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CRESCENT CITY – In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Del Norte County Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday extended a 2009 agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California resolving allegations of racial discrimination against Native American students.
The agreement, which has now been extended through August 2017, provides the district with additional time to develop and implement curricula for grades three, four, five, eight, 11 and 12 that teaches about the history, culture and language of the Yurok tribe and to ensure that the curricula meets the Common Core requirements.
“By extending our agreement, district officials have strengthened their commitment to ensuring in future years that Native American students have equal opportunities to achieve educational success,” said Jory Steele, managing attorney and director of education equity for the ACLU of Northern California. “We are confident that the district, along with community members and tribal leaders, will improve the educational outcomes for all of the district’s students.”
The extension of the settlement agreement also provides district officials with additional time to promote a district-wide culture that is welcoming and inclusive of all students and provide professional development to district teachers and staff on cultural competency.
