Achievement Gap

Only 17% of Native Americans go to college, and out of this number only one in five stay in college, because Native Americans cannot withstand the emotional, academic, and financial stress of the first year. One third of Native Americans drop out of high school. The most common reason Native Americans gave for dropping out of school was because it was boring. The second most common reason Native Americans gave for dropping out of school was problems with other students.

Sources
http://westvalley.edu/ph/multi/native.html http://www.ehow.com/about_4571626_nativeamerican-education.html http://www.angelfire.com/realm/shades/ nativeamericans/nativeam9.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Native_Americans_in_the_United_States# Society.2C_language.2C_and_culture http://www.naiahedc.org/center.php http://www.nrcprograms.org/site/PageServer? pagename=aief_ss_schoolsupplies http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/ History/TrailofTears/24496/Information.aspx http://www.uintahbasintah.org/papers/ aieducation.pdf http://www.google.com/imgres? q=native+americans+in+nature&um=1&hl=en&qscr l=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS400US406&biw=1 280&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=ENWeWMfNXeAV oM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mahalo.com/nativeamericans/ &docid=W8YVjZeyAiHa2M&imgurl=http:// www.american-indian-artwork.com/images/indianbadlands.jpg&w=600&h=462&ei=x-HeTri MOori0QHK7JCvBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=977&v py=143&dur=406&hovh=197&hovw=256&tx=181& ty=113&sig=107750615688432708755&page=1&tb nh=129&tbnw=170&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429 ,r:6,s:0 http://www.menweb.org/knobbe.htm http://www.google.com/imgres? q=native+americans+shaking+hands&um=1&hl=en &sa=N&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS400U S406&biw=1280&bih=588&tbm=isch&tbnid=FkYbAaNeaeeHM:&imgrefurl=http:// buffalopost.net/%3Ftag%3Dlenape& docid=g42T5WiSwyW63M&imgurl=http:// buffalopost.net/wp-content/uploads/ Church.jpg&w=512&h=338&ei=1feTsiTM8Xf0QGXmJmgBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=2 34&sig=107750615688432708755&page=1&tbnh= 127&tbnw=179&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:1, s:0&tx=119&ty=73 http://www2.nau.edu/jar/AIE/Ind_Ed.html

Native Americans: Slipping Through the Cracks

Historical

Native Americans have consistently been put down by the school setting due to the fact they cannot afford basic supplies such as paper, pencils, and notebooks throughout history. Because Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Native Americans were severely affected. More than four thousand Cherokee Indians lost their lives due to lack of food, serve weather conditions, and disease. This later became known as the Trail of Tears. Native American children were forced to travel for hours across rugged and remote areas to attend school each day. The Cherokee tribes tried to hold onto their land by becoming "American" in customs, language, constitution, and by educating all of their people.

Philosophical

Native Americans believe that there is a division of labor between males and females. Other than that, there is typically no differentiation between sacred and secular, human and animal, or animate and inanimate. Native Americans see all of nature as sacred, and they themselves are one with nature. They do not believe in a metaphysical hierarchy. Native Americans also believe every interaction in the world has religious significance, and they also highly value storytelling and oral tradition. They also highly value individuality.

Sociological

Native Americans are the most over looked, mistreated, and misunderstood race in our education system. The concept of family is something Native Americans value highly. Traditionally, a childs father did not participate in his or her life as much as that childs mothers brother (childs uncle). Earlier on in Americas history, in order for a Native American man to marry a white woman, he had to prove that he could support her and give her a good life. Native Americans believe it is disrespectful to give direct eye contact to someone else, as well as firmly gripping their hand when shaking it.