Native American Education Analysis

The article examines United States policies that affect Native American people, in particular their educational issues. The author connects the government assimilating of Native Americans into “main stream society” and the current issues Native American’s face such as violence and drug abuse. Cherokee people are the primary focus in the article, but even though every tribe is different, many are faced with the same problems. General information on the development and reasoning of assimilation, as well as the use of boarding schools are thoroughly explained. An easy read and eye opener that highlights how the government typically prioritize the economy and gathering resources over particular groups of people. The author stated that, the research
Discuss the particulars of the policy? In other words, what is contained in the legislation? Educating Native American children was a primary part of the negotiation of treaties between tribes and the federal government. “American policymakers considered that it would accelerate the incorporation and assimilation of Native children into the dominate society” (pp 19-20). The system the government used for American Indian education was boarding schools, set up similarly like military camps, but controlled by the church. In the 19th and 20th century, the state policy forced Native children to leave their families and homes and study in government and church operated boarding schools (Knepler, 1942). President Ulysses S. Grant (1869 –1877), initiated the Peace Policy which “rested on the belief that Americans had the right to dispossess Native peoples of their lands, take away freedoms, and send them to reservations, where missionaries would teach them how to farm, read and write, wear Euro-American clothing, and embrace Christianity. If Indians refused to move to reservations, they would be forced off their homelands by soldiers” (Trafzer, 2009). iii. What are the research questions that the article answers? What role did education play in assimilating Native Americans? What was the purpose of assimilating Native Americans? How did assimilating affect Native Americans? How did colonialist acquire the United States of
Discuss the stakeholders, organizations, and people who are impacted by the public policy as well as how the different levels of government interact as a result of the legislation (federal, state, and local)? This has been an issue every presidential administration has been apart of since the birth of our constitution. Native Americans have prevalent impacts from past and present education policies placed on them. Education has been used as a weapon to teach them everything they knew was wrong, and to be ashamed of their culture. This damaged self esteem and placed challenges on Native Americans that is still apparent in present day. There are 4 levels of government involved, as treaties allows tribes to be sovereign and maintain self governance. The article’s content explains when American Indian’s education was in the hands of the federal government and enforced by the church. Present day, Native American education is primarily in the tribe’s hands. Although, because many tribes still rely on federal assistance for educational funding, this still makes them under federal regulations. “Neocolonialism shows us; we cannot achieve political sovereignty without economic sovereignty” (p