St. Francis Indian School Administration and School Board Continue to Stand on the Head of Parents and Students

 I'm sure we all seen the KELO land news and read about the St. Francis Indian School teacher who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last week for possession of child pornography.  According to the press release this the suspect teacher admitted he was viewing child pornography for about five year.  This teacher is not from the United States, or a United States citizen, and on the Rosebud Indian Reservation on a visa.

Immediately after the arrest, the St. Francis Indian School Superintendent Dani Walking Eagle and the St. Francis School attorney, Kurt Arganbright issued a press release letter.  In this letter on St. Francis Indian School letterhead states, St. Francis Indian School had no knowledge of the suspect teachers possession of child pornography.  In the same letter, it further states, St. Francis Indian School wants to make the record clear that at no time was St. Francis Indian School students or other children on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation the subject of the child pornography by the suspect teacher.  The letter also states, St. Francis Indian School takes the utmost care and caution to ensure its fulfilling its responsibility and duties of protecting its students and staff and keeping them safe to make sure they are not victims of such allegations.

The fact is, this is damage control on the part of St. Francis Indian School Administration, the School Board, and its attorney.  The letter contains inaccurate facts because we all know the FBI does not disclose contents of an ongoing investigation.  So the FBI did not share the investigative case file with the St. Francis Indian School Administration, School Board Members, or its attorney Kurt Arganbright.  The letter is a reaction in hopes the St. Francis Indian School Administration, School Board Members, or its attorney does not have to face the reality and fallout of the responsibility tied legal responsibility St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and attorney hold.

The St. Francis Indian School Administration, School Board Members, and attorney are again, standing on the heads of parents and Children of the St. Francis Indian School.  This letter is the hope they can continue to practice their intimidation tactics and pray no parent files a lawsuit against them.  This same issue occurred on October 2021, when parents of St. Francis Indian School were denied their legal due process and through the St, Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and its attorney Kurt Arganbright denied parents to address the school board and ignored the parents complaints.

So the current St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and attorney Kurt Arganbright have a history and have established a pattern of standing on parents and students of the St, Francis Indian School by illegal violations of due process and intimidation tactics.  I remind you the RST Education Committee appoints one Committee member to sit on the St. Francis Indian School Board. This Education appointment is held by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Two Strike Tribal Council Representative.  The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Secretary is also a current serving St. Francis Indian School Board Member involve in violating parents and students legal due process.

In the August 2022 Rosebud Sioux Tribe General Election, Shawn Bordeaux and I were elected the two vacant St, Francis Indian School Board seats.  Through the St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and its attorney Kurt Arganbright, they are doing everything they can up to filing a recent appeal in Tribal Court in an attempt to prevent Mr. Bordeaux and I from being seated on the St. Francis Indian School Board.  The vital question is, what do you have to hide?  A Judge ruled in the matter to seat Mr. Bordeaux and I, and you are doing everything you can to prevent us from being seated.  Why?  Is it because of the selective treatment of staff, attempts to cover up for family members, protect nepotism, or you doing things a lot more serious acts that you don't want reported or exposed publicly? 

St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and through the legal assistance of its attorney Kurt Arganbright terminate certified fluent Lakota speakers yet employ and protect people from another country up to being arrested and charged for possession of child pornography.  The teachers from the Philippines were allowed teach by zoom for months yet, a certified fluent Lakota speaker was terminated.  

The St. Francis Indian School Board allowed the school attorney Kurt Arganbright to legally represent the Superintendent's immediate family in a restraining order through Tribal Court against St. Francis Indian School parent and student for pursuing a complaint against the Superintendent's immediate family. This restraining order was later dismissed. Shame on the St. Francis Indian School Board for its unethical practices and being invested in a selective group of individuals rather than serve for the best interest, safety, and well-being of the children of the school and their parents.

You have a sitting Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council Representative and the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Secretary actively participating in thiss unethical behavior and acts. The Chairman of the St. Francis Indian School Board is an officer of the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court also actively participating and condoning this unethical behavior and acts against St. Francis Indian School children and parents.  The question is, are the parents and students of the St. Francis Indian School Civil Rights and Legal Due Process being violated by the St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, School Board Members, and its Attorney Kurt Arganbright?

Where is our elected leadership in these issues? Playing politics, protecting the good ole' boy system, or invested in selected individuals being politicians rather than being leaders invested in the membership?  Election time is upon us again and we will be voting for ten (10) Tribal Council Representatives, Tribal Secretary, Tribal Treasurer, and three (3) St. Francis School Board seats.  Two of the St. Francis Indian School seats are held by the Chairman of the School Board David Brushbreaker and Rosebud Sioux Tribal Secretary Nicole Marshall.  The other seat up is held by Donald "Skeeter" Leader Charge.  One of the ten Tribal Council Rep seats up for election is held by the current Tribal Council Rep sitting on the St. Francis Indian School Board.

It would be very arrogant and I question the integrity and ethics of the Tribal Secretary, the Chairman the School Board, and the Tribal Council Rep to even consider putting their names on the ballot after what the unethical conduct they committed against St. Francis Indian School parents and children.  The voters of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe need to take a hard look on the current events happening with the St. Francis Indian School Superintendent, the School Board, School Attorney, and actions of Tribal Government when they go to cast their vote.

We will hear them throw out there resume saying they are currently sitting on the St, Francis Indian School Board, they are currently serving in Tribal Government elected positions and campaign on our children.  They will hide and ignore the unethical behavior and illegal acts committed against St. Francis Indian School Children and Parents during the campaign.  They want us to forget what they have done and are continuing to do against Parents, Children, and Tribal Members.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribal elected officials need stop paying politics and pay attention to detail with contracts they approve for attorneys like Kurt Arganbright.  We are looking for leaders to elect, we are looking for leaders who will stand up for the civil rights of children, parents, and Tribal Members.  Leaders who will say my loyalty is to the Tribal Membership, not to invested individuals our certain groups.  The RosebudSioux Tribal Council needs to blackball attorneys like Kurt Arganbright to include any and all contracts for his unethical legal practices against Tribal Members, Parents, and Children of the St. Francis Indian School.  

Let's see if our elected officials stand up for us Tribal Members, for our Children, Students, and Parents of the St. Francis Indian School.  All it takes is a simple motion to terminate any and all existing contracts of attorneys like Kurt Arganbright and blackball attorneys like this from ever working with our Tribe. I really hate having to explain to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Administration and Tribal Council how to do their jobs according to the RST Constitution and By-Laws.

Rosebud Sioux Tribe Constitution and By-Laws, Article IV, Section 1., (u) To delegate to subordinate boards or tribal officials, to the several communities, Orto cooperative associations, which are open to all members of the Tribe any of the forgoing powers, reserving the right to review any action taken by virtue of such delegated power.

Its time for the membership of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to take a stand in this election, to vote for candidates who display leadership, who are compassionate to the membership, and not politicians who just tell us what we want to hear until they are elected and forget about the people.  The most powerful asset we as Tribal Members possess is the right to vote, we can dictate this election for change for how our Tribal Government and St Francis Indian School Board has been operating.

Respectfully,

Hawkeye Waln