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How Yazzie-Martinez v. NM Highlights Inequities in Public Education for Indigenous Students and Underscores the Need for Critical Literacy Education

Luminous Literacies

ISBN: 978-1-80043-453-0, eISBN: 978-1-80043-452-3

Publication date: 6 September 2021

Abstract

Indigenous education in New Mexico has a long and disappointing history, but with current movements in the reformation of a more equitable system, there is hope for a constitutionally sound and appropriate education for New Mexico's students. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a historical overview of the New Mexico Indian Education Act of 2003 and examine the scope of this state legislation in the 2018 court decision in Yazzie/Martinez vs. the State of New Mexico. This court ruling has directly affected schools and students in New Mexico. Specifically, there are legal and operational ramifications to school districts and implications for curricular and classroom decisions that address inequities in public education for vulnerable student populations. To provide context, I share my testimony as a witness in the legal proceedings. I also argue that curricular development opportunities in critical literacy and critical awareness for education practitioners will prove to be important responses to the findings of the lawsuit. I share findings from qualitative research on the implementation of the New Mexico Indian Education Act prior to the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit and the resulting changes to the legislation resulting from the court findings.

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Citation

Martinez, N. (2021), "How Yazzie-Martinez v. NM Highlights Inequities in Public Education for Indigenous Students and Underscores the Need for Critical Literacy Education", Rice, M.F. and Dallacqua, A.K. (Ed.) Luminous Literacies (Advances in Research on Teaching, Vol. 36), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 205-221. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-368720210000036017

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

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