Missing Children In Residential Schools Research Paper
Brett Driscoll
Ms. MacLeod
English 521
2 December 2013
Missing Children in Residential Schools The harsh reality of the events occurring to native children gone missing from residential schools has been brought to light. Records concur that over 150,000 children have been taken from their parents, sent to residential schools and many never returned. The leading cause of these tragic deaths was disease, mainly tuberculosis and the Spanish flu epidemic. The children faced these diseases every day in residential schools. Furthermore, there were many deaths that were influenced directly by the schools themselves. Students would sometimes be fed rotten food, or be unquestionably malnourished. The students could even be used in experiments …show more content…
Staff deliberately withheld more than the recommended rations from students to view the absolute minimum they could be given. More so dental services were often taken away from the schools so gum health was not too high. The inhumane treatment even went so far as that the children received an enriched flour that was not deemed legal and healthy by food law standards in Canada. The need to escape from these conditions was overwhelming to some. Children died trying to escape their horrible life at these schools. The attempt to track their way back home to their families was what killed many Aboriginal children. One incident included four young boys under the age of ten who were trying to make it home to their families, and tragically froze to death on their journey home (The Canadian Press).The formation of these residential schools resulted in so many children braving a journey so difficult and bitter, solely because they thought it would be a better alternative to their current situation. The schools caused so much pain, and sorrow in these Native children that they thought their only way out, was either death or the worst journey of their
Ms. MacLeod
English 521
2 December 2013
Missing Children in Residential Schools The harsh reality of the events occurring to native children gone missing from residential schools has been brought to light. Records concur that over 150,000 children have been taken from their parents, sent to residential schools and many never returned. The leading cause of these tragic deaths was disease, mainly tuberculosis and the Spanish flu epidemic. The children faced these diseases every day in residential schools. Furthermore, there were many deaths that were influenced directly by the schools themselves. Students would sometimes be fed rotten food, or be unquestionably malnourished. The students could even be used in experiments …show more content…
Staff deliberately withheld more than the recommended rations from students to view the absolute minimum they could be given. More so dental services were often taken away from the schools so gum health was not too high. The inhumane treatment even went so far as that the children received an enriched flour that was not deemed legal and healthy by food law standards in Canada. The need to escape from these conditions was overwhelming to some. Children died trying to escape their horrible life at these schools. The attempt to track their way back home to their families was what killed many Aboriginal children. One incident included four young boys under the age of ten who were trying to make it home to their families, and tragically froze to death on their journey home (The Canadian Press).The formation of these residential schools resulted in so many children braving a journey so difficult and bitter, solely because they thought it would be a better alternative to their current situation. The schools caused so much pain, and sorrow in these Native children that they thought their only way out, was either death or the worst journey of their