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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2004

SCHUMER BLASTS ONEIDAS FOR WITHHOLDING MONEY FROM STOCKBRIDGE VALLEY SCHOOLS

Oneida Indian Nation is holding back $120,000 to local schools unless the school district fires an employee critical of Nation leadership

Schumer says students' education more important than intra-tribe political battles, Oneidas should send the schools the grants immediately

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today took the Oneida Nation to task for its threat to withhold $120,000 from Stockbridge Valley schools unless the district fires an employee who has criticized the Nation's leadership. Schumer said that anything that sacrifices children's education should have no part in intra-tribe political battles, and implored the Nation to send the grants to the schools immediately.

"I'm glad the Oneidas give these grants to our schools but they shouldn't have strings attached," Schumer said. "The bottom line is that this is a big chunk of change the Nation is taking away, and it could have a serious impact on our kids' schools. Children should not be thrown into the middle of a tribal dispute."

The Oneida Nation awards Silver Covenant Funds each year to the school districts in the area where Nation land purchases have been made and led to diminished tax revenues available to the districts. The grants, which were first awarded in January, 1996 are to be used at the discretion of the school districts. The Stockbridge Valley school district has been awarded over $500,000 since 1996 and factors the grants into its yearly budget to help keep property taxes down.

This year, however, the Oneida Nation has said it will withhold payment of the $125,000 grant until a Stockbridge Valley employee, Monica Antone-Watson, is fired. The Nation has accused Antone-Watson, an Oneida who mentors Native American children, of expressing political viewpoints critical of Nation leadership. The district's superintendent Randy Richards has said he has looked into the charges and found no grounds for discipline or discharge of Antone-Watson.

Schumer said that the school district should not feel forced to fire an employee it wants to retain just because the Oneida Nation has quarreled with her. The Stockbridge Valley school district, which has roughly 620 students, operates on a $7.5 million budget.

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