What kinds of mistreatment did many Indigenous children experience in boarding and residential schools?

Indigenous children in boarding and residential schools across the Americas were subjected to systemic mistreatment as part of government-led assimilation policies. These institutions, which operated on the premise that Indigenous cultures were inferior, inflicted profound physical, emotional, and psychological harm on students.123

Forms of Abuse and Mistreatment

• Cultural Erasure: Upon arrival, children were stripped of their traditional clothing, had their hair cut, and were assigned English names. They were strictly forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their traditional religions, and they were forced to convert to Christianity.123
• Physical and Sexual Abuse: Staff frequently subjected children to severe physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Punishments for speaking native languages or displaying Indigenous culture included beatings, electrical shocks, solitary confinement, and the withholding of food or water.123
• Forced Labor and Neglect: Schools were often overcrowded with poor living conditions, leading to widespread malnutrition and the rapid spread of diseases like tuberculosis. Students were forced to perform manual labor, such as farming and construction, which was essential for the schools' operation.1234
• Mortality: Thousands of children died due to abuse, neglect, disease, and accidents like fires. Many were buried in unmarked graves at or near school sites.1432

These abuses are widely recognized as a grave violation of human rights, and many survivors and their communities continue to deal with the intergenerational trauma resulting from these experiences.23