Save Oregon Senate Bill 13- Tribal Literacy

Save Oregon Senate Bill 13- Tribal Literacy

Your voice is urgently needed:

Senate Bill 13, Tribal Literacy (SB 13) is languishing in committee. Take action today to encourage lawmakers to give SB 13 the hearing it deserves.

SB 13 directs the Department of Education to develop curriculum relating to Native American experience in Oregon and to provide professional development related to curriculum. SB13 would directly help Oregon’s Native AND non-native students by ensuring accurate and respectful curriculum that combats stereotypes and empowers young people to become civic leaders.

Supporters of this bill include the State Board of Education, Oregon Department of Education, the Government to Government Education Cluster, the Oregon Indian Education Association, the National Indian Education Association, and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. However, since its initial introduction in January by Governor Kate Brown and Chief Education Officer Lindsey Caps, SB13 has lost steam- but it’s not too late.

Oregon’s lawmakers value our input, and need to hear/read our encouragement to schedule an official hearing to keep this bill alive. For more information on the SB13 Coalition visit their site or watch this informative video by the Western States Center.

How you can help:

Write a letter, call, or email Oregon Lawmakers, encouraging them to schedule a hearing for SB13:

Suggested Script:

Hello Representative __________________________ or Senator _________________________,

My name is ________________________ and I am a resident of XX County, Oregon.

I am calling to urge you to move hear SB 13 because:

· Young students in our community have had countlessnegative experiences due to a K-12 curriculum that lacks accurate and balanced facts about Oregon’s first people and their descendants.

· It is our responsibility to teach the culture, traditions, and contributions as well as the impact of non-Native settlement, forced relocation, and systemic oppression which exists to this day.

· It is vital to the success of our young students, both Native and non-Native, to tell the true story of the history of Oregon and its impact on modern day Native peoples.

I support the direction of the Department of Education to develop curriculum relating to Native American experience in Oregon and to provide professional development related to curriculum with input and approval from local tribal and Native communities.

Add a personal story:

· Tell about a time when you had a negative experience with the public school curriculum

· Tell about a time with a student or client of yours

· Tell about an offensive public school activity your child/a student experienced

· Generally, why is it important to you, personally

Final Ask:

Can I count on Representative _____________ or Senator ________________ to get a hearing scheduled on this critical issue?

ALWAYS thank them for their time!

Now is your time to help ensure that Oregon’s public school curriculum is accurate and incorporates Native voices, histories, and sovereignty. Please take two minutes to call or write in by Wednesday, July 21st! Moving forward, updates on SB13 status can be found on the SB13 Coalition’s Facebook page here.

June 19, 2017 2:50 pm | Published by | Categorized as: