Discrimination Against Indigenous Youth in the Education System

History: Residential Schools

In order to understand how Canada's education system has harmful outcomes for Indigenous youth in Canada, it is important to recognize when this began, and how the history of Indigenous Residential Schools results the discrimination we see today. Indigenous Residential Schools were education systems in Canada where “children as young as 3 were forced, by law, to leave their families and communities to live at schools which were designed to “kill the Indian in the child” (RCAP, 1996). These schools taught Aboriginal children to be ashamed of their languages, cultural beliefs and traditions, and were largely ineffective at providing proper or even adequate education (Deiter, 1999; Friesen & Friesen, 2002) [and] many were also victims of chronic mental, physical, and sexual abuses and neglect (RCAP, 1996)”[1]. The long term negative outcomes of this abuse remain evident in our Indigenous communities today, involving significant, ongoing damage to those victimized, as studies have revealed “(a) persistent mental disorders but also to (b) complex traumatic reactions arising from impaired relational attachment and developmental maturation, (c) negative cascades of events, and (d) social marginalization resulting from both Canadian societal racism and lack of opportunities to develop or retain Aboriginal languages and cultures”.[2] Indigenous Residential Schools set an incredibly low standard for First Nations education as a whole; and while Canadian education systems have improved monumentally, there are still flaws which create opportunities for discriminatory attitudes toward Indigenous students.

Curriculum: What Canadian Students Learn about Indigenous Culture

Critics have brought attention to the Canadian education curriculum surrounding Indigenous history, as there are a number of discrepancies between what Indigenous people believe should be taught about their culture and what students actually learn. In an interview, one critic reflected on this issue, stating “we study what they did to us, we don’t study us”[3], referencing the Indigenous Residential Schools. While Indigenous culture is thus depicted as something that was once suppressed and negatively stigmatized, the positive components of their culture are underrepresented in Canada's education curriculum. Because students are taught this information at such a young, vulnerable age, it is imperative this changes to avoid negative constructs forming surrounding Indigenous culture. Though the Indigenous community has made several policies and other attempts for education systems to discuss more relevant topics to their traditions, “there is little change in the “traditional assimilationist orientation of schooling within the dominant cultural paradigm” since the initiation of the policy”.[4]

Intersectionality: Minority, Indigenous, Youth

There are a number of intersections among this group which are worth noting. Young Indigenous students are often a minority in their schools, resulting in independent complications such as feeling isolated or different from their peers. Being a minority at a young age results in additional hardships at an already challenging point in life, and “early life traumatic events can be particularly influential in affecting later vulnerability to psychopathology, including depressive disorders”[5] . For indigenous youth in particular, discussing the torment and abuse their ancestors experienced while undermining the positive attributes of their culture creates opportunity for negative ideologies, isolation, and a sense of inequality between ethnic groups at school. Additionally, the Indigenous community in Greater Vancouver has faced criticisms regarding homeless rate and substance use concerns, as studies reveal “highly elevated overdose death rates and levels of premature mortality among First Nations Canadians in British Columbia compared to the general population”[6]. Despite that research has also discovered links between Indigenous Residential Schools and poor mental health outcomes, First Nations people have still faced judgements and responsibility for these circumstances. Thus, Indigenous youth face even greater discrimination because of their stereotypes. Using an intersectional lens, it becomes clear that Indigenous youth experience significant discrimination from a variety of different angles.

Solution

When Canada's education system is largely discussing negative narratives of any culture, the thoughts and behaviours of all students is affected. Not only does this shift a First Nations students thoughts on themselves, their family, and the education system, it also changes how their peers interact with them. In order to avoid discriminatory attitudes towards any minority group, it is imperative to start early via proper educational curriculums. While it is vital for students to understand the wrongdoings that took place in Indigenous Residential Schools, discussing the rich art, storytelling, and history, of Indigenous people should be a focus for having a more balanced and positive construct of the culture. In turn, this will allow the Indigenous community to not only be positively represented in Canadian schools, but will also raise future generations who encourage the First Nations community to flourish and feel welcomed.