This practice ignores an aspect of life considered essential and natural to Indians. Importance of Cultural Pluralism Indians resist assimilation and, instead, emphasize the importance of cultural pluralism. Indian people desire to retain as much of their cultural heritage as possible. They leave their reservation to find city jobs and educational opportunities, not to stop being Indian. Indians avoid educators with reformist attitudes who strive to propel Indian students into the American mainstream.
Most Indian people avoid prolonged direct eye contact as a sign of respect.
Among some tribes, such as the Navajo, one stares at another only when angry. It is also a simple matter of being courteous to keep one's eyes cast downward. Frequently and erroneously, non-Indians presume that Indians are disrespectful, are behaving in a suspicious manner, or are hiding something when they fail to look a person in the eye. Since educators consider direct eye contact as a measure of another's honesty and sincerity, they often become upset with Indian students and tell them to look up, when the student is looking down out of respect. It is important to Indians to retain their native languages.