Residential Schools

The Federal government was responsible for financing the education of First Nations children, who – like Aboriginal adults – were considered wards of the state. First Nations peoples wanted to educate their children to ensure that their cultures survived in a changing world. They hoped the government would help them.

However, when the government created residential schools, it sought to further its own objectives. As a result, the children became pawns in the government’s plan to assimilate First Nations peoples and eliminate what it perceived as an obstacle to building the Canadian Nation.

First Nations peoples were powerless to stop the government’s plan First Nations peoples were powerless to stop the government’s plan. Under the terms of the Indian Act, children were legally required to attend these schools and were prohibited from attending any other educational institution. They could attend a public, separate, or private school only if their parents became enfranchised and gave up their official status.

The Structure of Residential Schools Although the government financed the residential schools, it gave responsibility for their daily operations to the Catholic, Anglican, United, and Presbyterian churches. Although the schools were run by different religious organizations, they had many things in common:

All aspects of First Nations culture were eliminated from the schools All aspects of First Nations culture were eliminated from the schools. Children were forbidden to speak their native language and were punished for doing so.

Boys were segregated from girls, and siblings were intentionally separated in an effort to weaken family ties.

Children were required to wear school uniforms instead of traditional clothing. Hairstyles were cut short in the European style. The children primarily ate Euro-Canadian foods.

Students celebrated Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter Students celebrated Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. They learned to play European sports, such as soccer and cricket.

The school day was divided between religious instruction and training for manual labour. The children were taught practical skills, such as sewing, woodworking, reading, and writing, rather than academic subjects, such as history, geography, math, and science.

The Impact of Residential Schools Residential schools isolated the children. During the school year, they were prohibited from any contact with their families and communities. During school vacations, they were boarded in Euro-Canadian homes to prevent them from renewing their cultural connections with their families.

As a result, many children had little or no contact with their families and communities for many years. When they finally returned home, their family relationships were often distant. The children and their families had little in common. The children could no longer speak their native language. Their parents could not speak English, so they were unable to communicate with one another.

The children no longer understood or practised their traditions and customs. They no longer shared their family’s beliefs and values. Unaccustomed to the poor living conditions on the reserves, they often viewed their communities as backward. They children were caught between two cultures and did not fit into either one. Many people have used the term cultural genocide to describe the effect of residential schools on individuals and entire communities.

The impact of residential schools is still evident today The impact of residential schools is still evident today. Children who were deprived of the benefits of family life did not learn how to raise children themselves. Today, many First Nations leaders cite this as one of the causes of such problems as spousal and child abuse, violence, alcoholism, and suicide within their communities.

Abuse at Residential Schools For some children, residential schools were an opportunity to experience a different world from the one in their own communities. Despite feelings of homesickness and loneliness, some of these students had positive experiences at the schools. For many other, however, life at the schools was brutal.

As punishment, children were often deprived of food or were forced to spend long hours in isolation or performing back-breaking labour. Some children were physically, mentally, and/or sexually abused. For many, the cruelty they endured in residential schools created traumas that they carried with them throughout their lives.