Termination of Indian Ed director, letter 2

To the editor,
Congratulations (International Falls) school board,
You have really done it this time, you have fired a teacher that is one of the best and most loved by a lot of the kids in our school. You say without reason? The truth is someone started asking questions about how things were being done by the board. And they didn’t want to have to answer any questions. Dianne (Briggs) has helped so many of the kids, not just the Indian children. She has been there for them.
Well you have done it this time. I had little respect for some of the things the board has done. But now I have none. After reading the piece in the paper, I was confused and I started asking around. I knew there was more to it than what was in the paper. It seems that the school applied for several grants last year, some of the money coming from the Indian groups. this was done without the knowledge of the Indian Ed teacher, and when questions were asked about where this money was, as I presume it was supposed to be used for the Indian program in our school, the board said that they were going to go in a different direction with the Indian Ed. What other direction is there?
This program is so important to so many kids. I wonder if any of the board has ever sat in on any of these classes to know what is being taught. This program is to help to keep our history alive. If it were not for this program, our granddaughter would not be where she is, in a top college studying to be a teacher of the Indian language. She will be in her senior year and will be student teaching next spring. I only hope that she does not ever come up against a school board that will treat her as our board is treating Mrs. Briggs. I hope the board remembers how they are treating her and that what goes around comes around. So I am asking anyone and everyone who can come to the school board meeting on Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. at the (Falls) high school and support the program and to ask for the reason for the firing of a teacher who has done nothing wrong except question the board. There is a paper out for people to sign to make the board show where this money is and where it will be used. It is our school, our money and our kids. They should answer to us.

Pat Nash
International Falls