By Acee Agoyo
•
WEBCAST: Investigating the Health and Safety Risks of Native Children at BIE Boarding Schools
The
Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States is focusing on the health and safety risks at Indian boarding schools at a hearing on Thursday afternoon.
The
Bureau of Indian Education directly operates four boarding schools. But almost all of the scrutiny will be on
Chemawa Indian School in Oregon, where former staff and parents say children live in conditions that have contributed to suicide, substance abuse and other health and safety issues.
"Chemawa does not feel the need to inform parents of mental or behavioral health conditions," Beatrice Willis, whose son, Marshall Everett Friday II, died in May 2017, two weeks after graduating from the school, states in her written testimony.
"All other schools in the nation, besides those run by BIE, are required to inform parents of their children’s mental or behavioral health issues if they are known by the school but unknown to the parents," Willis said.
Besides Willis, the subcommittee will hear from another parent, Treasa Keith. She lost her daughter,
Melissa Abell, in December 2014 at Chemawa.
"No more of our children should die due to negligence of the schools!" Keith states in her written testimony.
Two former teachers are also testifying. Celeste Karzon, who is a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community, says she was "personally unsettled and uncomfortable" during her time at Chemawa.
"I was particularly disturbed by how little student well-being and safety was emphasized," Karzon states. "School culture was broken or absent."
The hearing takes place at 2:30pm Eastern in Room 1334 of the Longworth House Office Building. It will be
webcast by the subcommittee.
The full witness list follows:
Panel 1:
Ms. Celeste Karzon, Former Teacher, Chemawa Indian School
Ms. Beatrice Willis, Parent of former student Marshall Friday, Chemawa Indian School
Ms. Treasa Keith, Parent of former student Melissa Abell, Chemawa Indian School
Ms. Joy O’Renick, Former Teacher, Chemawa Indian School
Panel 2:
Mr. Mark Cruz, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Interior, Indian Affairs for Policy and Economic Development
Ms. Sonya Moody Jurado, Former Chair, Chemawa School Board
Ms. Tiyana Casey, Youth Advocate, Native American Youth and Family Center
Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Notice
Investigating the Health and Safety Risks of Native Children at BIE Boarding Schools
(May 16, 2019)
Note: Thumbnail photo of Chemawa Indian School from
U.S. Library of Congress
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