Shinnecock Tribal member Germain Smith has been selected to join an advisory council of Indigenous leaders formed by the New York State Department of Education. The council will address educational policy issues for Native American students and is anticipated to meet three times per year.
Smith also serves as the secretary of the Shinnecock Council of Trustees and as a member of the Southampton Board of Education.
Smith attended the inaugural meeting last month with other leaders from around New York. Betty Rosa, the state’s education commissioner, led the group to discuss the needs of Indigenous students.
During the meeting, they discussed issues like absenteeism and how to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in schools.
Smith told the Southampton Press that one topic of concern is the lack of Indigenous representation in the teaching administrations.
In hopes to increase visibility, Smith said there is a new movement to integrate Indigenous language into the curriculum and allow for Indigenous elders to teach without having to go back to school for a degree.
Smith said he aims to keep the line of communication open between Indigenous communities and Southampton administration.
