McKenzie Johnson v. Legacies of Anti-Indianism in Education

The Red Nation Podcast

Jen and Justine are joined by McKenzie Johnson, Demetrius Johnson, and Kaylee Bahe to discuss an incident that gained national attention on Halloween of 2018. On October 31, 2018, two Indigenous students were assaulted by their teacher, Mary Jane Eastin, at Cibola High School in Albuquerque, NM. In an AP literature course, one student had the end of their braid cut off and the other was called “a bloody Indian.” Mckenzie Johnson is the student who was called a “bloody Indian."

On January 8, 2020, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico filed a lawsuit in the Second Judicial District Court against Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) and former Cibola High School Teacher Mary Jane Eastin for violating the New Mexico Human Rights Act. This case has now reached the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico and the next hearing will be on April 29, 2024 at Central New Mexico Community College.

This episode opens with audio from the Albuquerque Public Schools District Equity and Inclusion Committee hearing on November 28, 2018, and closes with remarks from the Johnson family after the hearing.

Full press release and call to action to follow. Stay updated on The Red Nation website and social media accounts.

Podcast art created by McKenzie Johnson.

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