House Approves Nolan Amendment for Tribal Schools

Press Release

By unanimous voice vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today approved U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan's amendment to H.R. 5 -- the Student Success Act -- putting Congress on record that Indian children will not have to attend school in buildings that are dilapidated and dangerous.

Nolan's amendment received bipartisan support, with House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline from Minnesota's 2nd District speaking in support of the measure on the House Floor. The National Education Association (NEA) also gave their endorsement, and Congresswoman Betty McCollum from Minnesota's 4th District cosponsored the amendment, among others.

In his remarks on the House Floor, Nolan invoked the plight of Minnesota's Bug O Nay Ge Shig School on the Leech Lake reservation. This school is housed in an old pole building and suffers from severe structural problems.

"The Bug O Nay Ge Shig School is cold and drafty in winter, hot in summer, and unfit for children and teachers in any season," Nolan said. "Students endure rodent and bat infestations, roof leaks and holes, mold and fungus, a faulty air system, uneven floors, poor lighting, sewer problems, and dangerous electrical configurations."

Nolan went on to say:

"The Federal Government has an obligation to fund and maintain these schools. It's time to honor that obligation and send the message to our students in Indian Country that their education and their success in life are important to all of us -- and forcing them to go to school in facilities in utter disrepair simply does not send that message."

Nolan explained that while he opposes the overall Student Success Act because it ensures that despite recent cuts, inflation and growing enrollment, federal education funding will drop below 2012 levels by 2021, his amendment nonetheless constitutes a critical part of Congress's effort to build and maintain the trust relationship between the Federal Government and the Indian people.

"This amendment puts the Congress of the United States on the record with its commitment to ensure that Indian children do not have to attend schools that are falling apart," Nolan said. "However, the Student Success Act is strongly opposed among teachers and the academic community, and would need significant improvement before I could lend my full support to the measure."

According to the Department of the Interior, there are 63 schools nationwide funded by the Bureau of Indian Education that are listed in Poor Condition. Students and faculty throughout these schools face serious health and safety risks every day, thus perpetuating lower graduation rates and difficulties retaining qualified educators.

"Good schools deliver a message to students that their education is valued and important," Nolan said. "No child should have to endure deteriorating school rooms to get an education in the United States of America."

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