The truth about Indian Education

1026 Words5 Pages
The truth about “Indian Education” Initially the education system of aboriginal people was primarily taught within their families and tribes a consisted of a curriculum of basic survival skills. While these skills were imperative for the aboriginal people, the Christians and Europeans had opposite views and expressed discrimination towards the aboriginal’s way of life. In the 19th century education had become compulsory for white children and as a result “Indian Education” became a necessity as well. However, because indigenous people were viewed as primitive and underdeveloped as a whole, their level of education is basic and were forced to serve the functions in the lowest of levels of white society. This reflects an authoritative society and not one of democracy and freedom to express their culture. Their children were sent to schools far from their reservation to completely assimilate them into white culture and society. Corporal punishment was a common method used to aggressively assimilate aboriginals into white society. Called an industrial school was devoted to teaching aboriginal male children farming, carpentry and other medial tasks that allowed them to work in the underbelly of society and while the aboriginal women were taught how to be more lady like by teaching them domestic skills that “a good Christian wife” must possess. The ultimate goal of the whites was to eliminate a generation and eventually a culture that initially inhabited what is known today as Canada. Children should have a passion for learning and should not be favoured based on race, religion, wealth or appearance. Ideally children should be inspired by teachers and demonstrate a thirst for learning by the enthusiasm that is ideally portrayed by teachers. However, there is a hidden agenda set out by the government to teach children about discipline and rules and if not
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