Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School in Northern Minnesota has leaky roofs, poor lighting and an exhaust system that smells like sewage. Last school year, part of the roof caved in while students were in class. The floors are uneven, and if something goes awry, some hallways are too narrow for students to evacuate safely.
And yet, over 200 Native American students call the school home.
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“Native youth are in a state of crisis, unfortunately we have all seen that firsthand,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said on the call. “Our native youth need and deserve dramatically better, not incrementally better.”
The photos below of Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School were provided by John Parmeter, who is head of the school’s safety and security. Parmeter wrote the captions, but they have been edited and condensed for clarity.
