Analysis: A Year From Hell

Other stresses would combine to make the first year of the new millennium, “A year from hell,” according to Pease. Early in 2000, Joel Pease, Janine’s youngest brother lost his battle with cancer and added grief and stress to what would become the hardest year of Pease’s life. During the summer, as the battle for control of the tribal government raged between the Nomee and Bird in Ground factions, attention began to focus on the college. Only eight students had graduated that summer and the projected enrollment for the year 2000 of 500 students, fell short by 300. Some board members began to question the direction of the school and directed their blame towards Dr. Pease. Using a 1999 tribal resolution that seated four tribal-elected officials …show more content…
Students’ upset at the firing of the popular and respected Pease, launched protests and petitions to have the board’s decision reversed. Dr. Pease responded by getting a restraining order barring the eight opposing members from campus, and refused to resign. Some of the opposing members of the trustees met with a reporter of the Billings Gazette. Pease’s designated replacement Henry Real Bird was quoted as saying that the outside world was fooled by her achievements. And Vera Jane He Does It Half; even more vindictive in her comments said, “Pretty on Top is reviled by some on the reservation.” She went on to say Pease is lauded, “in the white man’s world not the Crows.” The tribal representative, Sharon Peregoy was instrumental in moving to oust her. The man who appointed her Clifford Bird in Ground claimed he had no role in formulating the move to fire Dr. Pease. This denial did little to stop the outside world from reacting to an obvious power play by the tribal leadership. The school soon faced loss of its’ accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. The loss of accreditation was in response to the associations concern about the conduct of the 17-member board, not how the school was functioning. Pease immediately filed an injunction against her termination and was granted a hearing on December 15, 2000. It was decided to refer the decision to a vote of the tribal council to be held in January 2001. The vote taken in a meeting where only tribal members were allowed, was a public voice vote. The results of the vote were 682 to 90 for termination. This seems like an overwhelming decision. But in an interview with Dr. Pease the rest of the story was told. Dr. Pease claimed that the members voting were tied by patronage to the tribal council and had been told to ensure their continued relationship with the Agency to vote the wishes of Clifford Bird in Ground. The vote was