Indian Schools: Assimilation or Resocialization? During the early 1800’s, the American government had a created a goal to educate and assimilate the Native American youth so that they could be productive members of american society (citation). To achieve this goal, the government called for the removal of native american children from their families so that they could put them in government run boarding schools (citation). The main purpose of these schools were to assimilate young Native Americans into American culture. However, the assimilation was rather a form of resocialization. Instead of simply integrating new concepts and knowledge into their own, the government wanted to completely eradicate their prior knowledge, dissolving all ties
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To illustrate, many photos of the schools were released, however, many of these photos could have falsely portrayed the true atmosphere of the schools. The government, for example, could have easily used photography to manipulate outlooks on the schools. Naturally, the government would want people to believe the schools provided a healthy environment for learning and flourishing. The schools, however, did not always provide this. For instance, many of the schools were ridden with various diseases (citation). Additionally, death within the schools was not at all uncommon. Approximately 189 headstones were found at Chemawa, and this number only represents the bodies of children who were unreturned to their parents (citation). With all that said, photography can be immensely misleading, showing only the positive sides of a situation. In conclusion, the assimilation of the Native American youth was highly unfair. Although it provide forms of training and education, it limited self-growth and enforced strict and unequal guidelines. Despite what photos portrayed, many of the schools were overcrowded, disease-ridden, and unclean (citation). Finally, like stated prior, the assimilation was rather a form of complete resocialization which forced conformity and restricted cultural
To illustrate, many photos of the schools were released, however, many of these photos could have falsely portrayed the true atmosphere of the schools. The government, for example, could have easily used photography to manipulate outlooks on the schools. Naturally, the government would want people to believe the schools provided a healthy environment for learning and flourishing. The schools, however, did not always provide this. For instance, many of the schools were ridden with various diseases (citation). Additionally, death within the schools was not at all uncommon. Approximately 189 headstones were found at Chemawa, and this number only represents the bodies of children who were unreturned to their parents (citation). With all that said, photography can be immensely misleading, showing only the positive sides of a situation. In conclusion, the assimilation of the Native American youth was highly unfair. Although it provide forms of training and education, it limited self-growth and enforced strict and unequal guidelines. Despite what photos portrayed, many of the schools were overcrowded, disease-ridden, and unclean (citation). Finally, like stated prior, the assimilation was rather a form of complete resocialization which forced conformity and restricted cultural