South Dakota’s History of Indigenous Erasure in Education. When someone mentions the name South Dakota, most people are immediately drawn to a few things: Mount Rushmore, farming, and Native Americans. Native Americans are the largest racial minority group in.
Despite the influence of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota peoples in South Dakota, the state’s history of forced assimilation, failed legislation efforts, and a lack of teacher confidence have limited the presence of Indigenous culture and values in its education systems.
Educators and Indigenous groups in South Dakota are fighting to better represent Native American history, culture, and values in the state’s education systems through teacher training, immersion schools, and other programs.