HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — For students in classrooms in Virginia, Native American education looks a little different in 2023.
“This is a great year to talk about it," said Virginia Assistant Superintendent Tod Reid.
Native American education standards were updated for 2023. They’re updated every eight years.
While there is no great, easy place to find information about the standards, the VDOE's website does offer responses to frequently-asked questions.
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Reid said the updates include referring to Native Americans as Indigenous Peoples in the standards and creating a section in the curriculum for Indigenous Peoples history rather than having the history be taught as a part of pre-colonial history.
“Indigenous Peoples and tribes here in Virginia have such a robust history, both as part of Virginia and across the entire nation. So it’s important for our students, Virginia students, to understand the role that indigenous people have played," said Reid.
Getting to the updated standards wasn’t easy. They took months to develop and the initial draft version presented to the public included language Nansemond Tribe Chief Keith Anderson said offended Indigenous People.
“There was reference to actually integrate in the curriculum that the indigenous persons were immigrants. That is, really, so far-fetched and really unbelievable. But, it caused a lot of hurt feelings, a lot of anger," Anderson explained.
That reference has since been removed from the standards.
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According to the VDOE, there are 3,291 full and part-time students in all grades in the 2023-2024 school year who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native.
“Most of our information is very generalized," Anderson said.
Anderson would like to see more Indigenous Peoples education in schools.
“I would like to see more emphasis especially on customs and traditions and, also, probably as well have more of a knowledge of the contemporary Virginia Indians. More so than just the romanticized Pocahontas and the pre-contact and early contact period," said Anderson.
While the standards are only scheduled to be updated every eight years, Reid said there is always room for discussion.
“Certainly, if the a tribe or any other organization or group has input, we certainly welcome to hear from them and work to adjust things as we can," Reid said.
