Editorial: Ending the Cycle of Poverty on Reservations

In 7th grade my teacher placed a book on my desk. The cover of the book was dark with small flashes of color, with small figurines of cowboys and indians plastered across it. I quickly scanned the book cover, and read “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” by Sherman Alexie. I uninterestedly pushed the book aside, unaware of the impact the book would soon have on my perspective of poverty. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian comes off as a light hearted book that captures the life of a Native American teenager who is eager to pursue a life off of the reservation. The book captures the backlash the main character faces, after transferring from his school on the reservation to a predominantly white school nearby. The book illustrates the devastating socioeconomic disparities between Native Americans and the general population and highlights the cycle of poverty seen throughout reservations. The current issue many Native Americans living in reservations face is that they don’t have enough resources and funding to provide sufficient living conditions for residents. The disparities between Native Americans and the general population are ignored by the government. Although the U.S government recognizes the cycle of poverty occurring on Indian reservations, not enough is done to end poverty on reservations. Currently the Bureau of Indian Affairs disburses funds to reservations through contracts, grants, and compacts. The funds work towards housing improvement, aiding the tribal government funding line, potable water delivery, and many other things that lessen disparities. So why is poverty so prominent in reservations? Teach for America conducted a study on the funding for reservations in an article titled: “Why are Native Students Being Left Behind” that shows that schools on Indian reservations are extremely underfunded. The federal government pays on average about 67% of administrative costs for tribally-owned schools, leaving principals to cover expenses through other means. The lack of proper education on reservations increases dropout rates and negatively affects employment rates as well as wage growth. In addition, alcoholism has been an ongoing issue for those living on Indian reservations. Although there are measures put in place to prevent alcoholism, reservations still face alcohol related issues. Often overlooked, is the emotional impact of growing up in poverty. According to an article titled, “the Effects of Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness on Children and Youth”, published by the American Psychology Association, children living in poverty are exposed to “hunger, illness, insecurity, instability,” resulting in “low academic achievement, obesity, behavioral problems and social and emotional development difficulties”. Due to the extreme poverty Native Americans are exposed to on reservations, Native American children are disadvantaged from birth. As Americans we can’t turn a blind eye to the atrocities taking place on Indian reservations. The government needs to prioritize ending the cycle of poverty on reservations. Congress, specifically the house of representatives, needs to increase funding in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. With the extra funding BIA can create more programs focusing on education, rehabilitation, increasing employment opportunities, ultimately creating a safe environment for residents. The U.S government can no longer prolong the cycle of poverty destroying the lives of Native Americans. As Americans we have to do better.