Opinion

Editorial: Investigate Navajo trip to NIEA in Hawaii

Friday, November 30, 2007

"It is sad but appropriate that a federal investigation is under way to explain why the Navajo Nation's government leaders and school administrators traveled in such large numbers to Hawaii using money so desperately needed by Navajo schoolchildren and teachers.

The Daily Times reported on Nov. 3 that at least 362 representatives of the Navajo tribe, from legislators to school board members, preregistered to attend the National Indian Education Association conference during October in Honolulu. Since all had to pay a fee of at least $400, and based on comments from participants of the conference, that many and dozens more are believed to have attended.

The cost for each traveler was between $1,500 and $2,500 for flights, hotels, meals, registration and what we'll call "various other expenses." This according to cost figures already obtained by the newspaper. Unfortunately, there are many travelers who will not return our calls or our letters requesting specific information until required to do so by law.

Perhaps that is because most of them traveled at the expense of the taxpayer, or at the expense of Navajo tribal money, or more importantly at the expense of schoolchildren who needed this money for better schools, books and programs."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Accountability' welcomes this federal investigation (The Farmington Daily Times 11/30)

Relevant Links:
National Indian Education Association - http://www.niea.org