Hatfield dissapointed with American Indian education bill

The Daily World, Aberdeen, Wash.

Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, expressed deep concern over a bill passed in the senate on Thursday that requires school districts in the state to incorporate tribal history into their curriculums, saying the bill leaves out key aspects of American Indian

history.

Senate Bill 5433 requires districts to include the history of 29 federally recognized Indian tribes, but doesn't include lessons on tribes that are not acknowledged by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Hatfield offered an amendment to the bill that would have included the history of tribes that still seek federal recognition, such as the Chinook Indian Nation, but it was not adopted and the measure passed the Senate on a 42-7 vote.

"The Chinook people and their history should not be silenced," Hatfield sad. "They are rightfully proud of their heritage and should be part of any comprehensive look at tribal history in our classrooms."

Sen. Brian Dansel, R-Republic, spoke in favor of Hatfield's amendment, saying he studied the Chinook language as a high school student in northeast Washington.

"It was historical enough to study back then and I don't understand why it's not now," Dansel said.

In a letter to legislators, Chinook Tribal Elder Gary Johnson urged lawmakers in Olympia to include the tribe's history in the state's official Native American curriculum.

"By excluding the Chinook from telling our history, culture and traditions, much of the story of early contact and the fight for survival will not be told," said Johnson. "Who will tell the story if not the Chinook? During the last 35 years, we have had a major project of recording our story. No one else has this information. This story began long before Robert Gray in 1792 and also includes the story of Lewis and Clark."