Land Acknowledgement  - Feedback Form 

Background information- The Cloquet School’s Equity Committee has worked on this Land Acknowledgement over the past two years. Draft #1 was brought to our shareholders (All teachers and staff, School Board members, our first community event, Middle school students, Our American Indian education Parent’s Committee, and our Administrator’s Team & Superintendent). Draft #2 was completed after reviewing the comments on the feedback forms as well as listening to the in-person comments at our Land Acknowledgement events. We also made Draft #2 more student-friendly so we can teach it to our students, grades K-12. After further review and tweaking, we have a 3rd draft.

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 Draft #3– Land Acknowledgement
We want to take this moment to honor the land where our schools are located. This is the ancestral and present-day home of the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Ho-Chunk peoples. We respectfully recognize the many generations of Indigenous people who have cared for this land and continue to thrive here today. We acknowledge that this land has a complex history, one shaped by forced removal and injustices. We believe it is essential to remember and talk about that history honestly. We also want to celebrate and thank our local Indigenous community, Nagaajiwanaang (nah-gaa-gee-wah-nong), for the cultural, linguistic, and ancestral knowledge they continue to share with us. Their ongoing presence enriches our schools and makes our community a better place for everyone to learn and grow. Finally, our district commits to building a community where every individual feels safe, included, and respected.

Why did we feel it was important to write a Land Acknowledgement?

1. Honoring Indigenous Peoples

It recognizes and honors our local Indigenous peoples who have lived on and cared for the land long before the establishment of the school or district. This shows respect for their history, culture, and continued presence. It provides a message to the wider community that Indigenous people are here, thriving and making our schools and community a better place. 

2. Education and Awareness

A land acknowledgement serves as a teaching tool. It helps students, staff, and the broader school community learn about and discuss local Indigenous histories, cultures, and ongoing contributions—which were often missing from mainstream education. We want our teachers to be able to teach this land acknowledgement to their students, and we will create developmentally appropriate versions for our younger grades.

3. Addressing Historical Injustices

It acknowledges the harm caused by forced displacement, and cultural erasure. This recognition is a  step toward healing and reconciliation.

4. Promoting Equity and Inclusion

Our district leaders and staff have received training in Equity, Culturally-responsive teaching, bias awareness, cultural humility, and anti-racism. Reading a Land Acknowledgement or having it posted in our buildings helps us to better see and understand the lived experiences, culture, and current perspectives of our Indigenous students, families, and community. It also supports our Indigenous students and families in feeling seen by their school district.

5. Encouraging Responsibility and Action

A land acknowledgement isn’t just words—it’s a commitment. It encourages the district to take meaningful actions that support Indigenous communities, from curriculum changes to community partnerships. Having our school Drum at all of our bigger, important school events, is one of the ways we are putting action behind these words. Reading a Land Acknowledgement is another way we are putting our values into action.

6. Modeling accountability

By doing this work publicly, a school district models accountability, respect, and cultural
humility for students, staff, and the wider community. We may not do it perfectly or to everyone's standards, but we are willing to learn and grow through this process.


How would you define your role in the Cloquet community? Select all that apply.

Is there anything you’d like to say or would like us to know about Draft #3 of the Land Acknowledgement?

How do you think this Land Acknowledgement should be used?

What action steps would you like to see from the Cloquet school district along with the Land Acknowledgement?

Most Land Acknowledgements do not use the names of the local tribal Nations. Some of our feedback has suggested to remove the name. Do you feel it’s important to name FDL/Nagaajiwanaang in the Land Acknowledgement?

 

What are we missing or what other thoughts would you like to share with us?

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