Tricia Zunker
Tricia Zunker has served as Associate Justice of the Ho-Chunk Nation Supreme Court since 2013. She has also served as President of the Wausau Board of Education, is founding director of Central Wisconsin Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee, and is a member of Ho-Chunk Nation. She is a first generation college graduate, earning a B.A. from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctorate from UCLA School of Law. In addition to her work as Ho-Chunk Supreme Court Justice, she is a longtime educator. She teaches concurrently in the Legal Studies department at University of Maryland, in the Criminal Justice department at Colorado State University-Global Campus, and serves as law professor at California School of Law, where she is also Dean of Faculty. Tricia was also candidate for Congress in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in 2020. She is a member of the ACLU of Wisconsin Board of Directors, including serving on the Executive Committee, and a member of the Midwest Environmental Advocates Board of Directors. Tricia’s lived experiences have instilled in her a passion for public education, social justice, protecting the environment, ensuring fundamental rights and achieving representation reflective of society. She resides in Wausau with her eleven year-old son and their rescue pup, Diesel.
Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM (CT)
Indigenizing Education: Inclusive Spaces and Culturally-Sensitive Policies
In Wisconsin, 95% of Indigenous students attend public schools. Yet, by and large, the Indigenous histories, current existence and modern-day issues facing Native people are not reflected accurately in the curriculum. While Act 31 remains law in Wisconsin, the requirements of this law are not met in many districts, effectively resulting in Indigenous erasure in public education.
In addition, educational and extracurricular spaces must be inclusive and welcoming. 26 Wisconsin public school districts still retain use of Native American mascots, nicknames, logos symbols and imagery, resulting in interscholastic discrimination. Representation matters and inclusive spaces necessitate Indigenous representation in the classroom and buildings. This discussion will address how that imagery can occur in a respectful way.
Finally, policies that are not culturally-sensitive impact the educational experience and academic success of all students. Indigenizing education is the process of developing and implementing educational policies and practices that are culturally-sensitive to Indigenous students and staff. This discussion will address some suggested policies and explain how these policies can help Indigenous students feel an increased sense of belonging, thereby improving their educational experience.
