| OCR Text |
Show Page 5 because NAC tendency to students associate have with a one Mormon missionaries are given the “run the student dormitories” of another. Mr. Johnson was not paid while representatives of other faiths not accorded the same for his work with the troop, he did are privileges. it on his own time. One evening the members They also claim that students decided to pray for the success of from traditional homes are pushed the troop. It was quite natural that to join “more acceptable” religions. these students should pray in the When a student returns home with manner that their parents had a different religion from his parents taught them. A peyote meeting was all sorts of complications result. held. The students were discovered and the meeting was broken up. Mr. Johnson was blamed for this meeting even though he did not Organize it or distribute any peyote. Mr. Johnson has been heavily harrassed from that moment on. He received threatening phone calls and was documented for alledged non-payment of debts later proved false, speaking Navajo to the students, leaving his post of watching the cafeteria line for a few minutes, serving coffee to the students, and alledgedly removing some coffee cups from the dorm. Documenting Indian employees seems to be an everyday occurance at Intermountain. All employees have huge stacks of memos commenting on their performance. There is a policy at the school by which employees are encouraged to spy on one another. One incident terrified. Johnson occurred student one night where a came to and asked Mr. to stay with him because he was afraid of getting a beating if he went back to the dorm after the doors were closed. Mr. Johnson agreed. This student had just graduated and had missed his bus home. He was at that time not a part of the school. Nonetheless, Mr. Johnson was documented for his concern for a fellow Navajo. It appears that the: rules are stricly applied even against the best interest of the students. These things have been used to deny Mr. Johnson States: a promotion. When | --ecame. He to Intermountain | had two strikes against me. One, | was an Indian, and two, | was a member of NAC. If | had been a Mormon, | could have had an easy time of it.” Mr. and Mrs. Delgarito were prominent people in the Mormon Church. Several years ago they left the church and returned to the Native Navajo religion in which Mr. Delgarito is a medicine man. “Since | left the Church,” says Mrs. Delgarito, “| have been harrassed beyond belief. | used to get along with my supervisors and now they treat me like dirt. | was never documented to me all before. Now they do it the time for the littlest As one employee put it, “what we have here is a religious school financed by the Federal Government.” DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NAVAJO CULTURE a student might have upon arrival. This action is not only an invasion of private property but is religious discrimination as well. These medicine pouches often given to the students by their grandparents are rarely returned. Recently the school burned a large quantity of these pouches which it had accumulated over the years kitchen stove. One finds school in the which culture. curtains Indian recently remind one of Indian One dormitory did have and table cloths with motifs but these were removed. The use of the Navajo language is severely restricted. Many Indian employees have been documented for speaking to the students in Navajo even though this may be the quickest way to communicate vital information. Further, an employee who speaks English with a Navajo accent is severely limited. Many Indian employees who have asked = for advancement have they were refused Employees been told that for this reason. have been even assignment knew. perfectly they in the very little at the way of decorations advancement assignment, English denied though they and had make me do all the dirty work, and try to limit my contacts with college degrees but who were unable or too proud to give up their students. accent. Since that administration discourteous has to me day been and the very my The Indians in the Association claims that Mrs. McNeely, personnel director, gives preference in hiring to returned Mormon missionaries over Indians. They There is a general attitude at the school accent husband. That's no way to treat a should full blooded Navajo Indian.” BRUTALITY AGAINST STUDENTS The rate of AWOL’s that anyone is inferior in some with an way and not be allowed to influence the students. Mr. Edward Wapp who is an expert on Indian music asked to be allowed to give a course in this subject on his own time and at his own expense. He was refused. It appears at Intermountain that equally qualified also claim that policies as to how Navajos should During the students adequate counsel. arrested, there representation No one spoke from trials held behalf. for the was no by legal on their : After the sentencing of the students, some of whom. were innocent, they commenced serving their sentences. Soon thereafter the presiding judge died. Later a Intermountain is staggering. Last concerned lawyer obtained a release winter two Navajo students left for all the ones deemed illegally school and walked over 400 miles detailed. As a result of this episode in the snow back to the reservation scores of students went AWOL. staying 5 miles from the highway so Recently a student who had as not to be picked up by the been “‘kicked around” by a. white police. Last year a female student took a knife and carved out her cheeks Navajos are a people very close carefully flushing the flesh down toilet. This student was to their culture. By the time a the obviously emotionally disturbed student reaches high school age that she received no help or culture has already. played a large but understanding from the _ school part in shaping his character. When officials. this student, however, arrives at In 1969 a general unrest of Intermountain he is apt to receive a students occurred. This situation cultural shock to such an extent as happened when the school a conflict may be created inside experienced a black-out during the him which he may.never be able to time students were returning from a resolve in a lifetime. This fact is borne out for the night time activity. It was reported keen observer on viewing the that initially the cause was sparked student paintings which are by some girls who started calling displayed. in the administration some boys undesirable names. This building. There is hardly anything offered a challenge to the boys who suggestive of Indian culture about ran into the dormitory and dragged Out one girl. Several girls were them. . In other areas the great It is the policy of the school to raped. confiscate any medicine pouch that unrest caused the destruction of things. They move me around from to be educated are made by non-Navajos without regard to the way Navajos learn or to what the Navajo parents want their children to be taught. supervisor cleaning drank fluid in a_ an bottle of attempt to commit suicide. : About a month ago, students who were unable to make a deposit locks were on their keys and to sleep in the hallways. A number of these student went AWOL. It appears from these incidents then, and countless others recorded by the NIYC, that apart from the ‘“‘education students in at general Intermountain, are not very happy there. has been by the system at Intermountain is designed after the system of correctional and detention institutions not after what is commonly called a school. The BIA managers are so short-sighted that they fail to the dormitory system a vicious cycle. The dubbed the students ‘Gladiator’ frequently takes students into his private office and beats them into submissiveness for any mistake or simple misconduct. This situation is well known by the staff and students. It has been reported by them many times but: to no avail. The beatings continue with the full knowledge of the authorities even though BIA regulations prohibit this form of punishment. Head shaving is another frequent form of punishment at Intermountain. Scores of students have been subject to this form of punishment. It is common to see students moving around on campus wearing snow caps to conceal their nearly bald heads. One supervisor 3 has a group of students whom he rewards continually who assist him in shaving the heads of other students. On January 28, 1970 because of an It is apparent that the dormitory realize that perpetuates who have been subject to these beatings. | One supervisor in particular who alledged Roger was Beagay caughty “pawns” Mr. refusal by dormitory employees Burnett clippers student he the _ student of a particular white Halseth, and Midget by to do his details, dragged into 1A, the barber shop. Two other were also present, Mr. and Mr. Burnett. Mr. first took out the hair and shaved one side of some property. For about 24 hours the students were questioned on their system works psychological havoc Roger Begay’s head. Then he told on Indian students. Only complete the rest of the students to finish the participation. Some were questioned during this entire period submission to system enable will the ways the of student the to achieve graduation. In the without sleep. The school-offered meantime many students rebel and no legal protection to those become victimized. students who were innocent. As a Beatings of students by the result several innocent students supervisors is a_ fairly common were expelled. Innocent students practice. NIYC has obtained were jailed along with the guilty. numerous statements by students job. The shaving humiliation : caused and 7 him he great became hysterical.- In fact he cried the entire night and: was sent to the hospital for treatment. The following day Roger Begay refused to eat in the dining room and for 30 days he ate at the hospital where (Continued on Page 6) |
