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(( Native American Chanting / Singing ))
Title: Going to School In The Heartland, Four Native American Elders on Discrimination and Healing in Winner, South Dakota
Winner, South Dakota, is a farming town bordering the Rosebud Sioux Reservation.
About 20% of the students attending its public schools are Native American.
For years, the school district punished Native American students more harshly than white students.
(Anthony Peneaux's grandmother Alma Small speaking) So I went over to the police station
and as I walked into the door they have my grandson Anthony Peneaux
in handcuffs and taking his
picture his mug shot at the age of eleven years old
and they took his handcuffs off and
fingerprinted him and they said well he was disruptive in school and I said well what
did he do
I ain't got the time to sit here... they said he had talked back to a teacher...
(Slide with picture of School Busses) In the mid-2000's, Native American middle school students were 15 times more likely to be arrested than white students.
Many Native American students changed schools or simply dropped out.
Anthony Peneaux refused to go back to school and spent his adolescence in a juvenile correctional facility.
(Sam Antoine's grandmother Lavina Milk speaking) When Sam was in middle school this one boy who was bothering him everyday, teasing him and just would walk by and maybe poke him, or try to trip him...
One day Sam pushed him down the principal called the police
and the police came and ah
put Sam in handcuffs and put him in the back of the
police car ....
(Sam Antoine's grandfather Roger Milk Speaking now) Sam is a little guy and they are taking him to jail ...
what did he do? Did he kill somebody or...
you know what did he do? Did he burn the house down?
I find out that he pushed somebody...
(Sams grandmother speaking now) Sam was twelve-years-old when all this happened
(Slide showing plains / land) Sam Antoine was convicted of assault and sentenced to one-year probation.
(Anthony Peneaux's grandmother Alma Small speaking) Rose chasing out Mendoza and Lori Milk had started to
go around to find out... see who would help us and we found ACLU and we started in...
(Slide showing Grain Building) In 2006, the ACLU sued the Winner School District for discriminating against native Americans.
The district agreed to make changes but for three years, did almost nothing.
(Tredell Long Crow's grandfather, Charles Long Crow speaking) Well to tell you the truth ACLU when they came to Winner
it brought more prejudice to the Native American kids after that that happened
my grandson Tredell he went through a lot experiences
there were some teachers that didn't like him Tredell was reported for sleeping in class...
but I don't know what kind of a crime that is or what but the order to serve the
chamber and the thought of a court order in detention centers just for sleeping in school...
(Slide of field) In 2011, the district hired a new superintendent who began to make changes. The district hopes to make all remaining reforms before 2016.
(Anthony Peneaux's grandmother Alma Small speaking) The school is learning now...
a lot of parent involvement we have a
a school board advisory and
it's mostly Native Americans that are on this board
(Native American Drumming / Singing and slide of school building) 12 Native Americans graduated from Winner High School in 2012 and another 11 graduated in 2013.
(Sam Antoine's grandfather Roger Milk Speaking now) The importance of that diploma it raises your self-esteem
it makes you feel like you've accomplished something
that the diploma that says if you had completed a state course of study
and now you're smart kid... that diploma opens all all doors you can be anything you want
you could do anything you want from that point
( Native American Chanting / Singing ) Music by... "Morning Song" Calvin Standing Bear Oyate Music Group Recording. Courtesy of Mr. Standing Bear. All rights reserved.
Music by.. "Education / Graduation Song" Porcupine Singers. Courtesy of Canyon Records License #2013-027. www.canyonrecords.com All rights reserved.
ACLU | aclu.org/STPP