After summarizing my latest research with Sean Lessard yesterday, I was surprised to see the following article in the Calgary Herald today (July 23, 2013)

The Article, Past abuse haunt education debate – Bands want to take control of schools is about a  the the Assembly of First Nation’s unanimous motion to oppose a framework for a First Nation Education Act. The assembly opposes the framework based on:

• Steven Harper’s 2008 residential school apology.

•  Denial of first nations languages and cultures

• Failure of: First Nation control over Education/ Applying successful lessons learned by First Nations/ address funding issues

However – the part that really resonated with me from the article is:

When Nippissing Univeristy President Michael DeGagne spoke to the Whitehorse assembly, he described misunderstandings between non-native and native leaders.

“Aboriginal people are not saying, ‘Give us control of our education,’ because they want control,” he said in an interview later.

“They are asking for control so they can have better outcomes.”

DeGagne stressed repeatedly that doing so did not mean lowering standards, something he said is feared by non-native policy-makers.

“It just means educating in a different way,” he said in the interview. “The way aboriginal people look at the world is not second-rate, and we have to give ourselves credit for that.”

He said consultation really needs to come from openness from both parties.

“We have to consult from a place that is almost a blank piece of paper,” he said.

“It’s different from saying, ‘Look, this is my framework I’d appreciate if you’d sign it.'”

Retrieved from: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Shadow+past+abuses+lingers+over+First+Nations+education+debate/8688351/story.html

As I described yesterday in my post, elders and leaders directly from the reserves are asking Sean “how” to integrate indigenous knowledge and provincial curriculum. I’m hoping what we are developing can lead to future support for our indigenous learners.