Ivan F. Star Comes Out

Are Indian parents truly represented in the education of their children?
By Ivan F. Star Comes Out

I coordinated a School-Community Relations survey for Isna Wica Owayawa (Lone Man School) in 2011. The intent was to obtain tangible representation of parent community opinion to help open up communications between school and parent community, plan responsibly, and to design relevant and more effective school programs in the future.

The questionnaire was compiled with teacher and administration input. 135 surveys were mailed to the school’s parents and guardians but only a handful of surveys were returned within the 30-day deadline. The school had to spend additional money and time to retrieve the rest of the surveys. Nine months later, 105 surveys were tallied (78% response).

Forty-one of the 105 refused to respond to the Demographic Data section claiming it was invading their right to privacy. I have to assume that these respondents misunderstood the survey’s anonymity factor in which individual names not required. Although this section was somewhat skewed, some important data was indicated. The survey results still have to be analyzed.

Read the rest of the story on the all new Native Sun News website: Are Indian parents truly represented in the education of their children?

(Ivan F. Star Comes Out, POB 147, Oglala, SD 57764; 605-867-2448; mato_nasula2@outlook.com)

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