Blog Post #1 An Indian Father's Plea

Robert Lake
An Indian Father's Plea



The picture is of the baby basket that Wind-Wolf was placed in where he learned much of his priceless cultural knowledge.

Think Piece:
 I think that this piece written by Robert Lake is of importance to all teachers. While this piece talks specifically about the troubles Native American students face in schools, it can also be applied to all diversity groups. Lake is attempting to make the teacher realize something very important; that knowledge can not be defined, while some define knowledge as being able to add 3+7 quickly, others define knowledge as being able to "count more than 40 different kinds of birds" (Lake 157).
And consequently, the knowledge that every student comes into a classroom with is based upon a variety of outer effects, one of which is culture. Lake is trying to make teachers understand that simply because one student's culture, and knowledge from that culture, does not meet the knowledge and culture of his new learning environment, does not de-value the student, nor his knowledge.
What is worse than not accepting other's knowledge, values, and culture is looking down upon them because of it. The other students who were bullying Wind-Wolf were at just as much fault as the teacher is for not accepting Wind-Wolf's talent. Discriminating against someone for their differences instead of appreciating their worldliness is such a crime, and it is even more saddening when it is beginning at such a young age. I worked at a Polis Deli all throughout high school, and the family was first generation immigrants to the US. The owner's son, a second generation citizen, had grown up speaking Polish, eating Polish food, going to Polish culture classes on Saturdays and attending special Polish events at the cultural center. When he was 6 and 7 years old, he had no problem speaking in Polish or English, was proud of his culture and loved to eat pierogi's and kielbasa sandwiches (traditional Polish dishes). Now, upon entering a new school with all American cultured students, he rarely speaks in Polish and much prefers English, he no longer eats Polish food and much prefers chicken nuggets and always asks to skip Polish school on Saturday. When asked why he like to be like his classmates, he says it is because his friends used to say he talked funny, and that the food he ate was gross, and always wanted to play on Saturdays and he could never go. This seems exactly like the type of thing that is happening to Wind-Wolf in this piece.
Instead of people, especially children, discriminating against others for their differences, we should be intrigued by other cultures and celebrate those differences, because without them, the world would be a very boring place.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/living/cnnphotos-red-road-native-americans/