FCNL Organizes Faith-Based Response to Historical Indian Boarding School Policies
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) this year released a “Statement Supporting the Establishment of a Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States”. From the 1860s through the 1960s, U.S. federal policies mandated the assimilation of Native American children through Indian boarding schools, many of which were operated by Christian religious organizations. These policies forcibly separated children from their families and communities, punished them for speaking their languages or practicing their cultures, and often subjected them to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Tragically, many children never returned home, and numerous Native communities still do not know the fate or burial sites of their lost members. Despite good intentions cited at the time, these actions contradicted the Christian values of family unity and respect.
Faith-based organizations are now acknowledging their role in these historical harms and are calling for the establishment of a federal Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies. They argue that only full and transparent investigation, in partnership with Indigenous communities, can bring truth to light and begin the process of healing. The Department of the Interior has started an oversight investigation, but religious groups stress that much remains unknown and that the government’s involvement needs to be thoroughly examined and documented. The proposed commission would seek to uncover the full scope of injustices, make recommendations for addressing their enduring impacts, and support reconciliation between the federal government, faith groups, and Native communities. The full text of the letter which has been signed by many faith-based organizations is found here.
