. >> i voted for chris deschene. don't know what happened, but they got him off the ballot. >> rising navajo political star chris deschene was disqualified. why? because he was not fluent in navajo. >> language is important. it identifies who we are. where we come from. >> the navajo language mandate not only up ended the electoral process but divides its citizen abouts what it means to be navajo. >> anyone who is wanting to be president and vice president needs to take time to learn the language. >> russell begaye and jonathan nez took over the ticket vacated by chris deschene after he was disqualified. they agree, the language is unassailable. >> we've been told by western society that your language has no value. so why use it? just learn english and be done with it. >> we reached out to chris deschene for comment but we did not hear back. we asked high school senior who is were old enough to vote for the first time what they think of the language requirement. >> by show of hands how many people are voting? it's cl

. >> i croated for chris deschene. i don't know what happened, but he was taken off the ballot. >> rising navajo political star chris deschene was disqualified because he was not fluent in navajo. >> language is pan. it ice who we are where we come from. we cannot be a nation without language. >> it not only up ended the electoral process but brought division among its significance about what it means to be navajo. >> anyone who wants to be president and vice president needs to take time to learn the language. >> russell begaye took over the ballot. >> we've been told by western society that your language has no value. so why use it? just learn english and be done with it. >> we reached out to chris deschene for comment but did not hear book. we went to the navajo nation to ask high school seniors what they think about the language requirement. >> a show of hands, how many people are voting? >> it's clear students are divided over the rule. do you think that the language requirement is a good thing? >> yes. >> it's wha

. >> we reached out to chris deschene but we did not hear back. nearly all 300 students enroll ready tribal citizens. we came here to ask high school citizen what they think about the fluency requirement. >> by the show of hands how many people are voting? >> it's clear that students are divided over the rule. >> do you think that the language requirement is a good thing? >> yes. >> yes. >> it connects us to the past. i think with chris deshene. he should not have been disqualified. he should have been kept on the ballot because it's so long in the election process. >> but the navajo language is steeped in history and culture. >> if we don't know our language to its maximum then we won't be connected with our teachings as well. >> as fundamental as the students say that language is to their identity it's a difficult language to learn and all the students admit to being less than fluent. is language important to everyone here? do you all speak and a half navajo? somewhat. do you think it disenfranchises voters in your class? >> i think it may have