Back to School

An instrument of American Genocide

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As the summer ends, and our children are getting ready to go back to school, we can all rest easy in knowing that they will be safe.

They may get scolded for yelling in class but they will not be beaten for it.

They may get detention for fighting but they will not be starved or murdered for it.

Why do I mention these something so extreme as these?

Because for the Native children like my grandmother and her siblings, this was the reality they survived in the boarding school system.

An Instrument of American Genocide that stripped a generation of Native children of their culture.

These institutions were not just places of education but tools of erasure. When the children resisted this forced assimilation, they faced physical abuse and, in many tragic cases, death.

 The attempt to annihilate Native cultures through these schools is a disgrace that remains a painful scar on the creation of America.

  These boarding schools, often run by the catholic church and sanctioned by the government, were designed to "kill the Indian, save the man." Children as young as five were torn from their families, their braids cut off, their traditional clothing replaced with uniforms, and their Native languages forbidden. This was the beginning of a long journey of cultural genocide.

 Within the walls of these schools, the children faced unimaginable horrors. Physical abuse was rampant; children who spoke their Native languages or practiced their traditions were beaten severely. This brutality extended beyond beatings to include starvation, forced labor, and medical experimentation.

 Sexual abuse was also tragically common, perpetrated by those who were supposed to be their caretakers and educators. The trauma inflicted on these children left deep psychological scars, affecting not only them but their descendants for generations. Many of these boarding school survivors would go home and treat their families how they were treated, thus creating a cycle of abuse.

 Today, we use ground-penetrating technology to uncover the remains of these lost children, a haunting reminder of this dark chapter in history.

The numbers are staggering and heartbreaking.

According to documented evidence, 100,000 children were forcibly taken from their families and placed in these schools. Of those, 40,000 never made it back home. That’s nearly half. This is not just a tragedy; it is genocide.

 The discovery of mass graves near these schools is a grim testament to the extreme measures taken to erase Native cultures. These children's deaths, often due to neglect, abuse, and untreated illnesses, were frequently unreported, their bodies buried in unmarked graves. The fact that we are only now uncovering these graves speaks volumes about the hidden and suppressed history of Native American suffering.

 Understanding the reality of residential schools is crucial for Americans. It explains the loss of languages and cultures among Native communities, not as a matter of choice or laziness, but as the result of brutal suppression.

Knowledge of these harsh truths can dismantle misconceptions and garner support for language and cultural restoration initiatives. The more people who become educated about these atrocities, the greater the empathy and drive for cultural restoration.

 However, America struggles with acknowledging its wrongdoings. While the Catholic Church and the Pope have visited Canada to offer apologies and reparations, the United States remains silent. This reluctance to face the truth hinders the path to healing and justice for the affected communities.

 America's inability to confront this dark chapter and call it by its true name – genocide – perpetuates a cycle of ignorance and apathy. It is not enough to acknowledge that these schools existed; we must recognize the intent behind them and the lasting impact on Native communities.

Only then can we begin to make amends, support cultural revitalization, and ensure that such atrocities never happen again.

 The abuse, neglect, and violence suffered by the children in these institutions are a testament to the horrific lengths taken to achieve this goal. It is our responsibility to remember these children, honor their lives, and work towards a future where cultural genocide is not only acknowledged but actively prevented.

As always, If you don’t know now you know, a Native!

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