I love how people are commenting about how no one will ever use this language beyond the reservation, but where the heck are you going to use German and French? Spanish might be useful, but the other two? Not so much. Also, it's an AMERICAN language that they are teaching, and AMERICAN Indians have every right to have their languages taught as any other. Children who do not have English as a first language are forced to learn it so that they can go to school, at least if other children know the language, even a little bit, transition will be easier for them. This way, more people will feel comfortable teaching kids Hidatsa or Arikara or Dakota and such if they know that they will be able to succeed in school. If tribes do not have a language, they will lose their sovereignty, but more importantly, they will lose their culture. Everywhere around you, you'll see traces of European culture, but what about us? We need at least SOMETHING to remind us that we exist and are native and are human too.

Having read along with over 150 posts here, I find it amusing that folks all the way up in SD are having cultural issues of the same dimension as folks in Southern Mississippi.   Down here it is Eboni, the language of the mid-African languages, and every open discussion of language winds up being a rascist argument.   We as Americans are so foolish when we don't realize that folks take their lives in their hands crawling through tunnels from Mexico, sleeping in shipping containers from China, rowing washtubs across the Caribbean or using a visa that gets lost along with the bearer in order to come here because of the economy, language, standard of living and CULTURE.   We are stupid to allow ghettos, reservations, encampments or Little Towns that try to crossbreed culture into something that has wrecked Europe for over a 1000 years.

I believe if you come to America, get a job, learn the language, assimilate the culture like everyone else and stand proudly and shake your fist at the rest of those demagogues out there that want to bring us down to their level of incompetency, joblessness and ignorance.  It's time to stand up for this country and quit all this backbiting and ethnocentricity.   Support the culture that is tolerant and moral because it is what has made us the world's best.

Now that's my peacepipe... I'd vote for anyone that smokes it with me.

Reply to my Native sister Prairie Fire:

Prairie Fire I am overjoyed that you too have challenged yourself to embark upon a journey of knowledge.  I am almost certain that once you accomplished your goal in obtaining a higher education you will be very proud of yourself.  You will be proud of all the hard work and effort you put into your education.  You will radiate with pride and you will proud of who you are and where you came from.  You say that you too are Native American well then I am 100% certain that  you are aware of the predjudices that we face as Aboriginal people.  Discrimination/Racism is a sickness and it is so sad to see you engage in bashing of your own people.  As an ancestor of the Lakota people you should feel honored.  You have a rich heritage and so much to be proud of.   Dogs are a very sacred animal in the Sioux tribe as they are used in many sacred ceremonies.  I just don't see the humor in your jokes or Marilyn's.  Prairie Fire let it be known that there is no such race that is unblemished and anyone who tells you different is a farce.  Good Luck in your studies!

i am kind of fascinated by the trash talking - not even so much of the race issue but of the school itself.  i find it interesting there is so much shock over this "unknown" mandatory class.  read the paper.  you can trash the local news all you want but the reality is, they are the only ones parkin their butts in the chairs every month for the school board meetings where these things take place.  the only time parents show up at the meetings seems to be when their kid gets in trouble and can't play in the next game.

as for the claims about unqualified people or inappropriate hiring, how many people have paid any attention to the hiring process?  the openings are published in the paper and discussed at every meeting.  the superintendent didn't hire his wife, the board did and did so based on qualifications.  you can question it all you want.  every word of the processes are recorded and witnessed by those who care enough to go to the meetings. 

i do agree the kids should have their choice of what they learn.  the problem is the lack of teachers.  the school pays a lot of money to get spanish into the students because there is no one else to teach them.  the reason hidatsa is taught is because the last i heard, they couldn't find someone qualified to teach the other languages.  believe me, the topic has been discussed at meetings...oh yeah, which again, nobody goes to.

the truth is, when you live surrounded by another culture, some of it's going to seep into your lives.  it would probably be more productive for students to learn a language they'll be able to continue with in college and speak around the world, but it won't kill anybody.

I think everyone is missing the point! This is about the animals and it quickly turned into a racial spat. I live on this rez and yes it is true our dog catcher does kill the dogs moments after picking them up then disposes of them in our dump ground. I think its sick and i am trying to help put a stop to it but it seems hopeless since the ASPCA or humane society have no jurisdiction here it seems the only ones who can change this is our Tribal council or PD and they dont find this to b a problem then why would they since the tribal council pays our dog cathcer to do this. Our tribal council is a joke all they care about is lining there own pockets.

Instead of talking about race and us indians being to poor to take care of our dogs get over it. You shouldnt use your race as a crutch. It doesnt matter where you come from or what kinda life you had its up to you to go after what you want quit saying we are so pitifull for what the whites did to us. thats the past get over it. Why dont you guys talk about something useful n help me figure out a way to put an end to the killing of our dogs.

what does it hurt for children to learn the language of the people who are natives to the region they live in - there is no harm in them learning it, they will either learn it and keep it forever or they will learn it and filter it out later in life, either way it is good for them to 'learn' how to understand the fundamentals of learning a language, many times in life we join the military or go to a diffrent place for work and we need to know the skills of learning a new language, even if  we only need to know it for a short while.

Instead of fighting this opportunity parents should embrace it and be thankful for the skills their children are learning...

And to all the people who think the indians are udeserving of the checks they get or any possible tax breaks, where do you think the land you walk and live on came from? yesterday is not forgotten just because it has passed and tomorrow is not promised... for everyone who believes what happened to the indians and their land should be forgotten should think of ther own tomorrows... your future is not secure as you think...