MISC> Under attack by the Department of Interior and singled out by the FCC

From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: NetHappenings <nethappenings@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 07:46:34 -0600
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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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Under attack by the Department of Interior and singled out by the FCCs"
Plans to Conduct Audits of Indian Schools Irks Native Americans The Federal
Communications Commission's (FCC)

Office of Inspector General's (OIG) October 31, 2002 semiannual report
highlights OIG's seemingly misguided efforts to improve upon current
oversight of the Universal Service Fund (USF).  The OIG efforts are in
response to allegations of criminal wrongdoing by a very limited number of
recipients of USF funds through the E-Rate program.

None of the alleged criminal acts involved BIA schools.

The E-rate program has made Internet access a reality for a majority of the
country's children, particularly those in the poorest and previously most
underserved areas. E-rate funds are used to pay for Internet connections
and telephone bills in eligible schools and libraries. In 1997 only 14% of
classrooms in the poorer schools had access to the Internet, in 2001,
thanks to the E-rate program, that figure was 79%.

A Flashing Red Light for Indians

The OIG's oversight plan includes a complicated arrangement resulting in
the use of the Department of the Interior (DOI) to conduct E-rate audits of
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. This arrangement, at best, can be
described as ignorant of the DOI's colossal mishandling of Indian trust
funds for generations.  The DOI is currently attempting to change the way
more than $3 billion in Indian Trust Funds and 54 million acres of Indian
Trust lands are handled. The lack of progress resulted in DOI Secretary
Gail Norton being found in contempt for the Departments non-compliance with
court orders to resolve the effects of more than a century of mismanagement
of Native American money and land.

One must ask if there could be a more disturbing choice to Native Americans
than the Department of Interior for audits of funds used in support of
Indian children's education.  Only about 50 percent of the Indian students
finish high school and about 17 percent go on to college.  One must also
ask why, out of all the thousands of recipients of E-rate funds, BIA
schools are targeted first for these audits. BIA schools are among the
smallest and poorest of E-rate recipients.

Government Waste

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is the body set up by
Congress and the FCC to oversee all Universal Service Fund (USF) programs
including the E-rate program.  USAC already robustly audits recipients of
E-rate funds.  Having the DOI conduct audits of E-rate recipients is
clearly a duplication of already existing processes and procedures.

BIA schools are largely located in rural areas and have many obstacles to
overcome including limited funding geographical, inadequate or no
infrastructure, high cost of telecommunications services and transportation
challenges. The National Indian Telecommunications Institute (NITI) is
extremely concerned that the FCC's arrangement with the DOI will not be in
the best interests of Native American children's education
.
Call the FCC at 1-888-CALL FCC and voice your opposition.
For more information go to http://www.niti.org/audit
Or Call 505-986-3872

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MISC> Under attack by the Department of Interior and singled out by the FCC

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