Nahuacalli Educators Alliance

In Imiuh Tenamaztle

In ompa Tlamananalco inic oniquizacao inic onihuallihualoc ca mitl, onimacoc in Inimiuh Tenamaztle, auh yehhuatl ihihyo ixpantzinco, tehhuan tamechnahuatih totlahtol.

March 12, 2012 

The State of Arizona

Mr. John Huppenthal

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
1535 W. Jefferson Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Dear Superintendent Huppenthal,

The 11^th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will convene at UN Headquarters in New York from May 7 -18, 2012.  A special theme for discussion at this year’s session will be the “Impact of the Doctrine of Discovery on Indigenous Peoples”, which is the subject of the Preliminary Study on the Impact of the Doctrine of Discovery submitted to the UNPFII at the 9^th Session in 2010.  The intent of this letter is to solicit a response from the Arizona Department of Education addressing the impact of the Doctrine of Discovery in terms of past and present educational policies and practices in the State of Arizona.

We now request a meeting with you to discuss the demands, questions, and recommendations in the attached communiqué.

Sincerely,

Tupac Enrique Acosta, Yaotachcauh

Tlahtokan Nahuacalli