Indian ed plan goes before special committee

RONAN — At a Ronan school board meeting Monday night the board voted to move the second reading of the Indian Education Plan to a special session so it can be reviewed by a special committee of board members, Indian education coordinators and Tribal parents.

When it was motioned to have the first reading to update policy #4150 (Indian Policies and Procedures) to be reviewed by the special committee, board member Jason Adams suggested that it would be appropriate for the committee to review the IEP as well in accordance with #4150. As it stands, IEP will undergo further evaluation.

The Ronan school board and the Indian Education Committee have attended several mediation sessions together since the April 11 school board meeting, when friction arose between the two organizations when the board voted to keep the IEP draft at first reading. The mediations served to strengthen communication between the board and the IEC and to see where they match on issues.

Also discussed at the meeting was the request to rename Pablo Elementary School to Michel Pablo Elementary School, in honor of "an important community member that played a pivotal role in history that will forever impact all Americans" as read as item six in the IEP draft.

Adams commented that Pablo Elementary has never been formally named and that the agenda was wrong in calling the action item a request to "rename" the school.

"If anything this is a clarification of its name," Adams said.

Board chairwoman Joel Conklin noted that the handbook states that only under extraordinary circumstances can a school be renamed.

"I think what what we have here today are extraordinary circumstances," replied Indian Education Coordinator Julie Cajune. "I think we fail to see that we are making history as we are living it."

It was argued that the policy could be easily interpreted to allow for the name change.

Clayton Matt asked what was the significant event that led to the name K. William Harvey.

Another attendee requested that each individual member give their opinion on the name change.

Conklin responded saying that she wasn't sure that the children would know who Michel Pablo was just like many children don't know who K. William Harvey is.

It was voted 4 to 3 against the name change.

In other school board news

? The Ronan school district was one of 32 districts from across the entire country singled out for recognition by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control for its initiative to encourage healthier nutrition.

? The board approved the Montana E-Learning Consortium allowing students to be able to take online courses this fall.

? After some debate, the board voted to remove several chapters from the new business law text book that deal with the finances of divorce. The board felt that the subject was inappropriate for high school students.