Letters: Language loss result of historical trauma

I am happy for the children speaking their language with the support of their parents.

I was not surprised at the number of those children not able to speak the Navajo language compared to the few that do know how (“‘Speak your language,'” Nov. 2). I wondered if anyone knew how this came about.

The article does not address this. This article triggered trauma that the Navajo people went through when they were forced into the boarding schools to assimilate to the Western society.

Children were not permitted to speak their Native language or they were scolded or punished. They were forced to attend Christian churches and their hair was cut. I’ve seen this with my own eyes. I was there.

My maternal cheii went through the same school; he bought into the whole assimilation thing and gave up on Navajo beliefs and teaching the language.

The government’s ultimate goal was to annihilate Native culture and now you see some of the remnants. Some families escaped the experience. Thank goodness.

Now the tribal government has decided to eliminate Navajo non-speaking or non-fluent citizens to hold presidential office. This is how far the impact the federal government has had on our Navajo people. Reject your own people who were victims of the atrocities from the past (a.k.a. historical trauma).

Sharon Manuelito
Window Rock, Ariz.

It’s not ‘wrong tests,’ it’s bad teaching

In the recent missive titled “Wrong tests being given to Natives” (Letters to the Editor, Nov. 2) there is an incorrect premise stated. The early brain studies on epilepsy patients (Sperry 1960) indicated that when severing the corpus callosum areas of the brain, the two halves ordered thought in specific ways. Most recent research has indicated that there are not two separate and distinct areas of left- or right-brain functioning. The missive is misleading.

The reason you cannot give IQ (WAIS, WISC,) personality tests (MMPI) and/or educational diagnostics to Native Americans and expect the normative data to be as succinct as the standardization sample data already collected is because of cultural bias and not left/right brain functions. This is also true in education settings (WRAT). The test that possibly could be given is the TONI-4 (Test of Non Verbal Intelligence) if looking for IQ scores.

So it appears that the letter attempts to give credence to left/right brain mechanics when the schools are certainly not teaching or focused to developing either brain side. Yes, it would seem that Native American children in school settings who are in more traditional environments have a more spiritual upbringing, however, this is not a right- or left-brain discussion. Moreover, low educational scores are a cultural bias in testing phenomena.

Is there a standardized IQ test for Native American populations? The IQ test (WAIS/ WISC-Psychological Corporation/Pearson) is normed on Anglo, Spanish and Asian populations, so far. They cannot be given to Native Americans with succinct score interpretations. Doing so might produce lower scores than the average 100 index. The “BITCH-100” (Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity/Williams 1972) clearly showed that African American children scored higher than whites. This is cultural bias.

Yes, of course, giving culturally biased test to any population is incorrect and unprofessional unless engaged in research. This has little to do with left- or right-brain studies.

In the context of “educational diagnostics” a “solid” and “great” educator does not use tests against individuals or populations but to advance and facilitate when scores are low. The psychometrist looks for “performance indices.” The trained and skilled psychometrist, counselor, educator and clinician should know how to interpret scores and understand cultural bias in testing.

The excessive remediation that is seen at the college and university level speaks to the delivery of the educational product at the K-12 level. This is in all areas, math, English, sciences. The college and/or university now has to “overteach.” This has nothing to do with left- or right-brain populations. As if you could find such a thing.

The amount of remediation a student needs to succeed at the college level certainly indicates how well the K-12 system is functioning. Ideally, a well-educated student should not have to enter the university environment through 9- to 15-plus hours of remediation.

What was the “wrong test” administration that the article speaks of? I am seeing inability to write clearly composed English papers (APA style). Does today’s student know of Plato’s Republic, Faust, Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, Chaucer, Mein Kampf, Koran, Bhagavad Gita or the Communist Manifesto? World humanities?

It is teaching and the delivery of the educational product and not left- or right-brain testing that is the issue.

Christopher A. Jones
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology and Counseling
Navajo Technical University
Crownpoint, N.M.

Please help me find my father

My name is Leticia Barton. I am in search of my biological father, whom I have never met, but my mother told me about him before she passed away in October 2015 from breast cancer.

My mother’s name was Rena Vaughn. Her maiden name is Nells, which would have been her name when she was with my father back in the mid 70s. My family is from the Cedar Springs area, which is near the Dilkon community. My father was working in Albuquerque back in the mid 70s when he met my mother. I don’t have much information but I know my father is from the Shiprock area. My aunt Rose told me when I was a baby they had gone to Shiprock, so my father could see me, but they were unable to find him at the home they had gone to.

My mother was in her early 20s when she conceived me and I am not sure if my father is older or younger than her, but I know he was with my mother, Rena Nells, in Albuquerque, where she was attending school at Lamson College. I have never met my father and have thought about finding him before, but I never followed through. My mother told me that he could be living in the area of Chinle, or surrounding areas as well or possibly Shiprock.

This has been very important to me since my mother has passed away. I have also lost my adopted father tragically and I would really like to know who my father is. I have two daughters who are also fatherless since their dad was killed 12 years ago and this has become a very important task that I am trying to achieve, not only for myself but for my children as well.

I know there is a possibility that I may not find him or he may choose not to be contacted, but I have to at least try and do my best to see if I can find him. I owe that to myself.

I don’t have much information about him, but he lived in Shiprock, and was with my mother Rena Nells in the mid 70s. I was born Nov. 12, 1975, and am turning 42 soon.

I would love the opportunity to obtain some assistance in locating him. I am hoping you can help me. I have been through so many tragedies in my life, but I am a strong single mother who loves my kids and supports them in all they do. I would love to meet my father, not only for myself, but also for my kids.

I am pleading with you to please help me to try and locate my father. I would greatly appreciate any help you can give me. My contact information is 602-632-8726 and my email address is lety_200@yahoo.com.

Leticia Barton
Cedar Springs, Ariz.

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