What kinds of abuse and harsh conditions did many Indigenous children experience at boarding schools?

Indigenous children in boarding schools across the United States and Canada were subjected to systemic abuse and harsh conditions as part of a deliberate policy of forced assimilation. These institutions, often run like military camps, aimed to strip children of their traditional identities by forbidding the use of native languages and the practice of traditional religions.123

Students faced severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Punishments for speaking native languages or displaying Indigenous culture included beatings, electrical shocks, solitary confinement, the withholding of food and water, and forced labor or kneeling for extended periods. In some instances, older children were coerced into punishing younger ones.13

Living conditions were typically overcrowded and poor, leading to widespread malnutrition and the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis and measles. The neglect and abuse were so extreme that thousands of children died while in the custody of these schools. Investigations have since identified marked and unmarked burial sites at numerous school locations, confirming the tragic loss of life that resulted from these policies. These experiences caused profound, enduring trauma that continues to affect Indigenous communities today.1324