Efforts for Lakota Immersive Language program come up short

 

 

RAPID CITY—Inroads were being made to bring the Lakota language into the Rapid City Area Schools, but sadly, the steps will come up just short this year. One of the major factors, it appears is the lack of qualified teachers for said classes in the RCAS.

Noted by the Interim Superintendent and CEO, Nicole Swigart, “In June, when I came on board, we had no certified…State-certified, qualified candidates,” she noted, in an email sent to everyone within the district on August 11^th.

According to Swigart,, the PAC was notified in June that the district was very concerned about finding staff members and that the July deadline was set together. The part that might be hanging up the selection, were the qualifying stipulations that the teacher would need to have both a K thru 5 Teaching Certificate, and a Lakota Language and Culture Certification.

“When the email came out, and the communication about the Lakota Immersion closing of course, my first thought was they don’t value Lakota language [or] culture,” said Dr, Valeria Big Eagle serves on the RCAS Parent Advisory Committee (PAC).

This was the reaction that was shared, among parents whose children first piloted the Lakota Immersion Program in the RCAS District. From there on in, apparently the issue came to a head, as Dr. Big Eagle’s own son participated in the program last year, and felt the District should be more flexible to meet the needs of Indigenous students.

“Western modalities of teaching and learning aren’t necessarily aligned with Lakota Indigenous methodology, right? So our elders’ experience and knowledge, that is sort of a degree in itself, you know? Right now what it looks like is that they just gave up, and that’s how it feels,” she said.

Swigart says no qualified candidates applied and showed up for an interview by the end of July deadline. Big Eagle disagrees, saying a qualified candidate from Rosebud did apply but the District “failed to communicate.”

Privacy policies prevent the District from discussing individual cadnidates, however Swigart said that any candidates that might have come forward after the deadline couldn’t be considered as the decision was already made and families notified.

Big Eagle asked why the District couldn’t provide waivers to those interested in teaching the same way they do for other subjects. Swigart did mention that the Lakota Immersion Program is partially funded with federal ESSER money, meaning the requirements for teachers are more stringent.

RCAS called each family in the program to notify them of the closure, noting the PAC also pushed the District into making a formal, public announcement, something Big Eagle says was needed to be done in the name of transparency.

“I am dedicated to being transparent and getting that information out there,” Swigart said. “I own the fact that we didn’t do it immediately.”

Swigart did say it was the hardest decision she had to make in more than 30 years of teaching.

The RCAS does say the program is not closing permanently, that they are working with colleges and other programs to recruit qualified teachers. Swigart says they’ll be working through the Title VII Indian Education Office, as well as Human Resources to expand their connections and have a long term hire to provide stability to the program.

“As a certified, accredited school district, I have to follow the State guidelines that are given to us,” Swigart said. “At this point, the last Friday in July, we could not fill that requirement to the State, and we had to make that call.”

Dr. Big Eagle, encourages anyone who wants to speak about the Lakota Immersion Program to attend Tuesday night’s School Board meeting at the City Council Chambers, at 5:30 PM, with the Lakota Immersion closure portion, slated from 8pm to Midnight on the Agenda.

(Contact Joe at sales2@nativesunnews.today)

(noted quotes courtesy of Newscenter1 broadcast)

 

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