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Minot Public Schools issued a public apology over conduct of fans at a basketball tournament this month. The action comes after reports of “potentially discriminatory conduct” targeting Native players. It’s one in a series of complaints about racially insensitive actions. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating. Native American advocates successfully pushed the state School Activities Association to adopt a zero tolerance policy for racially insensitive behavior by fans.
GUESTS
Lance Eaglestaff (Cheyenne River Lakota), father of a basketball player at Bismarck High School
Heather Demaray (MHA Nation member), chairwoman for the Indigenous Parent Advisory Committee for the Bismarck Public Schools
State Rep. Jayme Davis (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
Break 1 Music: Reservation of Education (song) XIT (artist) Silent Warrior (album)
Break 2 Music: Back Home (song) Pepper (artist) In with the Old (album)
Great to see no tolerance. Western North Dakota has a long history of racism. Not that it doesn’t happen elsewhere in North Dakota. Make the Minot team play on a reservation would be a natural consequence.