The Yazzie Case

Book excerpt: The story of Wilhelmina Yazzie and her son’s effort to seek an adequate education in New Mexico schools revealed an educational system with poor policy implementation, inadequate funding, and piecemeal educational reform. The 2018 decision in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit proved what has always been known: the educational needs of Native American students were not being met. In this superb collection of essays, the contributors cover the background and significance of the lawsuit and its impact on racial and social politics. The Yazzie Case provides essential reading for educators, policy analysts, attorneys, professors, and students to understand the historically entrenched racism and colonial barriers impacting all Native American students in New Mexico’s public schools. It constructs a new vision and calls for transformational change to resolve the systemic challenges plaguing Native American students in New Mexico’s public education system. Contributors Georgina Badoni Cynthia Benally Rebecca Blum Martínez Nathaniel Charley Melvatha R. Chee Shiv Desai Donna Deyhle Terri Flowerday Wendy S. Greyeyes Alex Kinsella Lloyd L. Lee Tiffany S. Lee Nancy López Hondo Louis (photographer) Glenabah Martinez Natalie Martinez Jonathan Nez Carlotta Penny Bird Preston Sanchez Karen C. Sanchez-Griego Christine Sims Leola Tsinnajinnie Paquin Vincent Werito Wilhelmina Yazzie