I, too, am opposed to NT school students being forced to learn the Hidatsa language.  Not because it would harm them, but because it is racist.  Students should be given foreign language choices - not required to take it because they live in that area.  Obviously, there is other prevalent heritages in the NT area.  I'm german, but all kids weren't forced to take german classes.  It was an option for those of us who chose to learn the language.

This was tried when my kids were in school there some 15 yrs ago.  There were two caucasion kids in the class being forced to take this native american language.  The native kids in the class certainly weren't interested.  This was tried  6 weeks and then dropped. 

There is nothing wrong with being proud of your language and wanting your kids to learn it.  And, if you want it offered in the school, then offer it as a ciriculum option, not make it mandatory.

Could it be that the only reason this is being required is because the Indian kids wouldn't take it if it was an option?

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.

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.