Residential Schools in Canada: A History of Oppression and Abuse, Essays (university) of Sociology

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Residential Schools Department of Sociology, Toronto Metropolitan University SOC 104- Dr.Kelly Train April 10,

Dr. Kelly Train SOC 104 011 April 10, 2023 Residential Schools Imagine being taken away from family and friends to live in a school, isolated away from the rest of the world, and forced to learn a new culture. Unfortunately, this was not an imaginary situation for Indigenous children, who were forced away from their loved ones and sent to residential schools. Until they closed in 1997, about 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools all across Canada (Neeganagwedgin, 2023). The government had worked with the Catholic Church to run these schools (Beninger, 2012). Their goal was to Christianize Indigenous children, through forcefully instilling European cultural and social values. The government and the church believed that residential schools would make the children more civilized, and thus decrease the level of crimes they might commit in the future (Bush, 2015). The reason why residential schools were also normalized in Canadian society was because of the lack of empathy and understanding for Indigenous cultures. This paper argues that settler colonial assimilationist policies reproduce the oppression and abuse of Indigenous children through residential schooling. Before 2015, very few Canadians knew about the history of residential schools. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued a report that highlighted the experiences of residential school survivors (Gualtieri, 2016). Also, in the 1920s, the Canadian government created The Scott Report. The Scott Report was a government report on the state of Indigenous education in Canada, released in 1920. It was named after Samuel Scott, who was a government

Many children in residential schools were mistreated by the priests and nuns in the church. Their job was to teach the children Christianity and erase their beliefs about their religion. Christianity played a huge role in residential schools and the cultural oppression against Indigenous peoples. In many residential schools, Christianity was the main focus of the curriculum. Children were forced to join church services and study the bible. They were also told that their beliefs were inferior and Christianity was the one true religion (Johnson, 2019). Once Indigenous children had entered the schools, all their belongings were taken. Even their hair, which was significant to their culture, was cut short. Their Indigenous names were taken and replaced by Christian ones. If the students tried to run away or misbehave, they got severely punished. For example, the nuns would stop giving them food or beat them (Beninger, 2012). Boys and girls were separated and siblings barely interacted, which eventually weakened family bonds. Assimilationist policies also contributed to the oppression and abuse in residential schools (Riopelle, 2017) Assimilationist policies are government policies that are aimed at assimilating a particular group into the “dominant/ hegemonic” culture of our society. The dominant culture in Canada is Anglo Canadian Culture. This refers to English speaking Canadians who are British or Europeans. One of these influences was colonialism, the process by which a country maintains political and economic control over another country. In this case, Europeans would be taking political and economic control over Indigenous peoples by placing them in residential schools. If every Indigenous person was assimilated into Canadian society, there would be no reserves, rights or treaties (Riopelle, 2017). One of the assimilationist policies was the Indian Act (Riopelle, 2017). This Canadian policy of Indigenous assimilation was approved by Canada’s first prime minister - Sir John A

McDonald. Sir John A McDonald also wanted Indigenous peoples to assimilate into Canadian culture. He stated: “The great aim of our legislation has been to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the Indian people in all respects with the other inhabitants of the Dominion as speedily as they are fit to change” (Osborne, 2000). Duncan Campbell Scott, a Canadian writer also took part in the formation of oppression that Indigenous children faced through residential schooling. Scott spent 52 years in the Department of Indian Affairs, in which supported residential schools and soon became deputy minister (Paquette, 2020). During his career, he made many amendments to the Indian Act. The Indian Act of 1876 made the education of Indigenous people into the responsibility of the federal governments (McKenzie, 2016). The Indian Act faced a lot of controversy when it first came out and still impacts Indigenous peoples today, including poverty and violence. The Indian Act defined who was an Indian under the law and what Indians could and could not do. Duncan was also known as a huge assimilationist. An assimilationist is a person who supports assimilating a certain cultural group into another. Duncan did not believe that residential schools were enough for civilization Indigenous peoples. He stated that he wanted to get rid of the Indians and won’t stop until everyone has European beliefs. He was mainly known for his phrase “Kill the Indian, save the man.” This slogan was mainly used in the 19th and 20th centuries. Scott was blamed for many of the many deaths and instances of neglect that Indigenous children faced in residential schools (Riopelle, 2017). The British North American Act also reproduced the oppression of Indigenous children through residential schooling. The British North American Act allowed the establishment of the residential school system in Canada. It allowed the federal government to take over the lands which were for Indigenous peoples. It also allowed the government to run residential schools. In

them to integrate them into Canadian society. However, the quality of agriculture programs in residential schools was lacking. In some schools, children were told to work on school run farms or gardens where they would grow crops and raise animals. If the children refused, they were punished (Schissel, 2002). They were also taught theoretical agricultural concepts. Theoretical agricultural concepts taught in residential schools were often oppressive because they were not created by Indigenous knowledge or their practices. These concepts were based on European farming practices and techniques. Overall, the agricultural concepts that were taught in residential schools reproduced the oppressive colonial system that wanted to erase indigenous peoples culture. Agricultural education was linked with forced labor on farms which was meant to teach indigenous children hard work. This showed that Indigenous people were only valuable for their work. In residential schools, they were taught western style academics. Western-style academics generally refer to the traditional academic systems and methodologies employed in Western countries, such as the United States, Canada, and countries in Europe. Also, Western style academics focus on mathematics, writing, etc. The Western-style academics taught in residential schools were ineffective for Indigenous children, as they did not focus on Indigenous knowledge.For example, reading and writing in residential schools did not focus on the oral traditions and storytelling that was essential to Indigenous cultures. Standardized testing and the grading system also did not follow Indigenous culture either as indigenous values focus on collaboration and community rather than individual achievement (Schissel, 2002). Finally, teaching methods in residential schools were based on punishment , rather than encouragement and positive reinforcement. Children who struggled with the Western academics were faced with

punishment and emotional abuse, which further discouraged them from pursuing their education. Some of them even had issues with addiction. For example drugs or alcohol. In conclusion, this paper argues that settler colonial assimilationist policies reproduce the oppression and abuse of Indigenous children through residential schooling. Settler colonial assimilationist policies refer to colonial powers to assimilate Indigenous peoples into the dominant culture and erase other group’s culture. In Canada, the dominant culture would be anglo Canadian culture. This culture is made up of British and Canadian customs and values. Residential schools were run by religious organizations such as churches. The goal of these religious organizations was to assimilate Indigenous children into Western culture and values. If Indigenous children tried to run away, they were severely punished (Riopelle, 2017). For example, the nuns would stop giving them food or beat them. Many Indigenous children still face barriers to access education and healthcare and still face discrimination and racism. The child welfare system is an example of this. They remove Indigenous children from their homes and place them in non Indigenous ones.In short, settler colonial assimilationist policies such as residential schooling have had and lasting negative impacts on Indigenous children and their communities, reproducing the oppression and abuse that have lasted for generations.

Johnson, V. M. (2019). I'm sorry now we were so very severe": 1930s Colonizing Care Relations between White Anglican Women Staff and Inuvialuit, Inuinnait, and Iñupiat People in an "Eskimo Residential School. Feminist Studies, 45 (2), 335-371,584. Neeganagwedgin, E. (2014). " They can't take our ancestors out of us. A brief historical account of Canada's residential school system, incarceration, institutional policies and legislations against indigenous peoples. Canadian Issues, 31-36. http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/they- cant-take-our-ancestors-out-us-brief/docview/1665530527/se- Paquette, E. (2020). Reconciliation and Cultural Genocide: A Critique of Liberal Multicultural Strategies of Innocence. Hypatia, 35 (1), 143-160. https://doi.org/10.1017/hyp.2019. Riopelle, C. (2017). Education Work: Canadian Schools and the Emergence of Indigenous Social Movements (Order No. 10832096). Available from Sociology Database. (2034018197). http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/ education-work-canadian-schools-emergence/docview/2034018197/se- Schissel, B., Wotherspoon, T., & Friesen, J. W. (2002). The legacy of school for Aboriginal people: education, oppression, and emancipation. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 34 (2), 129-131. http://ezproxy.lib.torontomu.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly- journals/legacy-school-aboriginal-people-education/docview/215637679/se-

Woods, E. T. (2013). A Cultural Approach to a Canadian Tragedy: The Indian Residential Schools as a Sacred Enterprise. International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 26 (2), 173-187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-013-9132-