An in-depth article published Sunday by the Farmington Daily Times explores the racial and religious turmoil behind division in the Central Consolidated School District in the northwest corner of the state.
From the article:
“The Central Consolidated School District still is waiting for resolution from the state Public Education Department regarding the possible discipline of its acting superintendent and a proposed split that would divide the 3,000-square-mile district along the reservation line.
“But to many, the division already has occurred.
“The district, part of the public school system since 1931, already is severed along lines of race and religion, not to mention opinions about political control, curriculum, personnel, money and the teachers union.
“To some, actions within the district since May have permanently fractured an already vulnerable community. To others, the radical changes signal a sign of better times ahead.
“Regardless of the outcome, the district’s players, along with state and legal representatives, have a long road ahead.”
Why the division? At least part of the answer, according to the article:
“A deadlock between the two cultures (Navajos and Mormons) is at least partly to blame for the political climate in the district since May, when the board and administrators began making drastic changes in personnel, policies and facilities.
“At the root of much of that clash is a belief that Anglo Mormons long have dominated the district and held onto the purse strings.”
There’s lots more in this in-depth article on a topic that isn’t getting enough statewide attention. Read it by clicking here.