The Yazzie Case: Building a Public Education System for Our Indigenous Future

The Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit highlighted the inadequate education provided to Native American students in New Mexico, revealing a system with poor policy implementation, funding, and reform. This collection of essays provides insight into the lawsuit's background and impact, emphasizing the need for transformative change to address the systemic challenges faced by Native American students in the state's public education system.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2023
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press

The story of Wilhelmina Yazzie and her son's struggle to obtain a decent education in New Mexico schools exposed an educational system plagued by poor policy implementation, inadequate funding, and piecemeal educational reform. The 2018 ruling in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit confirmed what has long been known: the educational needs of Native American students were not being met.

In this remarkable collection of essays, the contributors delve into the background and significance of the lawsuit and its profound impact on racial and social politics. The Yazzie Case serves as a vital resource for educators, policy analysts, attorneys, professors, and students seeking to understand the deeply entrenched racism and colonial barriers that continue to impact all Native American students in New Mexico's public schools. It offers a transformative vision and advocates for fundamental change to address the systemic challenges plaguing Native American students in New Mexico's public education system.

Contributors to this collection include Georgina Badoni, Cynthia Benally, Rebecca Blum Martínez, Nathaniel Charley, Melvatha R. Chee, Shiv Desai, Donna Deyhle, Terri Flowerday, Wendy S. Greyeyes, Alex Kinsella, Lloyd L. Lee, Tiffany S. Lee, Nancy López Hondo, Louis (photographer), Glenabah Martinez, Natalie Martinez, Jonathan Nez, Carlotta Penny Bird, Preston Sanchez, Karen C. Sanchez-Griego, Christine Sims, Leola Tsinnajinnie Paquin, Vincent Werito, and Wilhelmina Yazzie.

The Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit was a landmark legal case that challenged the inadequate education provided to Native American students in New Mexico. The lawsuit was filed in 1974 by Wilhelmina Yazzie, a Navajo mother, and her son, Pedro, who were both enrolled in the Navajo Nation's schools. The Yazzies claimed that the schools were underfunded, overcrowded, and lacked qualified teachers, and that their children were subjected to discrimination and prejudice.

After years of legal battles, the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit was finally settled in 2018. The settlement provided $500 million in funding for the Navajo Nation's schools, which was used to improve infrastructure, hire more teachers, and provide additional resources to students. The ruling also recognized the right to education as a fundamental human right for Native American students, and it set a precedent for other lawsuits challenging educational inequality in other states.

The impact of the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit was far-reaching. It brought attention to the systemic racism and colonial barriers that have plagued Native American students for generations. It also highlighted the need for transformative change in the education system to address the educational needs of Native American students.

The lawsuit has inspired other Native American communities to fight for better education for their children. It has led to the creation of organizations such as the Native American Rights Fund and the National Indian Education Association, which work to advocate for Native American students and promote educational reform.

In conclusion, the story of Wilhelmina Yazzie and her son's struggle to obtain a decent education in New Mexico schools exposed an educational system plagued by poor policy implementation, inadequate funding, and piecemeal educational reform. The 2018 decision in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit proved what has always been known: the educational needs of Native American students were not being met. The Yazzie Case provides essential reading for educators, policy analysts, attorneys, professors, and students to understand the historically entrenched racism and colonial barriers impacting all Native American students in New Mexico's public schools. It constructs a new vision and calls for transformational change to resolve the systemic challenges plaguing Native American students in New Mexico's public education system.

Weight: 574g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826365095