As former governor of Tesuque Pueblo and current chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors (APCG), I am forever grateful to the late Judge Sarah Singleton for ruling in Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico that Native American students have a constitutional right to a culturally and linguistically relevant education.
APCG’s leaders, who collectively serve as a diplomatic arm and a shield to protect against threats to traditional Pueblo ways of life, have voiced their support for the court’s decision in Yazzie/Martinez, and have developed and endorsed the Tribal Remedy Framework, which offers a comprehensive plan for meeting the needs of Native students.
Now, the APCG offers a tribal response to the court ruling that is aligned with the Tribal Remedy Framework: We call for the establishment of a tribal education trust fund.
