The Gallup Independent from Gallup, New Mexico • Page 8

Page 8--The Goilup (NM) Independent--April 18, Ramah Navajos Will Open First Indian Controlled High School RAMAH NAVAJO SCHOOL BOARD, members Sam Matinez, Juan Marline, Chavez Coho, a Bertha Lorenzo (left to right, right photo) as well as Bessie Bcgay, the Board's i member, who took, the photo, negotiated with government officials in Washington, D.C. recently, including Tom Sussman, an? aide to Senator Edward Kennedy, (below), for funding for a high school in Ramah. Upon their return to Ra-l mah, they met with BIA Albuquerque area director Walter Olson (above, second from left) whose remarks! were translated by Bailey Henio of Ramah (left). I WILLIAM KING Acling Director for Educational Programs, BIA, (top photo, right) was one of the principal government officials with whom Chovez Coho left, and other members of the Ramah Navojo School Board orronged for BIA support of the first controlled high school in the country. At the end of their Washington stay, the Board received letter from Louis Bruce (lower photo right) Commissioner of Indian Affairs, stating that the BIA would provide funding amounting fo $2,004 per child, RAMAH Tne Navajos of Fiamah are a community of people who have learned through years of experience of petitioning others to do things for them (hat the only way to get a thing done is to do it IhcmseJves.

After two years of pursuing law suits to retain a high school in i community, they have taken matlers into (heir own hands and gotten funding for their own school-the first Indian controlled high school in the nation. The Raman Navajo School Board spent a week in Washington, D.C., and New York City recently talking with government and private foundation officials. They returned with a commitment from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to fund a high school to be run by the Board, and from the Anne Shaker Foundation to help with their fund raising efforts. The BIA's commitment is to fund (he school, which wilt have an estimated enrollment of 150 students, at the rate of 52,001 per student per year. This figure was arrived at by taking an average of the cost of educating a Navajo i school student at an off-reservation boarding school (Intermountain) and at a reservation boarding school Wingate).

Tne Board plans to open the high school in September using the old Gallup-McKinley County High School in Ramah as a temporary site. Mrs. Sam -Martinez, wife of one of (he school board members, has donated 60 acres of land adjacent to the Ramah Chapter House as the site for a permanent school which will be built when construction funds can be secured. The community had been working with DNA since July 19C3 in attempting through the courts (o force the BIA and the Gallup-McKtoley County and Grants Municipal school systems to provide educational facilities and roads in Ramah so that all children could attend a local school. Ramah children had gone fo the Gallup McKinley i school in Ramah, many of them living In the BIA dorm in Ramah.

The dorm has a capacity of ffl students, however, and as the school age population increased, older children were forced out. These either dropped out of school entirely or had to change schools. Those choosing to remain in school had few alternatives Many lived in a Valencia County portion of Ramah and were not serviced by Gallup McKinley County school buses. Therefore, most of those who chose lo slay in school Jida to leave By Jon Bartel Staff Writer home and attend a BIA hoarding school. As the population of i school age children -declined then, Gallup McKinley School Board closed the Rain- ah High School.

A suit brought by Ramah residents to rc-opcn the school was not successful. An amended suit to require the school system to extend its bus routes to serve all Hamah residents was only partially successful, according to Michael Gross a DNA attorney who has been working on the case since July 1968. DNA devoted a lot of attention to the case. Leo Haven until recently Director of Community Education for DNA spent considerable time in Ramah helping people to understand (he law suit and their position. Recently, as the new Director of DNA, he was in Albuquerque to help see Ihe School Board off on its Washington (rip.

Gross, who was assigned to work on the Ramah case on his first day of working for DXA, worked on it until last August with Vard Johnson, DXA's former Deputy Director, Johhson left DNA in'August to assume directorship of a legal services program in Omaha, Neb. Tne suit was finally dismissed this week by District Judge Frank B. Zinn who said he was powerless to force stale school officials lo provide bus transportation for Ramah children. Zinn said, however, thai he thought that statutes limiting busing by reason of cost were unconstitutional and that this and decisions in the courts of olher states would warrant bringing suit in a higher court. Two months ago, however, Ramah residents had already decided to take action outside of the courts to insure a local high school education for their children.

At a long Chapter meeting on Feb. 6, convened lo decide what further action fo lake, most poeple spoke in favor of electing their school board to get independent funding for their own community school. It was decided aiso to take the emphasis of further litigation. A Board was elected at that meeting and incorporation papers were signed. The papers were returned, certified by the State of New Meixco, a same week, giving (he Board official status as a corporation.

Elected lo the board at that meeting were Juan Marfinc, Chapter president, Chavez Coho, Councilman, Bessie Bc- gay, pro-school teacher for ONEO, BcrUia Lorenzo, an ON'EO community development worker, and Sam Martinez, who works for the Grants Municipal school at Ramah. RAMAH NAVAJO Scho Bo mombw Mt, top photo) met BIA Commissioner Louis Bruce during the Board's talks with officials in Washington recently. This week Chovez Coho (loft, middle photo) and other Board members met with consultants Donald Olson (middle) of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial and Michael Gross of DNA. IroDutton, (right, bottom photo) Administrative Manager, Block Rock Agency, BIA, was one of Ihe BIA officials lo attend Tuesday meeting with the Board at the Ramah Chapter House (Washington photos, except where noted, by Donald Olson.

Ramah photos by Jon BortelJ.