Decisions often rest on personal experiences with unfamiliar cultures and ethnic groups' experiences that are often too limited to serve the goal of unbiased instruction. With this recognition, however, more educators are realizing that all children must learn accurate information about historic and contemporary American Indian and Alaskan Native people. At the same time, educators have traditionally worried over curriculum materials that reflect a lack of interest in and understanding of American Indian and Alaskan Native cultures and history. The following information should help teachers challenge the myths, distortions, stereotypes, and racist information that have been common fare in most textbooks and curriculum. Back to the Table of Contents Myths and Information to Dispel Them Myths about Indians are commonplace.
Myths occur, for example, in history, law, sociology, and economics.
Each has its own particular history, value system, government, language, and social ties that bind it together as a distinct people. All American Indians and Alaskan Natives live on reservations. Nationwide, about 50 percent of the Indian population is classified as urban. Rural Indians are those who choose to live in nonmetropolitan areas, on or off reservations. Education, health services, and other benefits are provided in treaties made with the United States government.