Student punished for speaking Native language

More news continues to trickle out regarding the Wisconsin high-school student who was punished for speaking Menominee in class. Indian Country Today now reports that the student was teaching a classmate to say the Menominee words for "hello" and "I love you." Now, it might be reasonable for a teacher to discipline a student for talking in class, but in this case the teacher was reacting not to the fact that the student was talking but to the fact that the student was using Native language. It was the classic American "how would you feel if I spoke and you didn't understand" response. That inferiority complex which results in someone suspecting that whenever someone speaks a language you don't understand, they must being talking about you. Instead this student was merely saying "I love you." Though perhaps now the student is studying to learn Menominee for "my teacher is a ______".

The student was suspended from playing in a basketball game for having the audacity to speak Menominee. At least we can be glad that she wasn't beaten, as might have been commonplace 50-100 years ago. But still, the story is incredible, given that the school -- Sacred Heart Catholic Academy -- is located 6 miles from the Menominee reservation and has a 60% Native American student body. You would think such a school would be extremely supportive of Native language and culture. If Native language can't flourish in a school with a majority Native population, what chance does it stand elsewhere. One can only hope that the Sacred Heart students will respond by increasing their use of Menominee.