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14 THE EASTERN DOOR • Vol. 23 No. 48 • December 5, 2014 • www.easterndoor.com

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Kahnawake educator appointed to big post out westJESSICA DEER

THE EASTERN DOOR

Kahnawakehró:non FrankDeer was recently appointed thedirector of Indigenous initiativesby the faculty of education atUniversity of Manitoba.

“Over the last f ive years,some universities have taken alead in advancing Indigenous ed-ucation and Indigenous peoplesand doing some really nifty workin and around academic achieve-ment,” said Deer.

In order to be responsive tothose changes, Deer said the deanof education, David Mandzuk,started talking about the possibil-ities at the University ofManitoba.

“So, he created an off icecalled the office of IndigenousInitiatives and I got the role of di-rector,” said Deer.

Deer has been an assistantprofessor at the university since2009. He previous earned a PhDin Educational Administrationfrom the University ofSaskatchewan in 2008 after ob-taining a B. Ed and M. Ed fromthe University of Manitoba in1999 and 2003 respectively.

His new position as directoris intended to facilitate develop-ments specifically in the area ofeducation.

“Our focus here and funda-mental view is to empower newteachers with some backgroundin Indigenous peoples for thepurposes of working well withwhat is, in western Canada, thefastest growing demographicamongst the general population,”said Deer.

In 2006, the province ofManitoba mandated all universityprogramming to have someIndigenous studies component.

“Meaning, anyone graduat-ing from a bachelor of educationin this province must have at least

one course in what is loosely re-ferred to as Aboriginal educa-tion,” explained Deer.

During that time, curricular

developments emerged inManitoba that began placingIndigenous perspectives in cur-riculum as an important area of

study. Deer’s focus will be on ini-

tial teacher education.“Those are the people that

are at the frontlines working withchildren and it is important thatthey have at least a rudimentarybackground in Indigenous studiesso that they can have a point ofinquiry,” said Deer.

The University of Manitobais located in Winnipeg, where thelargest urban Aboriginal popula-tion in Canada exists.

“In the last few years, whatmany school districts have doneis institutionalized the imperativefor Indigenous education. It is nolonger the case where a schoolcan have a wholesale oversight onIndigenous perspectives,” saidDeer.

According to Deer,Indigenous families in thoseschool districts are noting thechanges. “They are holding theirtrustees, principals and teachersaccountable. They’re coming toexpect more from their publicschools,” he said.

“Going from a state of whatis to what really should be is notgoing to be a f ive-minuteprocess, of course. It just doesn’tdepend on someone like me at auniversity, the voice of the com-munity is really driving some ofthese changes.”

A part of his responsibilitiesin the new role is also to providesupport for Indigenous graduatestudents at the M. Ed. and PhDlevels, as well as fostering newand existing partnerships with thegovernment, school districts andinstitutions that have stakes inIndigenous education.

Deer officially began the po-sition in July of this year.

“It is wonderful to work inan environment that is as vibrantas this, that respects and affirmsthe importance of Indigenouspeoples in primary and secondaryeducation,” he said of the newposition.

jessicad@easterndoor.com

COURTESY FRANK DEER

Frank Deer moved to Winnipeg in 1994 from Kahnawake to pursue his education.