The story of Wilhelmina Yazzie and her son’s effort to seek an adequate education in New Mexico schools revealed an educational system with poor policy implementation, inadequate funding, and piecemeal educational reform. The 2018 decision in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit proved what has always been known: the educational needs of Native American students were not being met.

In this superb collection of essays, the contributors cover the background and significance of the lawsuit and its impact on racial and social politics. The Yazzie Case provides essential reading for educators, policy analysts, attorneys, professors, and students to understand the historically entrenched racism and colonial barriers impacting all Native American students in New Mexico’s public schools. It constructs a new vision and calls for transformational change to resolve the systemic challenges plaguing Native American students in New Mexico’s public education system.

Contributors

Georgina Badoni

Cynthia Benally

Rebecca Blum Martínez

Nathaniel Charley

Melvatha R. Chee

Shiv R. Desai

Donna Deyhle

Terri Flowerday

Wendy S. Greyeyes

Alexandra Bray Kinsella

Lloyd L. Lee

Tiffany S. Lee

Nancy López

Hondo Louis (photographer)

Glenabah Martinez

Natalie Martinez

Jonathan Nez

Carlotta Penny Bird

Karl Pino (cover artist)

Preston Sanchez

Karen C. Sanchez-Griego

Christine Sims

Leola Tsinnajinnie Paquin

Vincent Werito

Wilhelmina Yazzie