Biden Will Apologize for US Role in Native Boarding Schools
Biden toWill Apologize for HistoryUS ofRole in Native Boarding Schools
The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden is heading to Arizona to "make a formal apology" for the US government's history of forcing indigenous, or American Indian, children into boarding schools. Biden said it was something he should've "done a long time ago."US Pres. Joe Biden on Thursday headed to Arizona to "make a formal apology" for the US government's history of forcing indigenous, or American Indian, children into boarding schools. Biden said it was something he should've "done a long time ago."
Biden will make his apology at the Gila River Indian Community, where he's expected to comment on the 18K or more children who were taken from their parents for over 150 years beginning in 1819.
The Spin
WhileThis theapology USis governmenta claimedlong theytime werecoming. Under the guise of "civilizing" the Natives,native in realitypeoples, theythe wereUS removinggovernment theseremoved children from their families and forcingforced them to practice the religion, culture, and language of their colonizers. They were also physically and emotionally punished for not adopting these foreign lessons, thus instilling generational fear and trauma. Either by force or self-censorship, Native peoples have slowly lost most of their history.
WhileUsing theWhite historyor ofAmerican post-conquestguilt Nativeas Americansa isform full of tragedy,penance thefor attemptsome toof usethe Whitetragedy orthat Americancame guiltwith asconquest a form of penanceUS haslands donedoes no one any good. In both Canada and the US, laws have been written specifically for the economic benefit of Natives, but to no avail. Instead of making modern Americans apologize for the past, society should study and respect this complicated history.