Jenadel Lane is a proud Gamilaroi woman who is Deputy Principal at Dubbo College Senior Campus. She’s not alone, but she stands to make powerful advances to transform the educational experience for all Indigenous students across Australia. Lane takes a lot of inspiration from her grandmother, Delma Trindall, a non-Indigenous woman who married Lane’s grandfather. She understands how critical it is to instill that sense of inclusion and belonging in the school climate. Her passion for education derives from her own lived experience. It further speaks to the systemic challenges that Aboriginal students in Australia continue to fight against today.
Lane was born in 1974, only two years after the exclusion on demand policy was lifted. Over the course of her life, she has lived the experiences of what racism looks like and feels like. She understands that for many Indigenous students, these obstacles are deeply felt and can undermine their confidence and dreams. Retori Lane, her daughter, is in the process of becoming a teacher herself. It’s a big accomplishment, too, because she’ll be the second person in her family to do so. This familial legacy shows the pivotal role education plays in breaking negative cycles and creating positive tomorrows.
Lane believes it’s important to foster an inclusive school environment, especially at schools like Dubbo College. He points to the cultural understanding that is gained through practices such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country. She supports recent government moves towards investments in early childhood education, saying they’ll address a lack of access that’s historically plagued marginalized communities.
A Legacy of Support and Inspiration
Jenadel Lane’s journey into education is deeply rooted in her family’s history. Her maternal grandmother, noted Oklahoma civil rights leader Delma Trindall, taught her the importance of grit and devotion to one’s community. Lane assured Trindall that he would carry her legacy. He promised to be an education governor first and foremost, in spite of everything that he faced.
“So, it didn’t go on your intelligence, it went on the colour of your skin,” – Jenadel Lane
To Lane, this promise is deeply personal, but a promise shared among Indigenous educators. She is a true believer that the key is in restoring trust. This trust built between Indigenous communities and educational institutions will further the benefit to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Additionally, Lane works with cultural captains, including people like Selwyn Kelly, to help uplift students and develop leadership in the Indigenous community. Kelly’s journey reflects this aspiration as he aims to graduate year 12, an accomplishment he proudly connects with his identity and heritage.
“It makes me feel proud of who I am and where I come from and my role as a leader at the school. I’m feeling really good about that because I’ll be the second person in my family to graduate year 12,” – Selwyn Kelly
Lane’s commitment to education is mirrored in her daughter’s aspirations. Retori Lane making A&T her launching pad toward a teaching career bodes well for teachers of tomorrow. It’s empowering to see how education can be a positive and transformative influence on Indigenous families.
Addressing Systemic Challenges
Even with this progress, Jenadel Lane readily accepts that systemic problems still plague the educational experience of Indigenous students. She notes that hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal children today suffer from low self-image and are even somewhat ignorant of their potential. Without access to these options, their future ambitions may be prematurely curtailed, resulting in an ongoing spiral of underachievement.
“Some people, especially Indigenous kids, they have a really low self-esteem and don’t really understand what they can do,” – Jenadel Lane
Lane advocates for holistic mentorship programs that meet Indigenous students’ personal, social, emotional and academic needs. She passionately believes that every Koori child should have access to their own trusted adult. This positive adult mentor can help them navigate academic challenges and nurture their personal development.
“Definitely recommend having someone who’s a go-to for every kid. Every Koori kid, they need a person that they can go to, either a mentor or for academics and wellbeing,” – Jenadel Lane
One of the reports authors, Professor Melitta Hogarth points to the persistent achievement gap that Indigenous students continue to face. In her opinion, these negative stereotypes that exist around Indigenous education can form barriers that shut young learners out of many great opportunities.
“What that does is it means the schooling system is seen as not for us, and it’s carried on through an intergenerational understanding that education is a place we’re going to struggle,” – Professor Melitta Hogarth
The numbers are indeed alarming. This matters because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are almost twice as likely to be behind in early developmental milestones by the time they start school than their non-Indigenous counterparts. The cumulative and long-term effects on their entire educational experience from this initial setback are significant. That’s why innovators like Lane need to raise hell and push for change!
A Vision for Inclusive Education
As Deputy Principal at Dubbo College Senior Campus, Jenadel Lane actively participates in efforts to write a more inclusive chapter in Australian education. Her unique leadership role further empowers her to drive systemic policy changes and practices that ensure cultural dignity and recognition are centered in schools.
Lane too welcomes new federal initiatives toward early childhood education in general. She hopes these measures will provide a firm basis for Indigenous children. This foundation will allow them to succeed academically and socially.
“What it means is these kids are going to have trouble going beyond year 10. Quite often we see that the transition into senior secondary is not as high for Indigenous students,” – Professor Melitta Hogarth
This lens highlights the urgency of addressing educational inequities from the very beginning. Schools can set their edifying and inclusive tone from day one. Through this method, Indigenous students will be better equipped to handle higher academic pursuits.
Jenadel Lane’s artistry and work are a living testament to the efforts needed in order to produce lasting change within our education system. She commemorates her grandmother’s legacy and is an outspoken advocate for her community. Through her tireless advocacy for Indigenous representation in the school curriculum, she has become a forefront leader of this important movement.
