SANTA FE
The No Child Left Behind law fails to recognize native cultures and languages, American Indian officials and educators told a U.S. Senate committee.
The law also restricts the ways schools can use native cultures and languages in their curriculums, the committee was told Friday.
“I’ve come across nothing that would enable me to be a proponent of the act,” said San Ildefonso Pueblo Gov. James Mountain.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held the hearing to seek public input on renewal of the law and how it affects American Indian students.
The law requires annual math and reading tests in grades three through eight and once in high school. Schools that miss progress goals face consequences, such as having to offer tutoring or fire their principals.
Mountain said he has heard from teachers in the Pojoaque school district that the act does not take into account cultural differences and has forced schools to focus on English, leaving no room for native languages.
