Federal law says Native American children belong in Native American foster homes, except in the most extreme circumstances. Despite that law, the number of children in South Dakota who are pulled out of their culture and kept in white homes hasn’t changed much since the law was passed almost 35 years ago.

There are lots of reasons given for why Native children — at a high rate — are sent to white foster homes. There are not enough approved and available Native American foster homes on the list, for starters.

Numbers don’t lie. If 80 percent to 90 percent of Native children are being placed in white homes, clearly the spirit of the law isn’t being followed. And we’re falling short of our duty as a state to children who deserve safe care and should remain in a home where they can share their culture.