Why is now an important time to learn about the Indian Boarding School system?
Legislation is now before Congress that seeks to gather important information, including pathways to healing.
The Secretary of the Department of Interior, Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna) called for the Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs to recearch more deepy the effects of the Native American Boarding School system. Senators and Congressional Representatives are also responding and have sponsored (S.2907, H.5444 Respectively) The “Truth and Healing Commission Policy Act.” If and when the Bill becomes law, a Truth and Healing Commission will be established to accomplish the several specific tasks called for: See these tasks in the NABS website.
The Reports are to … outline the findings and layout the manner in which greater healing can and would occur. Considerations regarding ‘repair’ will also be part of the national discussion.
It is anticipated that the need for specific legislation will be one of the outcomes.
Improvements in Indigenous - non-indigenous relations can be steered toward the principles found in the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. Key among these is the needed practice of providing natural resource information about potential impacts prior to any decision making and honoring Native voices at the table. The working together toward a sustainable future for human beings will increasingly call for the use of indigenous practices of conservation, reciprocity, and generosity. We all need this wise voice at the decision-making table.
NABS, the National Native American Boarding Schools Healing Coalition
NABS has been working for over ten years to increase public awareness.
We recommend that you peruse the full website, it is worth it: http://boardingschoolhealing.org
Their is a wealth of information across this broad topic.
Many efforts lending their press to bring the bill to the floors
FCNL, JUUst Washington, Faith Action Network,
Additional Paths of learning
View links to films and documentaries.
Read from Native accounts of their experiences.