Integrating Indian ed

Schools struggle to integrate Indian ed into classroomsIndian Education for All is a state law passed in 1999 that requires Montana schools to teach all students about the state's American Indian tribes and reservations. It expanded upon a 1972 provision in the Montana Constitution recognizing the cultural heritage of the state's Indian tribes and committing the state to educational goals designed to preserve their identity.

"The idea is not to somehow show Indian people in isolation, but to show them as part of the big circle of life," Anderson said.

Literature is just one area in which Helena High is integrating American Indian culture this year, Anderson said. Freshman social studies classes will study the cultures of Montana's tribes. Sophomore biology classes will study plants used for medicinal purposes by the tribes. Senior government classes will look into modern issues such as tribal sovereignty and treaty law.