Psychological Damage Inflicted by the Residential School System Essay

First Nations children suffered many forms of abuse at the hands of the Canadian Government (Oh, Canada) under the guise of residential schools. The purposes of the residential schools were to remove First Nations children from the influence of their families and cultures, and to inter social class them into the dominant culture (The Residential School System). This was done under the assumption that First Nations culture was lesser, to kill the Indian in the child as it was commonly said. The children were forcibly disjunct from their families to live in year-round schools where they were taught white man curriculum, with a two-month vacation time, completely separated from their Aboriginal heritage and forbidden from speaking their own languages (The Residential School System). If these rules, along with many others, were broken the punishments were severe (Oh, Canada). Residential school survivors spoke of their horrible abuse during their time at the schools, including sexual, physical and psychological (The Psychological and Intergenerational Impacts of the Indian Residential School System). The students received an inferior education, usually only taught up to grade five, training them for manual labor jobs (The Residential School System). The residential school system undermined First Nations culture and disrupted families for generations, leaving severe psychological upon in not only the survivors but also their families and the following generations (The Psychological and Intergenerational Impacts of the Indian Residential School System). Many students grew up without experiencing a family life, never gaining the fancy and knowledge necessary to raise a family of their own. The effects of the schools were far reac... ...Jonathan Dewar, and Glen Lowry. Ottawa, Ont. Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2012. Print.Oh, Canada Cultural Survival. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.Brasfield, C. Residential school syndrome. BC Medical Journal. Vol 43(2), process20 01. Pp. 78-81Rita Flamand. Speaking My Truth Reflections on Reconciliation & Residential School.Ed. Shelagh Rogers, Mike DeGagn, Jonathan Dewar, and Glen Lowry. Ottawa, Ont. Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2006. Print.The Psychological and Intergenerational Impacts of the IndianResidential School System. Indian Residential Schoolsmemorial Project. Anishinabek Nation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.The Residential School System. Indigenous Foundations. N.p.,n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.Walker, Julian. The Indian Residential Schools Truth andReconciliation Commission. Parliament of Canada. N.p., 11 Feb. 2009. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.