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| ==Mandatory residential schools for aboriginal children== | ==Mandatory residential schools for aboriginal children== | ||
| In ], the term usually refers to a number of schools for ] children, operated during the 20th century by ] of various denominations (most notably the ]) and funded under the ] by the ], a branch of the federal government. Implemented under the Gradual Civilization Act, the schools' purpose was the education and ] of aboriginal children into the dominant culture. | In ], the term usually refers to a number of schools for ] children, operated during the 20th century by ] of various denominations (most notably the ]) and funded under the ] by the ], a branch of the federal government. Implemented under the Gradual Civilization Act, the schools' purpose was the education and ] of aboriginal children into the dominant culture. It was also an attempt at cultural ]. | ||
| Students were required to stay in residences on school premises, and |
Students were required to stay in residences on school premises, and were forcibly removed from their homes and parents. Most students had no contact with their families for up to 10 months at a time due to the distance between their home communities and schools. Often, they did not have contact with their families for years at a time. They were prohibited from speaking ], even amongst themselves and outside the classroom, so that ] or ] would be successfully learned. Students were subject to severe ] for speaking aboriginal languages or practising non-Christian faiths. | ||
| In the 1990s, it was revealed that many students at residential schools were subjected to ] and ] by teachers and school officials. Several prominent court cases led to large monetary payments from the federal government and churches to former students of residential schools. | In the 1990s, it was revealed that many students at residential schools were subjected to ] and ] by teachers and school officials. Several prominent court cases led to large monetary payments from the federal government and churches to former students of residential schools. | ||
Revision as of 22:37, 8 March 2005
The term residential school generally refers to any school at which students live in addition to attending classes.
Kinds of Residential schools
There are various kinds of residential schools. They are distinct in nature depending upon the scope or functional aspects of its organization. The most common type of residential school are boarding schools. Other forms of residential schools include resident schools for disabled pupils (e.g. for students who are blind), special needs residential schools (e.g. for mentally challenged students), and the Israeli kibbutzim, where children stay and get educated in a commune, but also have everyday contact with their parents at specified hours.
Mandatory residential schools for aboriginal children
In Canada, the term usually refers to a number of schools for aboriginal children, operated during the 20th century by churches of various denominations (most notably the Roman Catholic Church) and funded under the Indian Act by the Department of Indian Affairs, a branch of the federal government. Implemented under the Gradual Civilization Act, the schools' purpose was the education and cultural assimilation of aboriginal children into the dominant culture. It was also an attempt at cultural Genocide.
Students were required to stay in residences on school premises, and were forcibly removed from their homes and parents. Most students had no contact with their families for up to 10 months at a time due to the distance between their home communities and schools. Often, they did not have contact with their families for years at a time. They were prohibited from speaking aboriginal languages, even amongst themselves and outside the classroom, so that English or French would be successfully learned. Students were subject to severe corporal punishment for speaking aboriginal languages or practising non-Christian faiths.
In the 1990s, it was revealed that many students at residential schools were subjected to psychological and sexual abuse by teachers and school officials. Several prominent court cases led to large monetary payments from the federal government and churches to former students of residential schools.
The last residential school closed in 1990. The federal government has since apologized for the trauma the students experienced. Because mores have changed with the times, the policies of the residential schools are now often seen as racist, and have been compared to Apartheid.
Similar schools were operated in the United States (under the name Indian Boarding Schools) and in Australia (the Stolen Generation).
Traditional natives and tribal communities around societies have been subjected by ruling governments to similar forced residential boarding schools.