Diné leaders demand federal consultation on school policy
TÓ ŁIZHIN, N.M.
The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee on June 26 reaffirmed the Navajo Nation’s sovereign control over its education system and officially responded to a recent outreach effort by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
In a unanimous 14-0 vote, the committee approved Legislation No. 0153-25, introduced by Council Delegate Andy Nez, which calls for direct government-to-government consultation with the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The resolution was adopted in response to the Interior’s April 14 “Dear Tribal Leader” letter and reinforces the Nation’s treaty-based right to consultation.
Federal obligations cannot bypass tribal authority
“The U.S. must meet its existing obligations, which should not unilaterally restructure ‘Indian’ education systems without tribal consultation,” Nez said, quoted in an official statement. “There are legal and moral foundations outlined in treaties, case law, and decades of federal Indian policy.”
The legislation explicitly reaffirms the political classification of the Navajo Nation and its citizens and challenges any attempt by federal agencies to bypass tribal authority in matters concerning tribally controlled and BIE-funded schools across Diné Bikéyah.
Committee members also approved a motion by Delegate Cherilyn Yazzie, directing the Health, Education and Human Services Committee to coordinate with the Department of Diné Education and the Diné Bi Olta School Board Association Inc. to report back within 30 days on any engagement with federal agencies regarding Executive Order 14210 or any related educational restructuring efforts.
To read the full article, please see the July 3, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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