ABSTRACT
The ebb and flow of cultural crosscurrents in Northern New Mexico add richness and complexity to the educational issues the Norteño community faces. Spain, Mexico, and the United States-each has claimed sovereignty over the region with different goals for and attitudes about the welfare of the people. The coming of public education to the Norteño region is a story of contested purposes. Out of this unusual history came the rise of sectarian schools, litigation for secular schools, consolidation, and finally local control. The contemporary story of education in Norteño reflects how the people are dealing with the political, religious, and cultural history of the region. Norteños-a minority in the outside world but a majority in their own world-are debating how the functions
of the school should respond to changes introduced by outside cultural influences.
