Native American students and parents gathered in the auditorium during third hour this thursday, November 29th, in celebration of Native American Parent Involvement Day. They came together to recognize and identify some of the joys and concerns within their culture. Sheldon Wolfchild, a Dakota tribe member, emphasized the importance of respect for the environment, preserving Native American Culture, and an accurate historical representation of Native Americans in Minnesota’s educational system.

“I was really inspired to come and speak today because of the students.” Wolfchild stated. At the beginning of the assembly, Wolfchild showed a powerful documentary about the injustices and history of the Dakota people. He then lead a discussion reflecting on the documentary and Dakota culture as a whole. Many parents and children raised concerns of a biased or insufficient history of the Dakota people being taught today in schools.

After the discussion Wolfchild said the purpose of this event “was to give students and parents an opportunity to better understand Dakota history so we can work together to create a more positive future.”