Utah tribes seek to improve economy, education

National
Utah tribes seek to improve economy, education
Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Utah tribes are combating decades of poverty and lack of educational opportunities as they seek to rebuild their futures.

The Paiute Tribe of Utah lost nearly half of its population and 15,000 acres after being terminated. But the tribe is getting back on track with a successful business, Suh'dutsing Technologies, that has earned accolades for its government contracts.

The Ute Tribe, which also lost its mixed-race members to termination, is earning millions from oil and gas development. But the effort has been controversial among tribal members who question the influence of a non-Indian adviser who is paid $62,500 a month.

The Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians is still mired in poverty and unemployment. The tribe's plan to store up to 44,000 tons of nuclear waste on the reservation has been rejected by the Interior Department after years of intense opposition from the state.

"Everybody in Utah has prospered but the American Indian," Forrest Cuch, the executive director of Utah Office of Indian Affairs, says in The Deseret Morning News. "I have a problem with that. It's not fair."

Cuch and others say lack of educational opportunities and discrimination are the main barriers to success. Drop out rates are high and test scores are low for Indian students on and off the reservation.

Get the Story:
A time of change -- Industry plans cause discord in, out of tribes (The Deseret Morning News 9/26)
Meeting student needs presents a challenge (The Deseret Morning News 9/26)
Navajo group proposal focuses on education (The Deseret Morning News 9/26)

Relevant Links:
Utah State Office of Indian Affairs - http://indian.utah.gov