Supporters of the travel argue that it was worth it to bring home new ideas and methods for teaching American Indian students, but critics have blasted tribal leaders and school officials for not sending fewer representatives who could have done the job without spending so much money desperately needed by the schools.
A Nov. 16 letter sent by U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., prompted the investigation, a spokesman for Inspector General Earl Devaney said. The letter called for an inquiry into whether federal dollars were misappropriated or misused.
"We do acknowledge receipt of the letter and we've begun a preliminary look into the matter," the spokesman said. The spokesman asked not to be named because of his role in the investigation, but he confirmed that federal officials
The Daily Times reported in its Nov. 3 edition that 362 people with ties to the Navajo Nation each paid the $400 preregistration cost to attend the National Indian Education Association conference in Honolulu last month. Most are believed to have attended, with many more registering on site. The number is more than five times the representation of any other Indian tribe.
Although some travelers paid their own way, many are known to have used tribal or federal money intended for schools. The combined price tag for the trip is believed to be more than $500,000 and possibly closer to $1 million, based on the costs for those known to have attended. The travel list includes at least 18 delegates from the Navajo Nation's 88-member tribal council, the Nation's president and his wife, and numerous school board officials.
"I am requesting that your office review this material and take appropriate action in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations," Domenici wrote to Devaney. "If federal dollars were misappropriated or misused in any way related to this conference in Hawaii, then appropriate action must be taken."
The inspector general's office answers to the secretary of the interior and to Congress, according to the Inspector General Act of 1978. The office is responsible for preventing and detecting fraud and abuse, and for keeping the inspector general and Congress informed about problems and deficiencies.
Under law, the inspector general's office can demand access to all applicable records, documents and evidence, and it can conduct audits or criminal investigations based on its findings, the 1978 act states.
The Daily Times has been unable to confirm the exact number of Navajo attendees at the October conference or the origin of the funds used to travel, despite repeated phone calls to tribal officials and at least 150 Freedom of Information requests. The entities have 20 working days to respond to the FOI letters, most of which were sent out within the past two weeks.
Ignoring the requests is a violation of federal law and the Navajo Nation Code. Section 84 of Title Two states that "any account, voucher or contract that deals with the receipt or expenditure of funds by a governmental entity" are public record.
The Department of the Interior closely has observed American Indian education since May of 2006 — the same month the Navajo Head Start program lost its funding because of inadequate financial control, said Shane Wolfe, spokesman for Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne.
"Indian education has taken on heightened importance," he said. "The president's proposed 2008 budget for the Department of the Interior contains four Secretary Kempthorne initiatives, one of which is the Improving Indian Education Initiative."
The Associated Press reported last week that the Navajo Nation's federal Head Start program sent 15 to the Hawaii conference, at a cost of more than $35,000.
Alysa Landry: alandry@daily-times.com
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