No Indians Allowed: Exclusion, Role Allocation, and Functionalization in Reservation Border Town District Policies

• In Event: 75.013 - How Leaders Negotiate the Influence of Social Context on Organizational Structures and School Policies

Abstract

Towns that border Indian reservations provide an important context for studying relationships between predominantly mainstream institutions and tribal communities. This comparative policy analysis applies critical discourse methodologies to evaluate policies from five districts bordering reservations and five districts geographically distant from reservations. Findings reveal use of discriminatory discourse that supports exclusion, role allocation, and functionalization. In particular, districts at a distance from reservations have non-resident student admission policies that allow for flexibility, empower students, and note few specific requirements for admission. In comparison, reservation bordertown district policies reinforce dominant culture power structures, use deficit-oriented language, and list extensive requirements. The study holds implications for policymakers, social justice advocates, district leadership, and community members working to enhance inclusiveness and social justice.

Author

• Christine Rogers Stanton, Montana State University