION INDIAN
EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE LATE 19
EIGHTIES. PROGRAM HAS ITS
ORIGINS IN THE WORK OF TRAVEL
OUT ORDERS FROM SAMUEL, WHO FOR
DECADES WENT TO LOCAL SCHOOLS ON
THEIR OWN TO SHARE WITH THEIR
CULTURE AND WITH STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
ON A SCHOOL BY SCHOOL BASIS.
THEY KNEW THAT IF THEIR CHILDREN
AND OTHER NATIVE CHILDREN
WITNESS AUTHENTIC
REPRESENTATIONS OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE IT WOULD HELP TO AFFIRM
THEIR IDENTITIES, LEADING TO
BETTER OUTCOMES AND CLOSING THE
DIVIDE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME.
OUR TRIBE WAS VERY SMALL AT THE
TIME OF THESE GRASSROOTS EFFORTS
AND KNEW THAT DEVELOPING A MORE
SUSTAINABLE APPROACH IS CRITICAL
IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
WORK. THEY TOOK CONTINUE THE
PATH FORWARD OUR OUR CONTINUE
THE PASSPORT 70 ELDERS OR YOUNG
FATHERS FROM A RESERVATION
ASSEMBLY JAMES RAMOS BEING AMONG
THEM. WE GET A COLLABORATION
WITH THE SAN MARINO CITY AND
COUNTY SCHOOLS. AND TELL STATES
AVERAGED ZERO IN 1998 THE
ORGANIZED LARGE SCALE FIELD
TRIPS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
OFFERING A WEEKLONG CALIFORNIA
INDIAN EDUCATION CULTURAL
AWARENESS EVENT IN HONOR OF THE
STATE'S NATIVE AMERICAN DAY. AT
THIS EVENT NATIVE PUPIL BECAME
THE TEACHER FOR THE DAY TO
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE,
PRESENTING THE FACTUAL ACCOUNTS
OF COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN IN THEIR
SUCCESSFUL MODEL, ENRICHING TENS
OF THOUSANDS STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND MORE
THAN 20 YEARS THAT HAS BEEN
TAKING PLACE. MAYBE 1821 IS
IMPORTANCE THAT AND MOVING US
TOWARD SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO
STUDENTS. GET EDUCATED ABOUT THE
FACTUAL HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
NATIVE AMERICANS. IT IS CRITICAL
AND A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD
HELPS TO ENSURE FUTURE
GENERATIONS KNOWN UNDERSTAND THE
TRUTH. WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH
OUR LOCAL DISTRICTS WHERE A B
1821 WOULD REQUIRE AND OTHER
POSSIBILITIES AND THE POSITIVE
OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS TO RECEIVE
A FACTUAL HISTORY OF TREATMENT
OF NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR
LEARNING INSTRUCTION. WHETHER
CALIFORNIA INDIA EDUCATION ACT
WAS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH
LEGISLATION, SAMA WELL WAS
INVITED TO WORK WITH SAN MARTINO
COUNTY SCHOOLS ON DEVELOPMENT OF
A NATIVE AMERICAN MODEL STUDIES
CURRICULUM. OUR VP OF EDUCATION
AND OUR EDUCATION BOARD ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN LEADING A TASK FORCE
TO WRITE THE 8 30 G, OF COURSE
REQUIREMENTS THAT MEANT èC
STANDARDS AND PREPARATION FOR
THE CURRICULUM BEING ROLLED OUT
TO THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND INCORPORATED INTO
INSTRUCTION. IN ADDITION, WE MET
WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
LEADERS REQUESTED OPPORTUNITY
ENGAGED WITH OUR TRIBE AS HE
WORKED ON WRITING ETHNIC STUDIES
CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE FACTUAL
HISTORICAL INFORMATION,
REFLECTIVE AND LOCAL TRIBES IN
THE REGION. THE DESIRE OF OUR
EDUCATIONAL LEADERS IS THERE TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT MORE FOR
THEMSELVES AND IN TURN, TEACH
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS THE TRUTH.
MAYBE 1821 BUILDS ON THE
FOUNDATION SET WITH THE PASSAGE
OF ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY BILL 1703,
CALIFORNIA INDIANA EDUCATION
ACT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, PIVOTAL
, DEEPER INDIAN COUNTRY WHEN A B
1703 WAS SIGNED IN LAW BILL MADE
IT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE
WITHOUT WITH UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.
HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT OUR
LEADERS OF AN INTERSTATE SEE THE
VALUE OF BRINGING FACTUAL AND
LOCAL NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IN
THE CLASSROOMS. OUR TRAVEL.
YOU'VE JOINED ME IN THAT HEARING
PROCESS AND STILL TALK ABOUT THE
POSITIVE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATING
IN THIS HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE.
MAYBE 1821 AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE THE POSITIVE AND GOOD
WORK OF THE STATE TO RECONCILE
AND HEAL FROM THE PAST THREE
MINUTE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WITH FULFILLING A PROMISE A
FUTURE AND DIGNITY AND
UNDERSTANDING FOR ALL
CALIFORNIANS. IT IS IMPORTANT
TRUTH TO BE TOLD, WHICH ALSO
REQUIRES PATIENTS AND RESPECT
WHEN SO YOU CAN CAPTURE THE
AUTHENTIC AND BROUGHT YOU FROM
THE PEOPLE'S THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY
TESTIMONY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES THAT WILL
COME IN THE PASSAGE OF A B 1821
AND I HEARD EACH OF YOU TO
CONSIDER THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
THIS WILL HAVE FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS TO KNOW AND
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE THE
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICANS AS A
FIRST PEOPLES OF THE STATE.
THANK YOU. MY THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, VICE CHAIRMAN
HERNANDEZ. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO
MARY LOU LEVI, CURRICULUM
CONSULTANT, RETIRED EDUCATOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN RAMOS
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. NO
MARY LEVI ENROLLED CITIZEN OF
THE HOPI TRIBE AND A RETIRED
CALIFORNIA ELEMENTARY EDUCATOR
FOR 34 YEARS, I'VE BEEN HONORED
TO BE ASKED TO SPEAK TO YOU
SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY AND I
GATHER RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE OF
THESE LANDS THAT I AM SPEAKING
ON. THIS JOURNEY OF ADVOCACY
STARTED ABOUT 34 YEARS AGO FOR
NATIVE AMERICAN CURRICULUM OVER
34, BECAUSE UNLESS 10 YEARS I
HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO SEE A
STRONG MOMENTUM FOCUSING ON
ACCURATE COMMITTEE, CALIFORNIA
NATIVE CURRICULUM, HOWEVER,
THERE'S STILL A LOT TO BE DONE.
34 YEARS AGO, I STARTED TEACHING
KINDERGARTEN AND AS A NEW
TEACHER, I LOOKED AT MY MENTOR
TEACHERS FOR GUIDANCE AND
TEACHING THEIR CURRICULUM. WHEN
NOVEMBER RULED AROUND THE
INSISTED ON MAKING INDIAN PAPER
BAGS BEST AND HAVING A
THANKSGIVING FEAST MOVING UP 30
YEARS AND I'M TEACHING FOURTH
GRADE FOURTH GRADE CLASSES
AROUND THE DISTRICT LOVE TO HAVE
THE DAY OF HISTORICAL
REENACTMENT. AND OF COURSE, THIS
MEANT REENACTING GOLD RUSH DAYS
AND IN FIFTH GRADE REENACTING
COLONIAL DAYS. THIS IS NOT
UNCOMMON FOR THESE GRADE LEVELS
WITHIN CALIFORNIA. NOW WHY WOULD
I OBJECT TO THESE TRADITIONAL
DAYS THAT GIVES STUDENTS AND
PARENTS EXPERIENCES OF EXT OR
ICAL PAST EVENTS? BECAUSE THEY
GIVE A GLAMORIZED FEEL OF
HISTORY. A VERY PAINFUL HISTORY
FOR NATIVE AMERICANS IN
CALIFORNIA. BUT WHAT WERE THE
ALTERNATIVES TO STUDENTS TO HAVE
AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES? THE
CURRICULUM THAT DISTRICTS
ADOPTED. ONLY PERSON PRESENTED
ONE SIDE OF OUR HISTORY AND
NATIVE PEOPLE WERE ONLY
PRESENTED IN THE PAST. AND WHEN
I TAUGHT THIRD GRADE, I WOULD
ASK MY FATHER IN LAW ROBERT LEVI
TO COME INTO MY CLASSROOM TO
TELL STORIES AND SING CLEAR BIRD
SONGS THAT WAS AUTHENTIC. I
WOULD ASK MY FRIEND LAURIE SEE
SQUAT FROM SHERMAN INDIAN HIGH
SCHOOL TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT
BASKETRY. I WOULD ASK MY MOTHER
IN LAW ESTHER LEVI TO COME IN
AND TALK ABOUT FOODS LIKE WE
WISH OR CORN MUSH AND FRY BREAD.
AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RAMOS
FOR SPEAKING TO MY STUDENTS LAST
YEAR VIA ZOOM DURING READ ACROSS
AMERICA DAY. CALIFORNIA
FRAMEWORK AND STANDARDS DIDN'T
REFLECT NATIVE AMERICAN
CURRICULUM, AND EVEN NOW IT'S
THE ONLY REFLECTED IN HISTORY
AND SOCIAL STUDIES FRAMEWORK. IT
CONTINUES TO REFLECT NATIVE
PEOPLE OF THE PAST. AS AN
EDUCATOR. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH
TO BE IN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE
CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
I WOULD TALK WITH MANY EDUCATORS
WHO WANTED TO TEACH HIM MORE
AUTHENTIC WAY TO PRESENT NATIVE
AMERICAN TOPICS. HOWEVER THE
RESOURCES WERE NOT EASILY
AVAILABLE. THAT DEPENDENCE ON
TEXTBOOK DID NOT GIVE AUTHENTIC
INFORMATION INFORMATION OR THE
INFORMATION ON PARTICULAR TOPICS
. SUBSETS SUCH AS BASKETRY WAS
NOT A GRADE LEVEL. ELEMENTARY
TEACHERS CAN EASILY TEACH 6 TO 7
SUBJECTS IN ONE DAY, AND ONLY
ONE LANGUAGE, ARTS AND MATH ARE
STATE TESTED. FOR A P HISTORY IN
THE 11TH GRADE. THERE ARE ALWAYS
4 TO 5 QUESTIONS ON THE, UH,
NATIVE AMERICAN TOPICS, WHICH
ARE THESE ARE THE LEAST
PERCENTAGE OF PASSING EACH YEAR.
LAST YEAR, I WAS GRATEFUL TO THE
PROGRAM CALLED READ WORKS. THERE
WERE SHORT STORIES OR RESTORED
READING PASSAGES THAT WERE
WRITTEN FOR FOURTH GRADE OR
FIFTH GRADE THAT WE'RE ON NATIVE
AMERICAN TOPICS ALL YEAR LONG
BASKETRY, HOPI QUILTING, NAVAJO
SHEEP TRADITIONS AND SO ON. THIS
WAS READING SKILLS IN NATIVE
KNOWLEDGE, ALL IN ONE THERE ARE
MANY CREATIVE AND CLEVER
EDUCATORS IN OUR STATE WITH THE
PASSAGE OF ETHNIC STUDIES. MY
HUSBAND, ROBERT LEVI, AND I HAVE
BEEN TALKING TO EDUCATORS WHO
ARE NERVOUS ABOUT TEACHING
NATIVE AMERICAN SECTION OF THE
COURSE. WHAT THEY ARE FINDING
OUT ARE THE COMPLEXITIES OF
TEACHING NATIVE AMERICAN THOUGHT
AND CULTURES TO THEIR STUDENTS.
AND IT IS BECAUSE THEY
THEMSELVES DON'T KNOW THE
COMPLEXITIES OF IT WHEN I TAUGHT
SCIENCE TO MY FOURTH GRADERS AND
FIFTH GRADERS LAST YEAR, WE DID
MANY LESSONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE. WHAT DOES DAMMING
RIVERS MEAN TO THE SALMON? WHY
IS CONTROLLED BURNING NEEDED?
BUT MOST OF ALL, WHY IS THERE
TIME TO GIVE THANKS AND OFFERING
BEFORE ALL ENVIRONMENTAL
ENDEAVORS ARE TO BE COMPLETED.
THERE IS A NEED TO HAVE MORE
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATORS IN OUR
ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL
LEVELS. THERE IS A NEED FOR OUR
NATIVE STUDENTS TO SEE
THEMSELVES IN A PROFESSION AND
CURRICULUM. WE KNOW OUR HEROES.
WE NEED OUR EDUCATORS TO KNOW
THEM, TOO, AND THEY ARE
COMFORTABLE AND SO THEY ARE
COMFORTABLE IN HIGHLIGHTING THEM
ALL YEAR LONG. AND THIS AGAIN IS
A NEED FOR TEACHER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS TO BE ADDRESSED AT THE
COLLEGE LEVEL. AND I'M HAPPY TO
SAY ROBERT LEVI JR WILL BE
TEACHING A NATIVE AMERICAN
COMPONENT IN ETHNIC STUDIES AT
CAL STATE DECEMBER AND YOU KNOW
THIS FALL THERE IS A LOT OF WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND MY
ENVY OF MONTANA, WISCONSIN,
WASHINGTON AND OREGON ARE JUST
TO NAME A FEW ON THEIR NATIVE
AMERICAN EDUCATION FOR ALL. HAS
NOW COME TO CALIFORNIA. THE KEY
COMPONENT IS THE CONNECTION
SHORT TRIBES AND WHAT THEY WANT
TO BE TAUGHT. AUTHENTIC
KNOWLEDGE IS NOW COMING OUT IN
MATERIALS DEVELOPED BY THE
TRIBES, AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
CONNECT WITH EDUCATORS TO SEE
WHAT LESSONS ARE APPROPRIATE. I
LOVED A B 1703. THE WORD SHELL
DID NOT GIVE IT MUCH FORCE. BUT
A B 1821 GIVES THE FORCE TO
EDUCATORS TO LOOK AT THEIR
METHODS OF EDUCATING 4TH AND 5TH
GRADERS. AND HOPEFULLY, GOLD
RUSH IN COLONIAL DAYS WILL SOON
BE OF THE PAST. KNOWING NATIVE
KNOWLEDGE WILL BE UNDERSTOOD
WILL BE UNDERSTOOD, AND WE WILL
HAVE A POPULATION OF CALIFORNIAN
SCHOOL. GIVE RESPECT TO THE
LANDS AS WE DO. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
AND BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF
EDUCATORS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. UM NEED TO BE NATIVE
AMERICAN EDUCATORS SO THAT THEY
TRULY FEEL THE PASSION UM, AND
THE TEACHING OF OUR CULTURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AS WE NOW MOVE
TO MAGGIE PETERS LEARNING
SPECIALISTS FROM HUMBOLDT COUNTY
OFFICE OF EDUCATION. ARE YOU KI
SCREWING OUT OF CONTROL? MY NAME
IS MAGGIE PETERS AND I AM NEW
YORK TRIBAL MEMBER ALSO OF
DISSENT AND CURRENTLY SERVING
THE HUMBLE COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION AS A NATIVE AMERICAN
STUDIES MODEL CURRICULUM
LEARNING SPECIALIST. UM I AM
FROM A CULTURAL FAMILY AND LIVED
WITHIN MY INDIGENOUS LANDS. I AM
MINORED IN AMERICAN INDIAN
EDUCATION AND MY UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAM AND I HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A
TEACHER AND AN ADMINISTRATOR ON
THE UPPER VALLEY RESERVATION FOR
16 YEARS GIVEN WHO I AM AS IT
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE
TAUGHT STUDENTS ACCURATE HISTORY
OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PEOPLE AND
I AM ONE OF HALF A PERCENT OF
AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA TEACHERS
IN THE STATE. SO GIVEN THIS
EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THAT, UM MANY OF THE TESTIMONY
IS THAT WE HAVE HEARD ALREADY
TODAY HAVE IDENTIFIED THESE
REALLY GREAT NEEDS. WE HAVE
SOLUTIONS, AND I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME
OF MY THOUGHTS. SOME OF THE
ROADBLOCKS THAT WE HAVE IN
DELIVERING THIS REALLY IMPORTANT
HISTORIES. IS A LACK OF, UM,
ACCURATE RESOURCES AND 21ST
CENTURY MATERIALS. YOU KNOW,
THERE HAS BEEN MANY STARTS AND
STOPS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, AND, UM,
IT'S USUALLY THERE COME WITH
SHORT TERM FUNDING. AND THEN
ONCE THAT FUNDING RUNS OUT,
THOSE CURRICULUMS ARE NEVER
UPDATED, AND THEY'RE NEVER
REALLY REVISITED TO INCLUDE
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS THAT CAN
BE APPLIED IN CLASSROOMS AS THE
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT HAS
CONTINUED TO CHANGE. ALSO THAT
MANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE
HAVE ACCESSIBLE ARE NOT
AUTHENTIC. THEY'RE NOT WRITTEN
BY NATIVE PEOPLE, AND THERE WAS
INDIGENOUS VOICES ARE NOT
UPLIFTED OFTEN IN OUR
CLASSROOMS. CONTINUED
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR
CALIFORNIA EDUCATORS AROUND
NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES. TOPICS
IS ALSO LACKING. UM, THAT FOR
TRIBAL NATIONS. AND FOR
EDUCATORS. THESE ARE TWO
INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE A VERY HIGH
TURNOVER RATE. AND WE HAVE TO
REALLY ACCEPT THAT WE ARE IN
KIND OF LIKE A PERPETUAL YEAR,
ONE OF IMPLEMENTATION AND THAT
THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A
NEED EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO
REVISIT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ON NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
TOPICS. UM TEACHER COMFORT, AS
WAS STATED EARLIER IS A HUGE
FACTOR IN WHETHER OR NOT THESE
LESSONS WILL BE TAUGHT, AND I
CAN SAY THAT, UM, STUDENT
TESTIMONIES THAT I HEARD AT THE
CALIFORNIA INDIAN EDUCATION
CONFERENCE THAT I ATTENDED
YESTERDAY, UM, REALLY KIND OF
BROKE MY HEART. SOME OF THEIR
TESTIMONIES THAT THEY SHARED,
INCLUDING UM IT BECOMES OUR JOB
TO TEACH AND EDUCATE, ONE
STUDENT SAID. WHEN WE DO SPEAK
UP ABOUT THE INACCURACIES, IT'S
TRAUMATIC WHEN TO A TEACHER
DISAGREES BECAUSE THEY'RE
READING THINGS OUT OF THE
TEXTBOOK. ANOTHER THING THAT WAS
SHARED IS I'VE HAD A LOT OF
HATRED THROWN AT ME BECAUSE I
HAVE SPOKEN UP. ANOTHER
TESTIMONY SAYS THAT NOT ALL
TRIBES ARE REPRESENTED AND THAT
YOU KNOW WHEN THEY TRIED TO SAY,
HEY, THIS HAPPENED TO MY TRIBE
TO THEIR NOT THEIR TEACHERS ARE
DIMINISHING THEIR VOICE IN THE
CLASSROOM. MANY MANY STUDENTS
WANT THE TRUTH ABOUT, UM HISTORY
, HISTORICAL THINGS AS MENTIONED
ABOUT THE GOLD RUSH. THEY WANT
THE TRUTH ABOUT THANKSGIVING.
THEY WANT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE
MANY TRAILS OF TEARS AND THE
MISSIONS. UM I AND I BELIEVE
THAT THEY WANT THAT HONESTY AS A
PART OF THEIR HEALING JOURNEY.
UM THERE ARE SOME SUCCESSES TO
CELEBRATE WITH WITH YOUR WORK
HERE AT THE CAPITOL. YOU KNOW, I
HAVE THREE ADULT CHILDREN WHO
HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
LEARNING THEIR YUROK LANGUAGE IN
HIGH SCHOOL AND TO FULFILL THOSE
A THREE G REQUIREMENTS FOR
FOREIGN LANGUAGE, AND THAT IS,
YOU KNOW, I'M VERY, VERY
THANKFUL FOR THAT. WE DO HAVE AN
EXCITING HISTORY OF NATIVE
PEOPLE ACTIVELY ENGAGING AND
ADVOCATING AND THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM. UM PUSHING AGAINST THE
INACCURACIES AS FAMILY MEMBERS
AS COMMUNITY BASED, ORGANIZED IT
ORGANIZATIONS, NATIVE EDUCATORS,
ADMINISTRATORS AND TRIBES TAKING
MORE OF AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THESE
EDUCATIONAL SPACES, DEMANDING
AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION. AND I
APPLAUD YOU FOR BEING A GOOD
LISTENER AND MAKING THOSE THINGS
HAPPEN FOR THEM. UM ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE
TO SURFACE IS THE NATIVE
AMERICAN STUDIES MODEL
CURRICULUM. YOU KNOW, I DO THINK
THAT THIS IS A MEANS TO THE
GOAL. UM, THAT THERE CAN BE A
WAY TO INCORPORATE INDIGENOUS
PERSPECTIVES AND ACCURATE
HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND
CULTURAL SENSITIVE CONTENT TO
PROVIDE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS
AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND
BALANCED UNDERSTANDING OF
AMERICAN EXPERIENCES OF STATE.
UM IN THE STATE. EXCUSE ME. BUT
THOSE REQUIRE PARTNERSHIPS AND
BUILDING COLLABORATIONS, WHICH
REQUIRES TIME TO BUILD TRUST.
YOU KNOW, NATIVE NATIONS OF
CALIFORNIA OR ALL OVER THE
UNITED STATES HAVE VERY VALID
REASONS NOT TO TRUST THE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. AND THAT
THIS BUILDS TIME AND IT BUILT IT
AND THEN SOMETIMES REQUIRES
FACILITATION AND THEN GOING BACK
TO VISIT THE IDEA OF THE HIGH
TURNOVER RATE. TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS HAVE HIGH TURNOVER
IN LEADERSHIP. SCHOOLS HAVE HIGH
TURNOVER IN LEADERSHIP. AND SO
EVEN THOSE FACILITATION OF
PARTNERSHIPS TAKES AN ONGOING
CONTINUED EFFORT AND FUNDING
THAT SUPPORTS THAT EFFORT. BUT
WE CAN BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
AND REALLY GREAT THINGS CAN COME
OUT OF THAT WORK OF, UM UM, BY
BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH TRIBAL
LEADERS AND SCHOLARS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EDUCATORS CAN
GAIN VALUABLE INSIGHTS AND
ACCESS TO AUTHENTIC RESOURCES
AND ENSURE THAT THE CURRICULUM
CONTENT IS RESPECTFUL AND
INCLUSIVE OF NATIVE VOICES AND
PERSPECTIVES. WE ARE WORKING TO
DEVELOP THE BEST PRACTICES FOR
CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING AND
UPLIFTING NATIVE VOICES FOR
EDUCATED FROM EDUCATORS. AS WELL
AS WORKING WITH SOCIAL WORKERS
AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS TO
SUPPORT EDUCATORS WITH THE
IMPLEMENTATION PIECE. HOWEVER
THE NATIVE AMERICAN CITIES MODEL
CURRICULUM PROJECT IS A IS
FUNDED FOR THREE YEARS. AND IN
THAT TIME AND WITH LIMITED FUNDS
AND IN THAT TIME WE'RE DOING OUR
BEST TO UPLIFT THE
REPRESENTATION AS MANY DIFFERENT
TRIBAL PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA AS
POSSIBLE. HOWEVER WE ALL KNOW
THAT THERE IS A VERY THERE ARE A
LOT OF VOICES TO REPRESENT, AND
THIS REALLY DOES REQUIRE LIKE
REGIONAL SUPPORT. UM RIGHT NOW.
HUMBLE COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION IS COLLATING THIS
PROJECT WITH SAN DIEGO COUNTY
OFFICE OF EDUCATION. BUT
IDEALLY, THESE FUNDS COULD BE
DISTRIBUTED TO REGIONS. WITH THE
PLANNING THEY WITH FUNDING TO
PLAN AND TO FACILITATE
PARTNERING WITH LOCAL C C. O E S
AND THOSE TRIBAL NATIONS TO
BUILD THOSE PLACE BASED
RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION. UM,
GOING BACK TO TEACHER COMFORT.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN
REALLY SUPPORT TEACHERS TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE IS GIVING THEM THAT
EXPOSURE, GIVING THEM THAT
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR
TRIBAL PARTNERS IN THEIR AREAS
TO COLLABORATE ON LISTEN
BUILDING. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO
HELP THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE
ENOUGH AND FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH
THAT THEY ARE DOING IT RIGHT.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH COMFORT. UM
LIKE LEISURE. IT'S MORE LIKE
THEY DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG
AND THAT'S VALID. BUT THE
ABSENCE OF THE INFORMATION IS
ALSO CAUSING HARM. AND SO WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
BEST EQUIPPED TO FACILITATE
THESE MUSCLES, NOT JUST FOR
NATIVE STUDENTS, BUT FOR ALL
STUDENTS OF CALIFORNIA, AS WE
KNOW TRIBAL NATIONS ARE BUILDING
STRENGTH IN CALIFORNIA. THEY ARE
MUCH MORE VISIBLE AND LAND
STEWARDSHIP. AND THEN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. AND SO BUILDING THE
NEXT GENERATION OF COLLABORATIVE
EFFORTS BETWEEN NON NATIVE AND
NATIVE CHILDREN WILL ENSURE A
FUTURE OF POSITIVE
COLLABORATIONS AND A SHARED
BELIEF SYSTEM THAT WE ARE
PARTNERS IN IN, UM SUPPORTING
THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE
OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
ENLIGHTENING TESTIMONY AND
REALLY REITERATING THAT THE
VOICES THAT SHOULD BE TEACHING
IT SHOULD COME FROM OUR OWN
PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH
HASN'T BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
BUT WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN HERE IN THE
STATE WITH THESE TYPES OF
HEARINGS MOVING FORWARD. SO
THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. DO
I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
DIOCESE? NO I JUST WANNA ADD. AS
OUR CHAIRMAN STATED, YOU KNOW,
WE HEAR IN THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS
TO BE INFORMED BY TRIBAL LEADERS
, UH AND BY CALIFORNIA, INDIAN
SCHOLARS AND EDUCATORS AND SO
CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO OUR
CONNECT CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
UH AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A
LONG WAY ALONG WAY WE HAVE TO GO
TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOME. NOT JUST
FOR, UH, THOSE WHO ARE
REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM TODAY
BUT BRINGING TOGETHER AN
INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR
EVERYONE, UH, SO THAT WE COULD
YOU KNOW, ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WE
HOW LOT OF LESSONS WE HAVE
LEARNED AND NEED TO CONTINUE
LEARNING, AND THESE HEARINGS ARE
SO IMPORTANT FOR MEMBERS TO
UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT
YOU ALL HAVE FACED AND HOW WE
COULD WORK ON LEGISLATIVELY AND
BUDGETARILY. UH YOU KNOW, ONE
TIME FIXES AREN'T GOING TO SOLVE
THIS. WHAT OUR ONGOING
COMMITMENTS AND THAT IS WHAT I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER
ON OUR ONGOING LONG TERM
COMMITMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE
LEGISLATURE. COULD I ADD? ONE
MORE THING? I APOLOGIZE, OKAY? I
DO THINK THAT THE CAREFUL
PLANNING? UM AND THAT REALLY
FACILITATING THIS PARTNERSHIPS
IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU
KNOW IF WE MAKE, UM REQUIREMENTS
AND TEACHING AND ACCURATE
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS.
UM YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FEAR THAT
THE TEXTBOOK COMPANIES WILL TRY
TO RESPOND, YOU KNOW AND MODIFY
OUR HISTORIES AND MODIFY OUR
LESSONS AND WHAT WE MIGHT GET
OUT OF THAT OUTCOME BECAUSE
THERE IS, UM A REQUIREMENT
BEFORE A QUALITY PRODUCT YOU
KNOW, BEFORE WE ARE FINISHED, OR
WE WILL NEVER BE FINISHED. I
JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WITH THE
AMOUNT OF LESSONS THAT CAN BE
GENERATED TO REPRESENT THE
DIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. BUT
THERE IS A FEAR THAT I HAVE OR
THAT WE PROBABLY COLLECTIVELY
HAVE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE
LIMITED TO, UM, WHAT'S AVAILABLE
IN CURRICULUM, RIGHT? AND SO
THERE? UM, IF THERE IS THIS
MANDATE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
LOOK AROUND WHAT IS WHAT CAN I
PURCHASE? WHAT CAN I PURCHASE
AND MAKE HASTY DECISIONS AND
MAYBE PERPETUATE THESE
INACCURACIES THAT ARE VERY
HARMFUL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S
AVAILABLE. AND I DO THINK THAT
THE STATE HAS TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IT'S THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT
TRIBES HAVE THAT FIRST ABILITY
TO FILL THAT VOID BEFORE A
CORPORATE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY TRIES TO RESPOND TO WHAT
IS NOW BEING REQUIRED. YOU KNOW
IF WE ARE LOOKING AT UPDATING
THE HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
STANDARDS TO REFLECT ACCURATE
HISTORIES. THEN THERE WILL BE A
MOMENTUM IN THE CORPORATE WORLD
TO GET THAT DONE, AND THEY MIGHT
NOT BE DOING THEY MIGHT TRY TO
DO IT TOO QUICKLY TO MAKE IT
CORRECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN I
ADD ON? UM, I AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, AND, UM I THINK, TOO,
THAT THE MODEL CURRICULUM OR THE
CURRICULUMS THAT ARE BEING PUT
OUT THERE IN COOPERATION WITH
OUR TRIBES AND OUR EDUCATORS AND
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED
AS WELL AS A TEXTBOOK WOULD BE
CONSIDERED AND GO THROUGH THAT
PROCESS OF BEING ADOPTED BY THE
STATE SO THAT THE DISTRICTS CAN
IS A LEGAL AND, UM, PUT FUNDING
TOWARDS OR ADOPTING THOSE
PROGRAMS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS
IT IS, IT'S UM IT'S A SUPPLEMENT
, AND IT'S NOT CURRENTLY AND
ADOPTED CURRICULUM. AND WHEREAS
SOME OF THAT CURRICULUM IS NOT
IN ITS ONLY IN HISTORY AND
SOCIAL STUDIES SCIENCE SO THAT
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY TIME WE'RE
GOING TO BE REALLY LOOKING AT,
IT IS WHEN WE REVIEW THE HISTORY
AND SOCIAL STUDIES FRAMEWORK. IT
NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED. UM IT NEEDS
TO BE IN YOUR LANGUAGE. IT NEEDS
TO BE IN YOUR SCIENCE. IT NEEDS
TO HAVE MORE, UH, A BETTER FORCE
AND IN THOSE STANDARDS SO THAT
IT CAN OVERALL BE LOOKED AT WHEN
YOU GO AND REVIEW YOUR SCIENCE
WHEN YOU REVIEW YOUR LANGUAGE
ARTS. AND WHEN YOU REVIEW UM UH,
ALL YOUR QUICK YOUR ARCH
CURRICULUM OR YOU'RE WRITING
CURRICULUM. IT NEEDS TO BE IN
THOSE PIECES. OTHERWISE, THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO BE LOOKED AT. BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY FOR THE VICE CHAIRMAN
REMOTELY ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT
TOPIC, RIGHT? IF HISTORY IS
GOING TO BE, UM CORRECTED OF
WHICH TEACH BEING TAUGHT IN THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM ABOUT CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE. THE VOICE SHOULD
COME FROM CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE AND AGAIN, TEACHER
COMFORT. ONE WAY TO COMBAT THAT
IS GETTING NATIVE AMERICAN
TEACHERS, UM, ENGAGED IN THE
CLASSROOM AND MAYBE EVEN A
RECRUITMENT PROCESS TOWARDS
EDUCATORS WITH NATIVE AMERICANS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY HAS NOW WE MOVE TO, UM
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S
CURRENT STANDARDS OF CURRICULUM.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION TONY THURMAN. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS
TONY THURMAN, STATE
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION. COMING TO YOU TODAY
FROM THE LAND OF THE BOLOGNA
PEOPLE AND GRATEFUL THAT YOU
WOULD CONVENE THIS TASK FORCE ON
NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. AS YOU
HEARD FROM THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS
. THERE IS MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
UM YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO
START BY SAYING FOR THOSE WHO
WANT TO BECOME TEACHERS, UM,
THIS STATE DOES OFFER $20,000
SCHOLARSHIP FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD
LIKE TO BECOME A CREDENTIAL
TEACHER, AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO
SUPPORT ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GO
THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF
ACCESSING THAT MONEY. AND UM, I
WOULD JUST SAY IT FOR ON THE
RECORD FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO
REACH OUT TO US AT TEACHING CIA
AT C D. E THAT CA.GOV BE HAPPY
TO WALK ANYONE THROUGH THAT
PROCESS, AND WHILE THERE'S MUCH
WORK TO DO, THERE ARE RESOURCES,
I WOULD NOTE, UM, THAT ON THIS
FRIDAY, I'LL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH MANY
AT THE CALIFORNIA INDIAN NATIONS
COLLEGE OR A GREAT CEREMONY AND
THAT WE'VE MET WITH STUDENTS WHO
HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, A
RENAISSANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO
LEARN NATIVE LANGUAGE, AND WE
BELIEVE THAT THE TIMING IS RIGHT
FOR THE LEGISLATION THAT YOU
BROUGHT FORWARD AND WE'RE HAPPY
TO BE A SPONSOR OF HB 1821 SO
THAT WE CAN HAVE THE TRUE
HISTORY. AND THE CONVERSATIONS
THE FALSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THE MISSION PERIOD AND THE GOLD
RUSH. EVERYTHING THAT IS WRITTEN
IN STATUTE AND IN OUR GUIDANCE
AND OUR FRAMEWORKS. ENCOURAGES
TEACHERS TO TEACH SOMETHING.
THAT IS ACCURATE. BUT YET PEOPLE
HAVE HELD ON TO TEACHING ABOUT
PUTTING TOGETHER YOU KNOW PRETTY
STRUCTURES THAT RESEMBLE
STRUCTURES FROM THE MISSION. UM
OUR HISTORY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
FRAMEWORK, SAYS THAT THE TRUTH
SHOULD BE TOLD IN WAYS THAT
MIGHT BE SENSITIVE BECAUSE IT'S
COMPLICATED, BUT THAT THE TRUTH
SHOULD BE TOLD SO THAT WE NEVER
FORGET, AND WE NEVER ENTER INTO
THESE PERIODS AGAIN THAT THE
TRUTH SHOULD BE TOLD ABOUT
FORCED LABOR. ABOUT FORCED
RESIDENCY. ABOUT ILLNESS AND
ATTEMPTS TO CONVERT NATIVE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THAT THE
TRUTH SHOULD BE TOLD ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE
DURING THIS TIME. I'M GRATEFUL
TO GREAT EDUCATORS LIKE MARY
LEVI, WHO HELPED US TO CENTER
OUR CONVERSATIONS IN THIS STATE,
NOT JUST FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN
MODEL CURRICULUM THAT WAS
REFERENCED BUT ALSO FOR THE
ETHNIC STUDIES MODEL ETHNIC
STUDIES CURRICULUM GUIDE THAT
TALKS ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF
NATIVE AMERICAN PETER PEOPLE.
THANK YOU, MADDIE, PETERS AND
OTHERS WHO ARE WORKING ON THE
MODEL CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR
NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS ALSO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE
ARE MANY WHO ARE WORKING WITH US
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. WHO ARE PART OF THE
AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND WHO
VERY MUCH WANT TO CENTER. THE
CONVERSATION OF ACCURATE HISTORY
THAT REFLECTS THE EXPERIENCE OF
THE FIRST PEOPLE. I WOULD ALSO
NOTE THAT A PARALLEL TO THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE TEACH
OUR KIDS IS HOW WE RECOGNIZE AND
RESPECT TRIBAL PRACTICES. THANK
YOU, CHAIRMAN. FOR YOUR
AUTHORSHIP OF 8945 TO ALLOW
STUDENTS TO WHERE TRIBAL REGALIA
AT GRADUATIONS. IT IS HARD FOR
ME TO IMAGINE THAT IN 2020 FOR
THAT WE NEED TO BILL TO
ARTICULATE THAT STUDENTS SHOULD
BE ABLE TO WEAR THEIR TRIBAL
REGALIA IN THE GRADUATION LINE.
BUT YET WE HAVE STUDENTS PULLED
OUT OF THE GRADUATION LINE AND
AS A RESULT OF YOUR LEGISLATION
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A TASK FORCE
TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON
TRIBAL REGALIA. WE'VE SENT A
LETTER TO EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL
DISTRICT, SAYING RESPECT THAT
STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO WEAR
NATIVE CLOTHING AND THAT THEY
SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE
GRADUATION LINE. AND CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I
WOULD JUST SAY THAT THIS YEAR WE
WILL ALSO BE SENDING A LETTER TO
EVERY ONE OF OUR 1000 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, LETTING THEM KNOW
THAT THEY MUST TEACH THE TRUE
HISTORY OF THE MISSION PERIOD
AND THE GOLD RUSH AND THAT WHAT
THEY'RE TEACHING IS NOT ACCURATE
, AND IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN OUR
FRAMEWORKS. AND SO WE WILL
CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE TRUE
EDUCATION HONORED TO BE A
SPONSOR OF THE LEGISLATION. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE
EXPERIENCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN
STUDENTS LIKE THE $4.7 MILLION
THAT OUR OFFICE ADMINISTERS
DIRECTLY TO CALIFORNIA TRIBES TO
HAVE ACCESS TO TUTORING AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I
WOULD REMIND OUR PARTNERS THAT
THERE ARE DOLLARS AT THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT FOR PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A
FIGHT, AND WE HAVE TO BE
VIGILANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE
DOLLARS GET SPENT. THIS
LEGISLATURE ALLOCATED MORE THAN
$1.2 BILLION FOR WHAT'S CALLED
THE EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS GRANT
. ITS FOCUS IS ON DIVERSITY AND
EQUITY AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT. BUT DISTRICTS GET
MADE DECISIONS GET MADE AT THE
DISTRICT LEVEL, AND SO THERE HAS
TO BE ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THAT
THESE RESOURCES ARE BEING SPENT
IN WAYS THAT WILL ADVANCE THE
CAUSES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE TODAY. I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT
AS YOUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, WE
ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE
GRADUATION RATES OF NATIVE
AMERICAN STUDENTS TO REDUCE
CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM OF OUR
STUDENTS TO IMPROVE TEST SCORES
OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS AND
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE
PREPARED FOR A GREAT FUTURE. AND
IT IS THAT REASON THAT WE ARE
PROUD TO PARTNER WITH A SCHOOL
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POWER
COMMUNITY AND CHAIRMAN SMITH, A
SCHOOL CALLED ACORNS OAK TREES
THAT IS MAKING RESOURCES
AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES THAT KNOW
ABOUT AUTISM, AND WE'LL BE
PUTTING ON A STATEWIDE
CONFERENCE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN
FAMILIES TO KNOW ABOUT THE
RESOURCES THAT EXIST, AND SO I'M
GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT IS TAKING
PLACE THROUGH THIS TASK FORCE.
I'M SORRY THROUGH THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE AND THE WORK OF THE
LEGISLATION. AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH
THIS COMMITTEE AND ITS MEMBERS,
UM, AND ARE INCREDIBLE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT THAT I SUBMIT
THESE REMARKS AND HAPPY TO TAKE
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU,
SUPERINTENDENT. AND YOU'VE BEEN
A GREAT ALLY IN THIS CHALLENGE
THAT WE'VE SEEN COME AWAY WITH
TRADITIONAL REGALIA OF
GRADUATING NATIVE AMERICAN
STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND ALSO, UM
CULTURAL, UM ATTENDANCE AND IN
CREDIT, UM, BACK IN THE
CLASSROOM AND IN THE SCHOOLS
THAT MANY NATIVE AMERICAN
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE DAIS
COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THE DIFFERENT
PROCESS OF RECRUITMENT OF THE
$20,000. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE SHOULD GET OUT INTO NATIVE
AMERICANS. INDIAN COUNTRY TO LET
THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE
TO MOVE FORWARD IN THOSE AREAS
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
HARD WORK AND BEING AN ALLY FOR
A B 1703. AND CONTINUING TO HELP
LEAD THE CHARGE AND GETTING
FACTUAL CURRICULUM IN WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE COLONIZATION OF
PERIODS IN THE GOLD RUSH ERA,
THAT THERE IS A STORY THAT STILL
NEEDS TO BE TOLD SOMEONE THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY
AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND MOST
OF ALL YOUR FRIENDSHIP. THANK
YOU, CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AND JUST LET US KNOW
HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL. I
APPRECIATED THE IDEAS OF UM
GREAT EDUCATORS LIKE MARY LEVI,
WHO TALKED ABOUT CREATING A BOOK
THAT CAN BE A GUIDE. TYPICALLY
WHAT THE STATE BOARD OF
EDUCATION WILL DO IS APPROVE
SEVERAL BOOKS OR THE FRAMEWORK
FOR HOW PUBLISHERS CAN CREATE A
TEXTBOOK AND IT'S A LONG
STANDING PROCESS. IT TAKES A
LONG TIME, BUT WE HAD A HEARING
AND I BELIEVE BOTH OF YOU WERE
HERE. WHEN WE PULL ALL THE
CURRICULUM PUBLISHERS INTO THIS
CHAMBER INTO THIS BODY TO SAY,
HEY, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE A
CURRICULUM THAT REFLECTS THE
EXPERIENCE OF OUR STUDENTS AND
THEIR DIVERSITY AND I BELIEVE
THAT WE CAN DO THAT WORK AND
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT WORK WITH
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
NOW YOUR TRANSITION. INTO OUR
PANEL OF CURRICULUM AND
PRACTICE. WITH DR NICOLE
CRAWFORD. UM DIVERSITY AND
RACIAL EQUITY COORDINATOR FROM
PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. KATE ANDERSON,
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS,
AGRICULTURE, ANTI BAND OF KOREA
INDIANS. ANTHONY FOR NOW, FORMER
TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER AGUA
COLLEAGUE ANTHEA BAND OF
INDIANS. WE'LL START WITH DR
NICOLE CRAWFORD. GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS AND THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON NATIVE
AMERICAN AFFAIRS FOR ASKING US
TO BE HERE TODAY, AND I'D LIKE
TO THANK THE LAND THE ORIGINAL
STEWARDS AND WHERE WERE RESIDING
AT THIS MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO
THANK THEM. SO WITH THAT MY NAME
IS DR NICOLE CRAWFORD AND I WORK
AS THE COORDINATOR FOR DIVERSITY
. RACIAL EQUITY FOR PALM SPRINGS
UNIFIED. WE ARE DISTRICT I'M
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR
DISTRICT HAVE COLLABORATED WITH
OUR LOCAL TRIBES TO CREATE
CURRICULUM SPECIFIC FOR OUR 3RD,
8TH AND 11TH GRADERS. SO I'M
GOING TO KIND OF JUST TALK ABOUT
THE GENERAL FEEDBACK WE'VE
RECEIVED THUS FAR, AND MY
COLLEAGUES WILL BE TOUCHING A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE HISTORY
OF HOW IT CAME INTO FRUITION TO
BUILD CURRICULUM WITH THE TRIBE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, THE GENERAL
FEEDBACK FROM OUR TEACHERS. IS
THAT THE CURRICULUM THAT WE'VE
DEVELOPED ALONG WITH THE TRIBE
IS VERY ROBUST. THEY SAY THAT IT
HAS A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE THAT
THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, IN
ANY OTHER TYPE OF TEXTBOOK, AND
IT'S A TRUE AND AUTHENTIC
REPRESENTATION OF THE LOCAL
TRIBE AND ITS RICH HISTORY.
STUDENTS THEMSELVES HAVE HAD A
LOT OF FUN BECAUSE THE
CURRICULUM IS VERY INTERACTIVE,
AND YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH WE
HAVE, UM, VIDEOTAPED EVIDENCE OF
GROWTH FROM OUR STUDENTS BEING
FROM THE SECOND GRADE AND UM CA
MERSING INTO THE THIRD GRADE AND
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY OBTAIN
FROM THESE LESSONS THAT WE'VE
DEVELOPED WITH THE TRIBE IS
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. AND FINALLY,
WE ARE ONE OF THE FIELD TRIPS
THAT WE DO WITH THE CURRICULUM
IS TO THE INDIAN INDIAN CANYONS.
AND ONE OF THE RANGERS ACTUALLY
SAID THAT HE FEELS HE NEEDS TO
STEP UP HIS GAME BECAUSE A LOT
OF OUR STUDENTS WHO VISIT UM
WITH THE RANGER, THEY ACTUALLY
KNEW THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE
LEARNED FROM THE TRIBE AND THEY
KNEW THE PLANTS AND THE ANIMALS
IN THE KOREA LANGUAGE AND THE
RANGER WAS SO TAKEN ABACK, HE
SAID. I GOT TO STEP MY GAME UP
BECAUSE THE KIDS NO MORE THAN I
DO AT THIS POINT, SO WE SEE THAT
THIS IS WORKING. UM THE TIMELINE
ITSELF WITH THE CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE AGAIN.
ROBUST CURRICULUM CURRICULUM
DEVELOPED FOR THREE DIFFERENT
GRADES. THE THIRD GRADE
CURRICULUM TOOK ABOUT TWO YEARS
FROM FRUITION, SO BRAINSTORMING
WITH THE TRIBE WORKING TOGETHER,
CREATING AN MOU CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING INTO THE
CLASSROOM. EIGHTH GRADE
CURRICULUM WAS A LITTLE BIT
QUICKER. AND ABOUT A YEAR AND A
HALF AND OUR 11TH GRADE
CURRICULUM RIGHT NOW IS IN ITS
FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE
EDITING PROCESS ONE MORE TIME.
BUT BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL
YEAR, STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE
CURRICULUM IN THEIR HANDS AS
WELL. SO IT'S BEEN GOING
AMAZINGLY ADOPTING IT WITH THE
TRIBE. THE IMPACT ITSELF. UM
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS OUR OTHER
COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY
TESTIFIED IT IS TRULY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE TRIBAL REPRESENTATION
AND TRUE DE COLONIZED CURRICULUM
. THAT IS THE BIGGEST IMPACT FOR
OUR KIDS TO LEARN THE LAND THAT
THEY RESIDE ON. FROM
COLLABORATING WITH THE TRIBE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AN
ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF GROWTH WITHIN
THE DISTRICT ITSELF AS WELL. WE
ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP A NATIVE
AMERICAN PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL
TO SUPPORT OUR INDIGENOUS
FAMILIES. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
ADAPT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE INTO OUR ETHNIC STUDIES
CURRICULUM. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO SUPPORT AUTHENTIC STUDENT
VOICE FOR OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
THEIR FAMILIES AND THE
COMMUNITY. AND WE'VE EVEN BEEN
ABLE TO FINALLY GET OUR BOARD TO
HAVE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT EVERY
SESSION AND THAT IS HUGE FOR US,
AND IT'S NOT PERFORMATIVE. IT'S
TRULY GIVING THANKS TO THE
ORIGINAL STEWARDS. THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE, I THINK IS
AGAIN THE TRIBAL HISTORY CULTURE
AS WE KNOW OUR INDIGENOUS
CULTURES WERE UNDER A GENOCIDE.
WE WERE COLONIZED. UM OR WE
RECOLONIZED AND WE NEED TO DE
COLONIZE THAT A LOT OF OUR
HISTORY TEXTBOOKS ARE INACCURATE
AND UNFAIR REPRESENTATIONS. WE
WERE ERASED. FROM HISTORY. OF
OUR ANCESTRAL LANDS, AND OUR
NATION NEEDS TO KNOW THE TRUE
AND RIGHT WRONGS OF WHAT HAS
HAPPENED, UM, AND ONE WAY IS
THROUGH EDUCATION. UM PERSONALLY
, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
MY MOTHER IS NATIVE HAWAIIAN.
AND, UM, ALASKAN NATIVE AND MY
FATHER IS MOHAWK. AND I WAS NOT
ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT MY CULTURE
OR MY TRIBES, AND I'M VERY FAR
REMOVED FROM THEM. SO I FEEL
BRINGING IN CURRICULUM LIKE THIS
INTO OUR CLASSROOMS TO EDUCATE
OUR KIDS. THEY WON'T HAVE THE
LOSS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED. SO I
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS
BILL ON. UM I APPRECIATE ALL THE
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER PANEL
MEMBERS, AND I'M EXCITED TO HEAR
WHAT THE TRIBE HAS TO SAY AS
WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR
THAT. TESTIMONY AND THEN WE'LL
HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AS
WE MOVE ON. KATE ANDERSON. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN RAMOS AND
MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY BEFORE YOU TODAY. I'M
KATE ANDERSON AND I AM IN A
ROLLED MEMBER AND ENROLLED
TRIBAL MEMBER OF CITIZEN
POTAWATOMI NATION, A FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE WITH THE
RESERVATION IN SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA
. TODAY I'M HERE IN MY OFFICIAL
CAPACITY, IS THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR THE AGUA
CALIENTE BAND OF COREY INDIANS
IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. FOR
WHICH I HAVE THE DINKS DISTINCT
PLEASURE OF SERVING. IT'S MY
HONOR TO SHARE WITH YOU
INFORMATION ABOUT AN IMPORTANT
PARTNERSHIP THAT BEGAN SEVERAL
YEARS AGO WHEN THE PALM SPRINGS
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND
AGRICULTURE AND A BAND OF QUEEN
DEION'S BEGAN A FIRST OF ITS
KIND COLLABORATION TO CREATE AN
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
HIGH SCHOOL, NATIVE AMERICAN
STUDIES CURRICULUM WITHIN THE
PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. FOLLOWING A YEAR LONG
SERIES OF PLANNING SESSIONS, THE
TRIBE, THE FOUNDATION FOR THE
PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT, AND THE PALM SPRINGS
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ITSELF
ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING TO ESTABLISH AND
IMPLEMENT A CURRICULUM PLAN
BECAUSE OF THE MOU AND MUTUAL
DEDICATION BY THE TRIBE AND
SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE PROGRAM HAS
CONTINUED EVEN AFTER MANY OF THE
ORIGINAL INDIVIDUALS WORKING ON
THE PROJECT HAVE MOVED ON OR
RETIRED, INCLUDING THREE
DIFFERENT SUPERINTENDENTS AND
TWO DIFFERENT TRIBAL CHAIRMAN'S
CURRICULUM, WHICH IS APPROVED BY
THE TRIBE AND MANDATED BY THE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TOUCHES ON
A WIDE RANGE OF ASPECTS OF
AGRICULTURE INTO HISTORY,
CULTURE. TRADITIONS LIFESTYLES
AND MODERN DAY GOVERNMENT AND
ECONOMICS CURRICULUM PROJECT
BUILDS ON THE AGRICOLE ENTERS
LEGACY OF A STRONG COMMITMENT TO
EDUCATION IN THE PALM SPRINGS
REGION. THE CURRICULUM IS GEARED
TELL TO ELEMENTARY GRADES THREE
THROUGH FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL
GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT AND
HIGH SCHOOL GRADE 11 IN THE PALM
SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE AGRO KILLIAN HAVE AN
IMPORTANT AND HISTORIC PRESENCE
IN PALM SPRINGS AND THE
COACHELLA VALLEY. YET MANY
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE
PREVIOUSLY UNAWARE OF THE
IMPORTANT CULTURAL HISTORY, LET
ALONE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
THAT THE AGRICULTURE INTO OUR
LIVING IN THE WORLD TODAY. THIS
CURRICULUM HELPS TO ESTABLISH A
REAL GROUNDWORK OF UNDERSTANDING
BY STUDENTS. ON WHO THE AGUA
CALIENTE BANDA QUEENIE INS ARE
AND WHOSE ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN IN
THE AREA NOW KNOWN AS PALM
SPRINGS SINCE TIME AND MEMORIAL
SINCE INCEPTION, THE CURRICULUM
HAS MET STATE OF CALIFORNIA
EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS AND WAS
WOVEN INTO THE EXISTING SOCIAL
STUDIES. CIVICS HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
AND OTHER TEACHING UNITS. ALL
CURRICULUM CONTENT HAS BEEN
JOINTLY DEVELOPED WITH THE
PARTICIPATION OF RELEVANT TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES
SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
AND CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS
ENGAGED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
PROJECT. THE FOUNDATION FOR THE
PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT HAS SERVED AS A PROJECT
LIAISON. CRITICAL AND CRUCIAL
TASKS HAVE INCLUDED IDENTIFYING
RELEVANT INFORMATION. WRITING OF
ALL CLASSROOM MATERIALS AND
MESSAGING TO ENSURE LEARNING AND
RETENTION AND CAREFUL TRAINING
OF PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT TEACHERS, AIDES AND
COORDINATORS WITH THE GUIDANCE
OF THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. THE
THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM IS A 10
LESSON UNIT OF STUDY COVERING
FLORA AND FAUNA OF TRIBAL LANDS.
WATER TRADE HISTORY, CULTURE,
LANGUAGE, MIGRATION, ARTIFACTS
AND A FIELD TRIP OF ALL ALL
THIRD GRADE STUDENTS TO THE
TRIBE'S ANCESTRAL LAND. IN THE
INDIAN CANYONS. THIS REACHES
MORE THAN 1700 STUDENTS A YEAR.
THE EIGHTH GRADE CURRICULUM IS
AN EIGHT LESSON UNIT OF STUDY
COVERING GEOGRAPHY AND WATER
SOURCES. TREATIES WITH THE US
GOVERNMENT. INDIAN AGENTS THE
INDIAN REMOVAL ACT, THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVATIONS
AND THE 19TH HIS 19TH CENTURY
HISTORY OF THE TRIBE. IT IS
TAUGHT TO MORE THAN 1608TH
GRADERS. EACH YEAR. WE ARE
CURRENTLY ON THE VERGE OF
IMPLEMENTING THE 11TH GRADE
CURRICULUM, WHICH IS A SIX
LESSON UNIT OF STUDY COVERING
ASSIMILATION, CULTURAL
RESTRICTIONS. THE INDIAN
CITIZENSHIP ACT DOES ACT.
FEDERAL STATE LEGISLATION ALL
WOMEN TRIBAL COUNCIL 99 YEAR
LAND LEASES ON INDIAN LAND.
INDIAN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP. AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE TOURISM. SINGLE LESSONS
WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR GRADES 456
AND SEVEN FOR THE AGUA CALIENTE
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY KNOWING
THAT THE AGUA TALENTED
CURRICULUM IS TAUGHT IN LOCAL
SCHOOLS. WE HAVE CREATED MODEL
CURRICULUM. BY WHICH OTHERS MAY
FOLLOW. TO DATE. WE HAVE ALSO
WORKED WITH ANOTHER LOCAL PUBLIC
SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT
MATERIALS INTO THEIR NINTH GRADE
ETHNIC STUDIES. AND JUST THIS
YEAR, A PRIVATE SCHOOL IS
IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE
CURRICULUM INTO THEIR CLASSROOM
STUDIES. WE ARE. WE WERE PROUD
TO ACCEPT A 2021 HONORING
NATIONS AWARD FROM THE KENNEDY
SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AT HARVARD
UNIVERSITY FOR CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TALENTED
PEOPLE CURRICULUM. THIRD GRADE.
IN ADDITION, THROUGH ANOTHER
PARTNERSHIP, LARGE PORTIONS OF
THE THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM ARE
CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED FOR
ONLINE NATIONWIDE PUBLICATION IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF THE
CALIFORNIA HISTORY. SOCIAL
SCIENCE, ELEMENTARY ADOPTED
CURRICULUM PUBLISHERS. WE HAVE
WORKED DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS TO MAKE THIS 20
PLUS YEAR OLD DREAM. OF HAVING
CURRICULUM IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ARE REALITY AND THERE IS MUCH
MORE WORK TO BE DONE. I AM PROUD
TO BE PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE
TEAM TO HELP REALIZE THIS DREAM.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE SOME OF THIS AMAZING WORK
WITH YOU TODAY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING THERE IN THE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY AREA,
ESPECIALLY WITH BUILDING THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT'S THERE, AND
THE MOU COMPONENT WILL HAVE SOME
MORE QUESTIONS ON THAT HAS NOW
WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT PANELISTS
WHO IS ANTHONY PARNELL, FORMER
TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER FOR A WILL
CALL YOU AND DEMAND A CLEAR
INDIANS. AND NOT TO ANTHONY
PARNELL COVER SYSTEM MARK. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN RAMOS AND
THE MEMBERS OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON NATIVE AMERICAN
AFFAIRS. AND THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY. MY
NAME IS ANTHONY PARNELL. I'M A
MEMBER OF THE COLISEE CLAN OF
THE ALKALINITY. BANDA QUIERE
INDIANS READILY RECOGNIZED
INDIAN TRIBE IN PALM SPRINGS,
CALIFORNIA. I'M ALSO A FORMAL
TRAVEL CANCER COUNCIL MEMBER WHO
IS DELEGATED TO REPRESENT THE
VOICE OF OUR CHILD WITHIN THE
PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT SCHOOL CURRICULUM. AS A
NATIVE WHO SPENT MY LIFE
IMMERSED IN OUR CULTURE. THIS
COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR TRIBE
PUMP SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT AND PHILANTHROPIC
FOUNDATION RESONATES DEEPLY WITH
ME. MY MOTHER WAS A FOUNDING
BOARD MEMBER OF THE ALKALINITY
CULTURAL MUSEUM BOARD, WHICH WAS
ESTABLISHED MORE THAN 27 YEARS
AGO. I GREW UP ATTENDING
CULTURAL CLASSES. I LISTENED TO
THE STORIES THAT MY FAMILY HAD
PASSED DOWN. I'VE LEARNED THE
TRADITIONAL BIRD SONGS AND HURT
OUR ELDERS EXPLAINED THE
MEANINGS BEHIND THEM. I'VE
LISTENED TO THE RECORDINGS OF
OUR ELDERS TELL THE STORIES OF
OUR CREATION AND THEIR LIVES ON
THE RESERVATION. I'VE LEARNED
IT. I'VE LIVED IT. MOST STUDENTS
DON'T GET A COMPREHENSIVE,
THOUGHTFUL OR EVEN AN ACCURATE
UNDERSTANDING OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE. FOR SO
MANY YEARS. THE STORY OF OUR
PEOPLE AND THE RICH HISTORY OF
THIS LAND HAS NEVER BEEN PART OF
A CRICKET CLASSROOM CURRICULUM.
WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT NOWADAYS
THESE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THE
TRUE STORIES OF OUR ANCESTORS
WHO HAVE LIVED ON THESE LANDS
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL WHEN IT
BEGAN CREATING THIS CURRICULUM
MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE
WANTED THE STUDENTS ENGAGED AND
EXCITED. WE DESIGNED THIS
PROGRAM WITH A HANDS ON APPROACH
TO LEARNING ALL WELL EXCEEDING
STATE STANDARDS IN EDUCATION.
THIS APPROACH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO
EASILY COMPREHEND THE
INFORMATION AND COME HOME TO
THEIR FAMILIES AND DISCUSS WHAT
THEY'VE LEARNED. THROUGH THESE
LESSONS. STUDENTS LEARN THAT WE
AS NATIVE PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS
LOOK SIMILAR. THEY LEARNED THAT
NATIVE AMERICANS ARE STILL HERE
AND THAT WE DON'T LIVE IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND HUNT WITH BOWS AND
ARROWS ARE SLEEPING TPS, BUT WE
ARE ALIVE AND LIVING AMONGST
EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE
GO TO THE SAME SCHOOLS. WE ATE
THE SAME FOODS AND WE WEAR THE
SAME CLOTHES. THAT IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT LESSON THAT WE CAN
TEACH THESE STUDENTS WHEN THESE
STUDENTS VISIT OUR ANCESTRAL
HOMELANDS AND WALK THE SAME
TRAILS THAT MY ANCESTORS HAVE
WALKED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
AND THEY TOUCHED THE ARTIFACTS
THAT ARE TROUBLE MEMBERSHIP HAVE
CREATED. THEY BEGIN TO
UNDERSTAND WHO THE AGA KHAN 20
PEOPLE AND ARQUILLA ANCESTORS
ARE THESE STUDENTS LISTEN AND
UNDERSTAND THE MEETINGS BEHIND
THE BIRD SONGS THAT MY GREAT
GRANDFATHER WHO WAS THE LAST
CEREMONY, BIRD SINGER, SAYING IN
THE SONGS WE HAVE SUNG FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS. STUDENTS
WILL GET A TASTE OF INDIA ARE
QUEER LANGUAGE, A LANGUAGE TO
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING HARD TO
PRESERVE. CREATION STORY TELLS
THE STORY OF THIS LAND THAT WE
HAVE SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS, CULTIVATING
ADAPTING AND PASSING DOWN
THROUGH GENERATIONS. IT'S ONLY
RIGHT TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION
AND TEACH THE COMMUNITY WHAT OUR
ANCESTORS HAVE TAUGHT US. AFTER
THEY FINISHED THESE LESSONS.
THEY GRASP THE TRUE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THIS AREA AND THE PERSPECTIVE
OF HISTORY OF NATIVE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WILL FOREVER CHANGE. I'M
PROUD TO SEE THE STUDENTS
ENGAGED AND SEE THE TEACHERS
COMMITTED TO LEARNING AND
TEACHING AND ACCURATE HISTORY OF
OUR PEOPLE. I'M ALSO GRATEFUL
FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR ENTIRE
TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP. THEY OVERSAW
EVERY ASPECT OF THIS PROJECT AND
PROVIDED THE INPUT ALONG THE
WAY. SEEING THIS PROJECT,
DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED WITHIN
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS ONE OF MY
GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS SERVING
AS A TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER. HAS
MORE SCHOOLS PUSHED TO INCLUDE A
NATIVE NATIVE SPECIFIC
CURRICULUM. THEY LOOK TO US TO
SET THE STATE AND NATIONAL
MODEL. I'M HONORED TO BE PART OF
THIS TREMENDOUS TEAM AS A AS
BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
DEVELOPED THIS NATIVE AMERICAN
CURRICULUM AND LOOK FORWARD TO
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ALL
OF YOU AND IMPLEMENTING A
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
CURRICULUM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR
TESTIMONY AND THE DIFFERENT
PANELS THAT SPOKE PRIOR OF
BRINGING JULY RIGHT THAT THE
TRUE IMPACT OF OUR OWN VOICES,
UM WHEN CURRICULUM IS BEING
CREATED TO TEACH THE HISTORY IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THANK
SOME OF THE MEMBER EDUARDO
GARCIA FOR ATTENDING. ALSO, I'M
NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. NO MR CHAIR
. MY APOLOGIES FOR MY ARRIVAL.
WE WERE SHARING OUR COMMITTEE
UPSTAIRS, BUT JUST APPRECIATE
ALL THE PARTICIPATION THAT'S
TAKING PLACE TODAY AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE. I
CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF YOUR
WORK. UM ON THE LEGISLATION
WHERE YOU KNOW THE EFFORT TO
CHANGE A WORD. FROM MADE TO
SHOUT. AND HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT
IS. TODAY. NOW MORE THAN EVER,
RIGHT? WE'RE NOT ASKING ANYMORE
THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO OR YOU
SHOULD CONSIDER. I THINK WE'RE
ASKING THAT YOU NEED TO
INCORPORATE THE HISTORIES OF
NATIVE PEOPLE. AND THE IDEA THAT
EVEN AMONGST THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
TRIBES WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AROUND THOSE
COMMUNITIES SO THAT ALL PEOPLE
THERE LOCALLY ARE UNDERSTANDING
THE HISTORY OF THE LOCAL NATIVE
PEOPLE. I COME FROM THE
COACHELLA VALLEY. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT ALL STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY
OF THE KOREA PEOPLE. AND THE
UNIQUENESS OF THE VARIOUS CLANS
OF KOREA PEOPLE WHETHER IT'S IN
THE EASTERN PART OF THE
COACHELLA VALLEY OR THE WESTERN
PARTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY
AND IN BETWEEN THE STORIES OF
THE SHAMWOW PEOPLE RELEVANT TO
THE 29 PALMS. UH PEOPLE WHO LIVE
ALSO IN BETWEEN THE KOREAN
NATIONS AND SIDE. RECOGNIZE AND
VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING
LIKE TODAY'S AND HOPE THAT THIS
TYPE OF DIALOGUE CONTINUES TO
TAKE PLACE IN THE STATE CAPITAL,
WHICH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS
BEEN UNPRECEDENTED AND HISTORIC
TO SAY THE LEAST. AND SO, JUST
THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE
PARTICIPATED TODAY AND THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN FOR LONGING TO
SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS. JUST A
FEW FEW QUESTIONS FIRST ONE TO
DR NICOLE CRAWFORD. UM TALKED
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TIMELINES
3RD 8TH 11TH GRADE. BUT YOU
ALSO, UM, TALKED ABOUT I BELIEVE
TRIBAL REPRESENTATION AND
SUCCESS METRICS THAT ARE THERE
WHEN STUDENTS WHO ARE KOREA OR
LEARNING ABOUT THE KOREA HISTORY
, ALONG WITH THOSE THAT ARE NOT
NATIVE AMERICAN, BUT THEY'RE
LEARNING TOGETHER FOR THE
COMMUNITY. CAN YOU TOUCH A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SUCCESS
MATRIX OF THOSE? WHEN THEY'RE
LEARNING ABOUT WHO WE TRULY ARE
SURE. SO WE ACTUALLY SURVEY OUR
STUDENTS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR
AND ONE SECTION OF OUR SURVEY.
OUR PANORAMA SEGREGATE THE DATA
BASED ON ETHNIC BACKGROUND, AND
WE DID NOTICE ORIGINALLY WHEN WE
WOULD FIRST, UM, SURVEY OUR
STUDENTS ARE INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
RANKED THEMSELVES RELATIVELY LOW
WHEN IT CAME TO SENSE OF
BELONGING ONCE WE STARTED DOING
THE CURRICULUM OF ABOUT THE
KOREA, PEOPLE ARE STUDENTS HAS A
BELONGING, ESPECIALLY OUR
INDIGENOUS STUDENTS SORT
SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE NOW THEY
REALIZED THEY'RE BEING
ACKNOWLEDGED THERE BEING
RECOGNIZED BECAUSE A LOT OF
TIMES WE ARE MOTHERED. HMM SO
FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A
SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE CLASSROOM
AND TO TEACH THEIR FRIENDS AND
COLLEAGUES IN THE CLASS LIKE
THIS IS MY HERITAGE. THIS IS MY
CULTURE. THIS IS WHERE I DERIVE
FROM AND THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE.
IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THEM, AND I
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT ALSO
THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE LEARNING
AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR
TEACHERS ARE NOT INDIGENOUS, SO
FOR THEM TO LEARN ABOUT TRIBAL
HISTORY, UM, THE DIFFERENT
ARTIFACTS THE ANCESTRAL LANDS
THEMSELVES, I THINK IS ALSO VERY
IMPORTANT, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW
OUR TEACHERS ARE THE ONES
AFFECTING OUR STUDENTS. SO FOR
THEM TO BE EDUCATED AS WELL, AS
IS VERY SIGNIFICANT IN THIS
GROWTH. THANK YOU AND THAT THAT
SENSE OF BELONGING AND LEARNING
ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CULTURE, UM
DOES THAT DID THAT TRANSLATE
ALSO TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS? YES.
OF COURSE, AND ANYTIME STUDENTS
SENSE OF BELONGING INCREASES,
ABSENTEEISM DECREASES GRADES,
INCREASE EXPULSIONS AND
SUSPENSIONS DECREASE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT AND POINTING
OUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
COM COMPONENTS OF THIS IS
GETTING THROUGH HISTORY AND
CULTURE OF CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE INTO THE CURRICULUM. IS
THAT SENSE OF BELONGING BUT ALSO
THAT THAT DRIVE FOR ACADEMIC
SUCCESS AND WE KNOW WHERE THE
DATA PUTS OUR STUDENTS AT UM AND
NEXT TIME FOR KATE ANDERSON. YOU
TALKED ABOUT MOU, UM, WITH THE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL
SCHOOL DISTRICT. DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT THAT WAS HIS BENEFICIAL
THAT THAT COULD BE A MODEL FOR M
O USE THROUGHOUT THE STATE?
ABSOLUTELY FOR OUR POSITION. IT
WAS CRUCIAL BECAUSE WE WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE PARTNERSHIP
THAT THE AGREEMENT LASTED
THROUGHOUT TIME AND
ADMINISTRATIONS AND CONTINUED ON
INTO IN PERPETUITY. SO WHAT WAS
THE GENERAL TERM OF MOU BENEFIT?
OUTLASTED SUPERINTENDENTS?
ABSOLUTELY SO OUR MOU IS STILL A
CURRENT MOU AND IT RECOGNIZES
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
TRIBE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
ITSELF, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS FOUNDATION. SO ALL
THREE ENTITIES ORGANIZATIONS ARE
PARTNERS ON THE MOU, AND IT SETS
FORTH THE WORK THAT IS TO BE
DONE AND TO BE CARRIED ON.
THROUGH TIME AS WE NOT ONLY
DEVELOPED THE CURRICULUM, BUT AS
WE MAINTAIN IT FOR YEARS TO
COME. THANK YOU AND THE PROCESS
THAT YOU'RE USING, UM, I GUESS
FOR ALL PANELISTS, YOU HAVE A
THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM, EIGHTH
GRADE AND 11TH GRADE. UM SO
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EMBEDDED
WITHIN THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY
SCHOOLS PALM SPRINGS AREA IN
GENERAL, SO EVERYONE REGARDLESS
OF THEIR NATIVE AMERICAN OR NOT,
IS BEING EMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE
, THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY
ITSELF. AND I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT HMM. WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING HERE CERTAINLY 3RD
AND 4TH GRADE. YOU'RE ABLE TO
BRING THAT LOCAL APPROACH
TOGETHER. EIGHTH GRADE, THE TRUE
HISTORY OF THE STATE RIGHT
ATROCITIES THAT THE BOUNTIES ALL
THOSE THINGS THAT CAME TOWARDS
OUR PEOPLE. 11TH GRADE IS AN
AREA WHERE YOU START TO LEARN
ABOUT THE FEDERAL, THE STATE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THERE'S
ALWAYS BEEN THAT THAT THAT WILL
TO INCLUDE TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS IN
THAT SECTION BECAUSE MANY TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS SUPERSEDE LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND EVEN STATE
GOVERNMENTS, FOR THAT MATTER, SO
I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT
CONTINUES TO TRANSPIRE, AND
THERE'S THAT ALSO WITHIN THE
WELL HOUSE OF THE THOUGHT
PROCESS. YES AND CHAIRMAN. THE
CURRICULUM IS MANDATED BY THE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. SO IT IS
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THE
TEACHERS ARE TRAINED PROPERLY SO
THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN THE
CLASSROOM AND REPRESENT THE
CURRICULUM PROPERLY, AND SO ARE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTATIVES. GO HAND IN HAND
WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN WE
DO THE TEACHER TRAINING EVERY
YEAR, AND ANY TIME THAT WE NEED
TO COORDINATE FOR ANY KIND OF
QUESTIONS, OR ANYTHING ELSE
COMES UP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE ARE THERE AS LIAISONS TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT, JUST A MOMENT'S
NOTICE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU
FOR POINTING OUT THOSE THOSE
AREAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ONCE A
COUNCIL MEMBER, ALWAYS A COUNCIL
MEMBER. CERTAINLY WE'VE BEEN
THERE AND CERTAINLY, UM, WORKING
WITH THE SCHOOL BODY. UM THERE,
THEY ELECTED BODY WITHIN THE
SCHOOL BOARDS. I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO
PUSH HIS HIS PRESENCE. RIGHT
FROM OUR PEOPLE. UM AND DO YOU
BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD TRIBAL
MEMBERS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD
ITSELF THAT SOME OF THESE
CHALLENGES THAT, UM ARE MET
THROUGHOUT THE STATE COULD BE
RESOLVED IF WE HAD THAT PRESENCE
THERE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN.
AND ABSOLUTELY I THINK THAT
WOULD BE VERY EFFICIENT,
EFFECTIVE TO HAVE OUR OWN PEOPLE
ON THESE ON THESE BOARDS TO BE
ABLE TO NOT ONLY CREATE, UH,
STREAMLINED PATTERN TO ANSWERING
QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY WOULD HAVE
BUT TO BE RIGHT THERE WITHIN
WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
BEING ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
OR ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED. AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND TO YOUR
FAMILY, UM, FOR MAINTAINING THE
SONGS AND KEEPING THE TRADITION
MOVING AND FOR YOUR WORK AND
ENSURING THAT THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS AND EMBEDDED NOUS OF
THE CULTURE IS BEING TAUGHT
WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ITSELF.
WE CONTINUE TO MOVE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION TO BRING THAT
EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS FORWARD.
UM AND SO A B 1703 BROAD
AMERICAN INDIAN TASK FORCE
TOGETHER WE HAVE A CURRENT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION THAT'S MOVING
FORWARD THAT SHOUT THAT INSERTS
THE WORD SHALL UM, I THINK IT'S
TIME THAT WE START TO LEARN THAT
THERE IS MODELS OUT THERE, UM,
WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN
PARTNER WITH WHETHER IT'S
THROUGH AN MOU OR JUST COMING
TOGETHER AND WORKING THROUGH THE
TRUE HISTORY. THAT'S THERE. WE
KNOW THAT SOME DISTRICTS AND
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ARE WILLING
TO WORK TOGETHER. AND WE KNOW
THAT THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT
STILL NEED A LITTLE CONVINCING
TO WORK TOGETHER ON BOTH SIDES.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET
THAT CURRICULUM AND THE IDEA OF
TRUE HISTORY MOVING FORWARD FROM
OUR EARLIER PANELS FROM
EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THE
CLASSROOM TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S
TAKING PLACE THAT YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT VOICE IS
BEING HEARD AND THEN TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT. PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION, UM, TESTING THERE'S
A $20,000. UM PROCESS FOR
TEACHERS TO BE RECRUITED THAT WE
WOULD PUSH THAT OUT TO NATIVE
AMERICANS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND WE DO KNOW THAT
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SPANISH
COLONIZATION PERIOD, CALIFORNIA
HAD ITS ORIGINAL LANDS INTACT.
FROM TRIBES. UM, THAT WALKED
ACROSS ALL THE LANDS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA THINK THAT
HISTORY ALSO HAS TO RESONATE AND
BE TOLD IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, UM AND CERTAINLY IN
THE GOLD RUSH ERA. WE'VE SEEN
THAT THE TRIBES WERE RELOCATED
SOME GENOCIDE THAT THAT WENT ON
THAT STILL HAS NOT REACHED THE
TRUTH, HISTORY AND IN THE
EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT. EVEN JUST
THE STATEMENT OF THE FIRST
GOVERNOR PUTTING OUT BOUNTIES ON
CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE
BOUNTIES THAT MEANT SHOOTING AND
KILLING INDIAN PEOPLE. THAT WAS
PAID FOR BY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THAT. ULTIMATELY, THE STATE
ASKED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE MILITIA
CAMPAIGNS IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT REIMBURSED THE STATE
JUST EVEN GETTING THAT INTO THE
CURRICULUM HAS BEEN CHALLENGING
BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T
EXIST THAT WE'RE JUST MAKING
SOME OF THESE THINGS UP, BUT YOU
GO BACK AND YOU RESEARCH THE
BOOKS AND THE HISTORY OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT
ACADEMIA BELIEVES IN. YOU'LL SEE
THAT RIGHT THERE. IT'S TIME THAT
WE HAVE THAT VOICES BE TOLD.
THAT OUR VOICES ARE PART OF THE
PLANNING PROCESS FROM THE
BEGINNING TO THE CURRICULUM TO
THE BOOKS. IT'S TIME THAT THE
VOICE OF CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE IS INGRAINED IN THE
PROCESS, JUST LIKE YOU'RE DOING
THE EMBEDDED NOUS IN THE
DISTRICT ITSELF FROM THE
DIFFERENT GRADES, SO WHEN THEY
GO THROUGH THEIR THEIR TOUCHING
ON THE HISTORY ALL OVER AGAIN,
IT'S THE SAME EMBEDDED NOUS THAT
WE NEED THE VOICES OF
CALIFORNIAN PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE
PROCESS MOVING FORWARD. I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK
THE MEMBERS FOR JOINING US HERE
TODAY AND OPEN UP THE DIETS. IF
THERE'S ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK SOMEBODY REMEMBER?
VALENCIA, VALENCIA FOR JOINING
US ASSEMBLY WOMEN SORIA AS
MORALE THIS AUDIO AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S DAVID ALVAREZ,
ALSO WHO JUST JOINED US, AND WE
WENT THROUGH THE TOPICS OF
INDIAN EDUCATION, SUCCESSES AND
CHALLENGES AND ONE OF THE THINGS
WE BROUGHT TO LIGHT WAS WHEN THE
STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT
THEMSELVES AND THEIR CULTURE.
THE SUCCESS OF THAT MATRIX
SKYROCKETS NO LONGER IS THE DATA
STATISTICS SHOWING WHERE OUR
STUDENTS ARE AT, BUT NOW BECAUSE
THEY'RE TRULY ENGAGED IN A SENSE
OF BELONGING, THEY HAVE
EXCELLED. AND THAT'S THAT'S PART
OF THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION. SO
I DO WANT TO THANK ALL THE
PRESENTERS FOR BEING HERE AS
NOW. WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU ALL LIKE TO SAY. FIRST
OF ALL, MY NAME IS PETER ROYBAL
AND WITH THE POWER ON PARADE
FOUNDATION. NATIVE AMERICAN
FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE AND
CONSERVE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE THROUGH ART, EDUCATION
AND CULTURE. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FOR YOUR LONG
HOURS AND HARD WORK FOR THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND
SUPPORTING NATIVE AFFAIRS. AND
ESPECIALLY YOU, ASSEMBLYMAN
RAMOS FOR YOU THE WORK THAT YOU
DO AS A COUSIN. WE'RE PROUD OF
YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT
YOU DO. UM WHAT WE DO. WE WORKED
WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS, AND IT
LOOKS LIKE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
LOT OF DIFFERENT CURRICULUMS,
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHICH ONE TO IMPLEMENT OR WHICH
ONE WILL WILL TELL THE STORY
RIGHT OR TELL THE TRUTH TO
HISTORY OR CHANGING THE NATIVE
NARRATIVE? AND WHAT WE DO AS A
FOUNDATION, WE GO TO LOCAL
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS
, CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND WE TRY TO
ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO PROMOTE THIS. THIS
AGENDA 80 1703 AND TO MAYBE WORK
WITH THE TASK FORCE AND TO
IMPLEMENT NEW CURRICULUM AND TO
TELL THE TRUTH TO THAT HISTORY,
SO WE DO THAT BY BRINGING
STORYTELLERS OR RAIDERS DANCERS,
SINGERS. YOU KNOW, AND WE INVITE
TEACHERS AND EXECUTIVES, YOU
KNOW? EXECUTIVES BOARD MEMBERS
TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE
MEETINGS. AND THESE THESE
LECTURES AND LEARN WHY IT'S
IMPORTANT AND HAVE THEM GO BACK
TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TO
THEIR SCHOOLS INTO THEIR
CLASSROOMS AND WANT TO TEACH
THIS AND WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WANT
TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE
PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH
SOME OF YOU AND ALL OF YOU AND
SHARING NOTES AND WORKING
TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE OF
CALIFORNIA NATIVES, ESPECIALLY
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING
AND YOUR TESTIMONY. UM, HERE IN
THESE CHAMBERS AND CERTAINLY THE
VOICE OF CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE IS SOMETHING THAT UM,
SHOULD RESONATE THROUGHOUT THESE
HALLS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED AND I
WANT TO THANK THE LEGISLATORS
FOR BEING HERE AND TAKE THE TIME
TO BE HERE AND TO HEAR FIRSTHAND
FROM THE TESTIMONY. THAT'S
THERE. I JUST WANNA THANK YOU
ALL FOR ATTENDING AS NOW WE
ADJOURNED THE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON AMERICAN AFFAIRS.