ABSTRACT
Indigenous communities and children have been subjected to an imposed educational system since the beginning of the formal American schooling process more than 200 years ago. It began with the mission schools that were established among indigenous people to “Christianize” the children. When the U.S. government assumed responsibility for Indian education during the early part of the 20th century, federal boarding schools were established. These schools have a long history of abuse and neglect of Indian children. In the beginning, they were generally converted military bases and had a strict and regimented style of administration. Young children were not allowed to speak their own language or practice their traditional ways. Children were brought to boarding schools over distances that at times took them hundreds of miles away from family and community. Once there, they were given haircuts and punished if caught speaking the language of their home, all in the name of civilizing the Native American child.
