Crisis in Red and White - An Educational Dilemma. Position Paper.

The goal of this position paper is to present considerations and alternatives for healthy life directions which can be made available through education to the Native American to enable him to go beyond the present narrow choices of either total assimilation within the white value system or remaining isolated on the reservation. The 3 purposes of schools given are (1) to equip the student with the tools of learning, (2) to open new worlds to the young, and (3) to encourage and enable the young to understand their cultural heritage. In the discussion of mental ability and development, and mental health, it is contended that Indians are simultaneously enculturated and socialized in 2 different ways of life: one being a contemporary form of our traditional life-styles, the other being the mainstream Euro-American culture. These attempts at enculturation and socialization provide an explanation for the failure of Indian students to achieve in an academic environment. Other topics of discussion include "Tribal Control of Indian Education,""Motivational Factors for Education," and "An Economic Development Program for the Reservation." The summary contains an outline of the tasks, their purpose, the anticipated results, and the implementation processes necessary to enhance the educational process for Indian students on a priority basis. (HBC)