Image via Wikipedia
Quote from Larry Echohawk:“We have also made strides in improving the delivery of education to Indian country, both within the BIE’s 183 schools and two universities that serve more than 42,000 Indian students, and within the traditional public school system that serves 95 percent of Indian students”.
Really, Mr.Echohawk ? Ninety one percent of Haskell Indian Nations University students in Lawrence, Kansas are not graduating, crimes are high for such a small campus, and when Dr. Linda Sue Warner was detailed off of The Haskell campus, leadership at Haskell went with her. Since, then, on almost a week by week, basis, Haskell has had new “Acting administers” and we are using that term loosely.
Quote from Larry Echohawk:“Improved public safety in Indian country is important to establish a climate where students can focus on their education and economic growth can take root. That is why we launched the most aggressive recruiting and hiring effort for BIA officers in history, to bridge the serious gap in officer staffing in Indian country”.
Improved public safety in Indian Country, should that not include Haskell Indian Nations University? The very university that Mr. Echohawk is in charge of ? Or do American Indian students not count? Haskell’s safety officer, Debra Thompson is now gone from Haskell, her talents and skills lost to Haskell, forever. Is there now yet another acting???
Mr. Echohawk’s big tears and promises of help for Haskell apparently had no true meaning. What has he done for Haskell and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI)? Detailed of one the best President’s Haskell Indian Nations University ever had, along with one of it’s best safety officers’ and teachers like Dr. Russell Blackbird, let graduation rates plumb it to almost zero, students are being raped and one even put into a coma, put Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn in charge of The Bureau of Indian schools.
Let Southwestern Indian Polytechnic lose their accreditation!
Mr. Echohawk and Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn cut loose a lot of Haskell’s best employees and held on to a lot of the not so good ones, including it’s Board of Regents speared headed by George Tiger (for more information on Mr.Tiger go to: The voices of Courage .com) a lot of the board members (not all) only hold two years degrees, if that, and have been sitting this board for many years.
What do they do? Their traveling expenses to come to Haskell are paid for by Haskell, along with lodging and board (can some empty dorm rooms not to found for them? Can they not eat at Cutis)? They are paid for their time there and ran to Wal-Mart by Haskell employees. All the while crying to The Haskell students, Haskell has no money!
What does Haskell’s Board of Regents do for the Haskell students? Take away four year degree programs and sometimes ride on a float….too bad they don’t just float off of the Haskell campus.
Who put Larry Echohawk in charge? Oh, yes, President Barack Obama, we would like to thank him too.
How big is a mess, when U.S. Senators have to become involved and try to clean it up?
By the way we sincerely want to thank Senator Pat Roberts who continues trying to clean up Larry Echohawk’s and Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn’s mess.
Keep crying Mr. Echohawk…your tears mean nothing anymore.
Larry Echohawk’s quotes and full article can be found at: http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/Restoring-the-trust-
haskellnews commentary
October 30, 2010.
Haskellnews Commentary Blog 