3,000 Native children died in residential schools

At least 3,000 native children died in residential schools: research

By Colin PerkelAt least 3,000 children, including four under the age of 10 found huddled together in frozen embrace, are now known to have died during attendance at Canada’s Indian residential schools, according to new unpublished research.

While deaths have long been documented as part of the disgraced residential school system, the findings are the result of the first systematic search of government, school and other records.And:The largest single killer, by far, was disease.

For decades starting in about 1910, tuberculosis was a consistent killer–in part because of widespread ignorance over how diseases were spread.And:While a statistical analysis has yet to be done, the records examined over the past few years also show children also died of malnutrition or accidents. Schools consistently burned down, killing students and staff. Drownings or exposure were another cause.

In all, about 150,000 first nations children went through the church-run residential school system, which ran from the 1870s until the 1990s. In many cases, native kids were forced to attend under a deliberate federal policy of “civilizing” Aboriginal Peoples.

Many students were physically, mentally and sexually abused. Some committed suicide. Some died fleeing their schools.Comment:  Although disease and accidents seem like "natural causes," the children wouldn't have been subjected to these problems if they hadn't been locked up in the schools. Therefore, it's fair to say the school system caused most of these deaths.

For more on boarding schools, see ICWA Prevents Child Kidnapping and Mormons Teach Dark Skin Is Curse.