Buu Nygren has spoiled Navajo President Jonathan Nez’s hopes for a second term in office. Unofficial results from the tribe’s election office show Nygren defeated Nez in the nonpartisan race Tuesday. Nygren had been frustrated at the pace of tribal government and infrastructure projects that he said Nez had long enough to bring to fruition. Nez has pledged to work more closely with the Navajo Nation Council that often is seen as more powerful than the presidency. Still, the Navajo president wields influence nationally because of the size of the tribe’s reservation in the U.S. Southwest and its huge population.
The Kansas State Board of Education is recommending that school districts end the use of Native America mascots and branding. The board approved a motion Thursday that asked districts with Native American mascots to retire them as soon as possible, but no longer than in three to five years. Board members stressed that it is only a recommendation and the decision will be left to local districts. They said the motion was designed to encourage local districts to discuss how the mascots negatively affect Native American students. The vote follows a recommendation from an advisory group that included representatives from the four federally recognized tribes in Kansas.
