The superintendent of Rapid City Area Schools has been relieved of her duties by the local school board.
This comes after reported remarks published in a recent civil rights investigation about indigenous students.
Nicole Swigart had been on suspension since an Office of Civil rights report alleged, she made derogatory comments towards Native American students and families.
The decision was finalized at this week’s school board meeting after two-and-a-half hours of discussion and public comment.
In the report, quotes are attributed to Swigart about tribes not valuing education, informing students they don’t need to graduate, and saying the district struggles with quote “Indian time.”
Rapid City Schools has the highest proportion of indigenous students in the state, and these comments stirred deep controversy.
Critically, Swigart now denies making the comments published in the report.
“There is no proof that I made these alleged derogatory statements, yet this board is terminating my employment anyway," Swigart said. "The entire disciplinary process has been unjust and punitive. I accepted the boards 30-day suspension beginning on July 2, and I fully expected to return to work. Yet without warning or explanation on July 18 I was sent a notice of intent to terminate.”
Swigart is not without supporters, many of whom spoke to her character and long history with the district. However, some aggressively confronted the board following the decision, accusing board members of being influenced by NDN Collective, a Rapid City area Native advocacy group.
In turn, visibly emotional members of the board expressed the difficulty and weight this decision came with. That included board vice president Jamie Clapham.
"First of all, I honor and acknowledge the 33 years Mrs. Swigart served in this district, and the hundreds and probably thousands of lives she impacted," Clapham said. "That is to be commended, celebrated, and never forgotten. This is likely the most difficult situation that I have faced in this seat. I sit in this chair because I care, and I’m committed to this community.”
The board voted 6-1 to fire Swigart. The district said Swigart’s termination is effective Friday, and Assistant Superintendent Cory Strasser will take over the role.
