Indian Residential Schools A Shameful Story

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Preschool to Grade 12 Indian Residential Schools A Shameful Story The following titles, accommodating a wide range of readers, shed light on the long-term consequences and the shameful legacy of Indian residential schools. By Kay Weisman In May 2021, 215 unmarked children’s graves were discovered on the grounds of the Kamloops (BC) Indian Residential School. While a shock to many, the discovery came as no surprise to Indigenous communities whose family histories include many stories of children who disappeared while attending residential schools. Some background: Indian residential schools were established in the early nineteenth century in both the U.S. and Canada with the purpose of “civilizing” or assimilating Indigenous children into Euro-American culture. Most were run by various Christian churches; all focused on forced changes to their pupils, including…