Ms. Collins

American Literature

August 28, 2018

Native American children are falling behind in their education. At this time, reaching the end of the school year, I, Daniel Nogueira was privileged to visit Pennsylvania where i will be investigating the system of the Carlisle Industrial School. This school was designed for Native American children fro 140 different tribes. Children spend each semester at the school leaving behind their families. This year was the 10th year anniversary of the US’s decline to deliver on its treaty obligations. Children are forced to do labor and eradicate their Indian culture.

I was able to speak to the director of the school. Discussing their tactics to deliver this curriculum. The teachers keep a tight wire on their students, they are forced to make heavy disciplinary rules to keep that students on a fine narrow path. He explained how they have to teach these kids something they are not familiar with. They teach the kids english to perfect it and learn the way of the Americans. Later, I was able to walk around the school and I noticed how the children were forced not to speak their language or do any cultural activities. They were suppressing their Native American culture. Professional believe that, “The American Indian boarding school, as an institution of assimilation, was designed to suppress the culture, language, and spirituality of American Indian nations throughout the United States.” (Brief History of American Indian Education) When I walked the hallways of Carlisle I was able to see this in action. The children are forced to live a completely different life than the ones they do back on their family reservations.

The children were interviewed next. Education professionals have said, “...From the age of 5 through 18, American Indian children were removed from their families, for months or years at a time, and placed in the boarding school where a harsh indoctrination occurred.”  I was able to talk to a grade 7 student named Achak to investigate this quote. He explained to me how he dreaded going to school each semester. He would leave his loving family to live with someone who did not care for him at all. He explained how he was forced to follow a certain schedule everyday. The children wake up early in the morning to eat breakfast and go to their classes. After a long day of classes, they have a couple hours of manual labor and free time. Then, it’s back to bed. The children are living a rough life compared to the other millions of children around America going to school. It’s much different than the school I grew up in 15 years ago. Achak also explains to me how harsh the teachers are on him and his classmates. Achak himself has a scare from a striking ruler. We understand kids must be disciplined but no child should be marked by a teacher.

In conclusion, The children of Carlisle Indian Industrial School are young loving children pushed into an environment they didn’t ask for. They are suppressed from practicing their culture and being who they were born to be. The kids are forced to follow high demanding education and labor, far away from home. I wish these kids the best and a healthy education.