Being A Minority In A Country

17 Pages 4356 Words

1990 census, Native American children had a poverty rate that was second to all the ethnic groups, only when placed next to the African American children (“Economic Status” 35). In “The Melting Pot of the 1990s: ‘Our Past Is a Part of Our Tomorrow’”, Time Giago wrote that “If the rights guaranteed by the treaties had been honored, the American Indian would not be the poorest of the poor in a nation we once owned” (Giago 287). Because Native Americans are so poor being able to find jobs has been top priority, even over education.
Thus, another thing that may be at cause for the Native Americans low economic status could be their current social situation with education. Out of all the major ethnic groups in the United States, Native American students are the least successful in public school. In comparison, only 17% of Native American high school graduates go on to college versus the 62% national average. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) apportions an average of $3,075 per child a year, whereas regular public schools allocate $6,400 per student. Not only are funds in need, so are basic school supplies, such as: desks, chairs, roofs and windows. According to the American Indian Education Foundation (AIEF), nearly 50% of Native American students never finish high school while in other parts of the country the dropout rates of Native American students is 90% or more. In consequence, these factors make them the minority with the highest dropout rate. Other factors playing into the high dropout rates of Native American students are: unstable homes, poverty, no electricity, transportation, irregular attendance, not being unable to read, no challenges are given to the students, not enough exposure to college-prep courses in high school, or they are not writing enough (AIEFporgrams.org). These problems extend farther than home-related issues. They are also related to the work conditions of the reservations. The classrooms on ...