The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1989-02-08

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MCLU complaints   2
Indian leaders propose school
district for Indians in Twin Cities
St Paul, Minn. (AP)- A group of American Indian educators will
ask the Minnesota Legislature for $2 million to establish an
Indian-controlled school district in the Twin Cities area.
The 15-member Indian School Council, which was created last year
by the Legislature to investigate the need for an Indian-controlled
school, said Thursday the $2 million will start a school to serve the
Twin Cities area's approximately 3,000 Indian students.
Council members said such a school is necessary because public
education has failed American Indians in Minnesota and around the
country.
"The dismal statistics cry out for a new approach," said Donald
Allery, council chairman and a consultant to the Red Lake Chippewa
band.
According to the council's report, American Indians have the lowest
graduation rate in Minnesota, with about half of Indian ninth-grade
students continuing through high school to graduation.
The average graduation rate for white Minnesota students is more than
90 percent.
By contrast, the council reported that Indian-controlled schools on
reservations in Wisconsin and Arizona and an Indian magnet public
school in Buffalo, N.Y., have reduced dropout rates and increased
graduation rates.
Enrollment in a Twin Cities Indian-controlled school would be
voluntary and non-Indian students would be welcome, the group said.
The school would open by the fall of 1990.
The school's location is not set, but the site is expected to be in either
Minneapolis or St Paul. Minnesota's American Indian population is 58
percent urban; 45 percent of the urban American Indians live in the
Twin Cities area, the group reported.
The $2 million would pay for the two-year start-up costs, the group
said. The district would receive funding thereafter through state aid
formulas in a way similar to the state's open enrollment policy, Allery
said.
Audit: irregularities in Nett
Lake school district property
St. Paul (AP)- A gas dryer, color television set and videocassette
recorder purchased with Nett Lake school district money were found in
the home of Superintendent Dennis Angell, according to an audit report
by State Auditor Ame Carlson.
Carlson said Friday that his auditors became suspicious during their
regular annual financial and compliance audit that irregularities
involving the accountability, safeguarding and possible misuse of
school assets had occurred.
A separate investigation was launched, he said, and auditors and
officers from the Virginia Police Department recovered the three pieces
of property from Angell's residence in Virginia after obtaining a search
warrant.
"We conclude that Mr. Angell, without legal authority and without the
knowledge and consent of the School Board, used school funds to
purchase for personal use the previously listed items," Carlson said in a
letter to Julie Whitmore of Nett Lake, chairperson of the school board.
Carlson encouraged the school board to "take immediate and
appropriate disciplinary action."
Whitmore said in a telephone interview, "I have no comment."
As required by law, Carlson said he was forwarding a copy of the
report to the St. Louis County attorney.
Angell's telephone line was busy during several attempts to contact
him for comment Friday. *
Nett Lake is about 70 miles northwest of Virginia in northern
Minnesota. The school district operates classes for about 120 children in
kindergarten through die sixth grade, according to the report.
Minnesota Individual Income
Tax change for Native Americans
According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Minnesota
Indians living on a reservation and earning income from sources both on
and off the reservation, must fill out schedule M-1NR to make sure they
pay tax only on income earned from sources off the reservation.
For forms and further information, call 296-3781 (metro area) or
1-800-652-9094 (elswhere in Minnesota).
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Founded in 1988
Copyright, the Ojibwe News, 1989
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Februarys, 1989
i
A Weekly Publication
Despite the recent cold weather, more than 2,000 people attended the BSU Council of Indian Students'
16th Annual Traditional Pow Wow this past weekend. The Sunday evening feast also drew a fairly large
crowd of about 1,500 people. Twenty-two drum groups and 300 dancers were in attendance to perform
for the crowd. Photo by Mark Boswell
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
Jourdain's
tax trial
delayed for
third time
By William Lawrence
Publisher
The News recently learned that the
tax trial of Red Lake tribal chairman, Roger A. Jourdain, has been
delayed for the third time and is now
scheduled for mid-May in Duluth,
Minn.
Phone calls by the News to Brent
Peterson, Minnesota tax court
administrator, and Tom O'Hearn,
Minnesota assistant attorney general,
received inconsistent replies as to
the reason for thev delay.
Initially, O'Hearn said the
rescheduled date was set by the
court to fit into their calendar, and
that there was no other reason for
the delay.
But when the News called
Peterson, he said that the delay was
made at the request of the parties for
their convenience. He also told the
News to call the Attorney General's
office and tell them that the trial
could be set within the next few
days if they are ready to try the car,i.
Upon calling O'Hearn h j<^- fV>e
then stated that he, and Jouidam>''&
attorney James Bodin, were still
trying to define the issues to avoid
calling so many witnesses.
According to State of Minnesota
tax court documents, Jourdain is
charged with owing the state
$81,000 in back taxes, penalties and
interest for allegedly failing to file
state income tax returns from 1979
to 1985; coinciding with the tithe he
apparently moved of the reservation.
Jourdain was originally schedule
to appear in court on the matter Oct.
11, 1988. However, Jourdain was
hospitalized in Bemidji for an
apparent heart attack at the time.
The trial was then rescheduled for
D^c. 20, 1988, but again, the trial
was rescheduled.
The News was unable to learn
whether Jourdain has been assessed
accrue interest on the tax debt since
Jan. 1987, or whether he filed
returns for 1986 and 1987.
Accusations linger after changeover at Pine Point School
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By Mark Boswell
Assistant Editor
Spelling assignments, math
quizzes and homework are the
important worries that should be
considered during this seemingly
never-ending winter. But, at Pine
Point School, unfounded accusations
and finger-pointing seem to be the
rule of the day.
At least, that is, for the adults.
The Pine Point School in Ponsford
is again in turmoil after allegations
of misallocation of funds, lack of
proper procedures in carrying out
school business, and changes in
staffing.
These allegations have been made
public in a series of letters to the
Pine Point School Board and the
Ponsford community by Jerome M.
Buckanaga and Erma J. Vizenor.
Buckanaga left his position as
principal of the Pine Point School
after allegations that he mismanaged
the school and supposedly went on
"a spree of destruction". These
allegations, directed at him by
Vizenor, graduate student at Harvard
University in Cambridge, Mass. and
current School Administrator, were
made by her in a letter sent to the
Pine Point School Board and the
general community dated Jan. 27.
Buckanaga argues that these
allegations are shrouding the truth in
the matter. "I think she's.blowing.a
lot of smoke in doing this," said
Buckanaga in a telephone interview
Monday. Buckanaga's attorney,
Ralph Smith, had sent out a letter to
the community the previous week
illustrating his (Buckanaga's)
position in the argument. Other
employees at the school agree with
Buckanaga.
Buckanaga left his position as
Principal of Pine Point School in
Ponsford as of January 20. He is
now the Director of the Red School-
House in St. Paul, another school
designed for the educational needs
of Native American children.
Vizenor, was hired as the Pine
Point School Administrator in
August of 1984. She is currently on
sabbatical leave and is attending
Harvard University.
School Board member Albert
 ■■■■■■■    •" »«I"a»s».»sssss.s.aaaaaaassi
"All it sounds to
me is like a bunch
of egos ... trying to
pull weight. My
concern Is the
school, the kids in
that school, and the
people who work
there."
-Vem WoK. acting principal
Basswood Jr. stated that a complete
review will occur after the school
year is out in May. He also stated
that, according to records, the school
should have enough money to
complete the current 1988-1989
school year.
Buckanaga alleges that renovation
work done on the north end of the
old Pine Point School was done
without the proper consent and
procedures set down in school
guidelines.
According to figures made
available by Vizenor, the renovation
project, which took three phases,
was accomplished for $17,436.43,
and was completely accounted for.
Her letter explained that bids were
requested from two contractors, but
only one replied. Employees at the
school stated that the contractors
employed in the work project were
close relatives of Vizenor.
Buckanaga said that, despite the
documentation that Vizenor
provided in her open letter, the work
was done without proper consent of
the school board. "Sealed bids must
be taken for anything over $15,000,
this wasn't done. It was also done
without the (school) board's okay."
Some confusion seems to lie in the
fact that bidding may, or may not
have been necessary in the first
place for such a project.
Buckanaga further stated that
Vizenor had been implemental in
hiring Vem Wolf as acting principal
of the school. "Wolf isn't at all
qualified for the position," said
Buckanaga. George B. Droubie,
Education Director at the Minnesota
Department of Education agrees
with Buckanga. In a letter dated
February 2, he stated, "Mr. Vern
Wolf is not licenced or approved to
serve as an elementary principal."
Wolf defends his position as
acting principal at the school by
stating, "I'm not trying to hide
anything here. We're having a hard
time just filling positions here at the
school. We did document the
'Hardship Clause' in this. And all
we're doing is trying to keep the
school running until June when our
budget comes up in the legislature."
"We're just trying to help the
school survive," added Wolf.
Basswood stated that Wolf can
School carries on at Pine Point,
legally be considered the principal
because of the "Hardship
Exemptions" outlined in a list of
information pertaining to
administrative licensure that was
made available by Droubie.
District III Representative to the
RTC, Dan Stevens, said the Tribal
Council is behind whatever
decisions the Pine Point School
Board makes in their future
decisions concerning the school. He
also added, "there will be no take
over of the school (by the RTC)".
The Pine Point School has a long
history  of problems  in  the
management and accountability of
its operation. According to the
Detroit Lakes Tribune, in April of
1982 the Pine Point School Board
members Brent Gish, Vernon
Bellecourt, and Warren Warren
reviewed a report made by the
Office of the State Auditor. Among
other things, the report states that,
"Previous school director Jerome M.
Buckanaga used school funds for the
purchase of a van, vehicle repair and
insurance, car rentals, and the
payment of "personal obligations."
According to the Tribune article,
dated  April   15,   1982,   "He
Photo by Mark Boswell
(Buckanaga) also accepted salary
advances that were not fully
reimbursed, according to the 14 page
audit report which was read by
Lloyd Voerding, who conducted the
audit."
Vizenor and Buckanaga seem to
agree only upon the fact that the
children must be educated.
"All it sounds to me is like a bunch
of egos . . . trying to pull weight,"
said Wolf, "My concern is the
school, the kids in that school, and
the people who work there."
Vizenor was unavailable for
comment.
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