Biden to apologize for infamous legacy of the boarding school 

WINDOW ROCK

President Joe Biden will make an announcement this morning at the Gila Crossing Community School during his first visit to Indian Country while in office.

“I’m heading to do something that should have been done a long time ago. Make a formal apology to the Indian nations for the way we treated their children for so many years,” Biden said on Thursday.

The Department of the Interior has announced significant developments in the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, originally launched by Secretary Deb Haaland in June 2021.

Secretary Haaland, along with tribal leaders, like Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, will join the president in the Gila River Community.

The upcoming announcement comes as Biden seeks to solidify his legacy in the closing months of his presidency. According to a White House press release, the Biden-Harris administration has already outlined substantial investments made under his administration, totaling nearly $46 million directed toward Native American initiatives through the American Rescue Plan, the bipartisan infrastructure law, and the Inflation Reduction Act. These funds are aimed at improving infrastructure, ensuring access to clean water, addressing drought challenges, and expanding high-speed internet access within tribal communities.

The initiative marks the first comprehensive effort by the federal government to confront and address the harrowing legacy of past Indian boarding school policies, with a focus on healing intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities.

The department released the second and final volume of its investigative report, spearheaded by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. This latest volume builds upon the initial report released in May 2022, significantly expanding the scope to include detailed accounts of institutions, attendee deaths, burial sites, and the involvement of religious organizations. Moreover, it outlines policy recommendations for Congress and the Executive Branch to support ongoing healing efforts and redress for affected Indigenous communities.

Haaland visited the Navajo Nation during the Interior’s Road to Healing Tour in Many Farms on Jan. 22, 2023, at the Many Farms High School. There, she heard testimonials from Navajo people who told her the hardships and suffering they endured while attending a boarding school.

The newly published Volume 2 updates the official list of federal Indian boarding schools to include 417 institutions across 37 states and territories. The initiative reveals that at least 973 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children perished while attending government-operated or supported schools.

The report also identifies at least 74 burial sites – both marked and unmarked – at 65 different school locations. Through extensive research, the report estimates that between 1871 and 1969, the U.S. government allocated more than $23.3 billion.

In their comprehensive review, the department examined approximately 103 million pages of federal records. Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary Newland also engaged with government officials and Indigenous leaders from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to gain insights into how they addressed similar issues stemming from boarding school policies.

The report includes eight key recommendations aimed at fostering healing within the nation. These include:

Issuing a formal acknowledgment and apology from the U.S. government for its role in enforcing federal Indian boarding school policies.

Investing in remedies for the ongoing impacts of the Indian boarding school system.

Establishing a national memorial to honor the experiences of affected Indian Tribes, individuals, and families.

Identifying and repatriating the remains of children and funerary objects from boarding schools.

Returning former boarding school sites to tribal nations.

Educating the American public and global community about the history of federal Indian boarding schools.

Funding further research into the contemporary health and economic impacts of boarding school policies.

Strengthening international relationships with countries that share similar histories of assimilation policies.

Recognizing the adverse effects of boarding schools on Native languages, the Biden-Harris administration has prioritized the restoration and preservation of these languages. In 2021, an interagency initiative was launched by the departments of the Interior, education, and health and human services to safeguard the rights of Native Americans to use and develop their languages.

In late 2023, Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary Newland concluded a historic tour titled “The Road to Healing.” This 12-stop journey across the country provided Indigenous survivors with a platform to share their experiences in federal Indian boarding schools, marking the first time many were able to voice their stories to the federal government. The events included trauma-informed support facilitated by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Additionally, Biden has taken steps to bolster tribal sovereignty, designating sacred tribal lands as national monuments and implementing measures to combat violence against Indigenous Americans.

President Biden’s visit comes less than two weeks before the general elections, where he hopes to energize support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by approximately 10,000 votes in the 2020 election.

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