EDUCATION · ISSUE 3 OF 3
Language & Cultural Education
What it is
10 N.N.C. §111 has required Navajo language instruction at all grade levels since 1984. It is one of the oldest education mandates in Navajo law. Compliance is not publicly reported. Immersion programs exist on and off the Nation, including in Los Angeles. Candidates broadly supported language preservation but rarely named the statute or cited a compliance figure.
The gap: No candidate stated whether §111 is currently being complied with, how compliance is measured, or who enforces it. The law exists; the report doesn’t.
Learn
Understand the system — then consult an expert
The law says the language shall be taught — §111, immersion programs, and the full record from the interviews.
Education 101 — language and cultural education in context.
Learn Navajo — resources for anyone starting or deepening their Diné Bizaad.
Consult an expert: Ask about language instruction compliance →
Plan & Assess
Where candidates stand — weigh it yourself
Schools & College — candidates side by side — what each candidate said about language and cultural education.
Ask any candidate: Is §111 currently being complied with in the schools in your district? Who enforces it, and what happens when it isn’t? Full list →
Act
What you can do now
Request it: Ask your district’s BIE office or DODE for language instruction compliance data. How to request records →
Report non-compliance: If your child’s school is not providing Navajo language instruction, that is a reportable gap. Find the right door →
Report & Monitor
Track progress — hold the right office accountable
What should be public: Language instruction hours per school, compliance reports under §111, and funding for language programs. What should be public →
Track: Education survey → · Community Findings → · Share what you observe →
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