Review the Enrollment Code

My name is Douglas Plaunt. I write to you today to help discuss an issue with the Enrollment Code. My father Douglas Plaunt was recently enrolled in the Pokagon Band. As a young child, he was adopted out to a non-Pokagon family and was not made aware of his ancestry until recently.

Thankfully, Section (4)(B) of the Enrollment Code allowed him to enroll as he fell into the exception of being "legally adopted by a non-Pokagon family". Unfortunately, the language of the statute does not allow myself or my sister Tara Plaunt to be enrolled as we are past our 21st birthdays despite not learning of our ancestry until recently. Aside from the 21 year old age restriction, we are eligible for membership. In fact, my child Mylo Plaunt, whose blood quantum comes solely from my family, is an enrolled member of the Tribe.

With the government policies over the last half century of bordering school, adopting out Native American children and other practices designed to dismantle American Indian families, it can be certain that others are in a similar situation that myself and my sister are in. I'm not asking to change the 21 law, I just am asking council to consider our case. To take a look a the codes and ordinances in place, regarding the kids of adoptive parents and their rights.