Residential Schools

Early in 1900's many children were forced out of their homes by the Canadian government, and they were ordered to go to Residential Schools. In my opinion I think this was a very poor choice made on behalf of the government. The children that were forced to go to these schools grew up without the benefits of being raised by their family, they were forced to choose a religion they didn't believe in, and they were physically and sexually abused. Many of the children were damaged from being put into these schools, and I think that is unfortunate.

When you are growing up you need to have the influence of your family around you so you can learn as much as possible for when you are a parent. The children that were forced into these schools didn't have the chance to learn from their parents, and they were mainly looking out for themselves only, and didn't have any adults to rely on for help. They were only aloud to visit their family members a few weeks out of the year, so there was no time to form a relationship with them. In my life, my family is so important to me and I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be taken away from them and have no way of getting back to them. 

Religion is a very important part of your life and it can often times determine the kind of person you are, and where your standards are. When the children entered the schools they were told that they had to worship another religion. This would have been very difficult because you cannot change what you believe quickly. No one can tell you what to believe, it has to be what you feel inside. It would have been very hard on the kids, and I can assume that they would have been very confused and lost, and didn't know who to believe, or what was true. Religion is  a part of you, what you choose to believe is your right, and that should never get taken away.

The teachers at these were often times not very kind to the children, and they took pleasure out of physically, and even sexually abusing the students. When they were out of line the educators would beat them, and whip them with thick straps until their was serious pain or damage. I don't think any child deserves this kind of treatment, and if they were able to stay in their homes and be raised in a normal family this would not happen. As a result of this the children did not know who they could trust and who they could not trust. I feel pity for them because it would be so difficult growing up not knowing who really cared about you.

Overall residential schools were not good for the children. Because of them many children grew up not being able to trust anyone, and they were greatly damaged from their past. Not being able to grow up under the influence of your family, being forced to choose a religion, and being physically and sexually abused are all things that can change the person you are. I think it was highly unfair to put these families through this pain. I am sure the government did not intend to damage these children, but evidently they did, and it is a mistake that we can all learn from. Everyone deserves a good life, and because of these schools the children were not able to obtain that, and there was nothing they could do about it.