Residential Schools

Residential schools have influenced those that went to them quite heavily. But what are they and why are they considered so controversial? How did this controversy start? What really happened in those schools? How are we dealing with this issue today? I will try and answer these questions.

First let's talk about what these schools were and what happened within their walls. Residential schools were used by the British to assimilate the First Nations people into European society and ways. In the schools, nothing was like home for the students as they were not allowed to speak their own language or honour any traditions of their fathers. Students caught doing such things were usually disciplined severely. Students did not return home either, for if they did they might begin to live the ways of the Natives, So they stayed and were abused by most of the teachers physically, mentally, and sexually. This is where the controversy has arisen from, the unfair treatment that first nations people received at the hands of their European teachers.

An effect of these residential today is the billions of dollars that have been spent in compensation for the abuse that they suffered. I'm not going to say that they shouldn't be getting compensated because they should, some though did not actually receive any abuse and went through residential school perfectly fine. Yet they still get the same money that those who were abused simply because they went to school. I believe that we need to be more through in checking this, We cannot afford to waste any money during these times on unnecessary things.

Why were these schools started in the first place? why did the British think it so necessary to assimilate the Natives into their society? The British believed that theirs was the only proper way for things to be done, so they really thought they were doing the natives a favour because they must have not known any better. This kind of behaviour was actually pretty common in that day. Luckily people have been taught better since then and widespread acts like this are relatively unheard of.

Overall, Residential schools are a small part of Canada's history that we aren't proud of. It was a cultural genocide that dramatically effected the lives of many people involved with them. We are now paying for our mistakes of the past and hope that they will heal and then forgive us. A valueble lesson was learned though and such things will never be heard of again.