Thursday 11 October 2012
Stephanie Li, Gr. 10
It has changed my whole point of view of First Nations because on how difficult and unfair their life was. I mean, around 150,000 innocent First Nations, Inuits and Métis children were pulled out from their communities with no choice and forced to attend residential schools. They lived in bad conditions and experienced physical, psychological and sexual abuse. They were discouraged to speak their native language or practice their native traditions. If they were caught, they would experience severe punishment. Also, it was believed that First Nation children should only succeed if they learned Christianity and spoke English or French. But what has the government done? ONLY GIVE MONEY AND AN APOLOGY! But that doesn’t solve their experiences, their pain, their fear or their anger. We need to stand up and fight for what is right and what needs to be done! For us citizens can control the government.
Julia Fazl, Gr. 10
Studying about the residential schools has really impacted me because I didn't even know that they even existed. Before we started studying about aboriginal people I pretty much knew nothing about them and their culture. Now that I know a bit more about aboriginal people and their past I think everybody should know about Canada's true history. I think that all Canadians should have equal rights no matter what their race is.
Braden Doduk, Gr. 10
It has really impacted me because I knew nothing about residential schools until we studied all this and learned about the history of these schools and the first nations. We also learned many different people’s stories like Cyril’s and many other men and women and from all those stories and documentaries, it really helped me develop a better and more understanding point of view regarding all of these past and recurring events.
Hailey Tyson, gr. 10
The study of residential schools and its legacy has really opened my eyes. I never knew anything about the aboriginal people except for the stereotypes we have towards them. I know so much more about their past and them in total now. It is amazing that I and probably many other people in this class have never heard about the residential schools before this lesson. In my opinion it was a terrible thing to do to anybody and the government didn’t think about how it would affect the aboriginals. It has really impacted me to wonder what I know about Canada and what I haven’t learned.
I feel terribly sorry for the children who had to go to residential schools because they had to leave their parents at such a young age; I could never imagine such a thing happening to me. The most surprising thing that I learned about the schools is that the churches ran them and that the nuns and priests were the ones that abused the students. The conditions of the schools were terrible and the food that the children ate was disgusting.
The residential schools were a terrible idea and I am glad that they are not up and running today although they were not stopped that long ago. Now I hope that all the people who went to the residential school will get compensation and hopefully lead a good life.
My view on the aboriginal people will never be the same as it used to be. I am very happy to have learned more about them and I hope that they can become a part of our society.
Sydney McFaul, gr. 10
The stories of verbal and physical abuse in the residential schools make me want to get more involved the First Nations community and help. All of the children who died at residential schools shall never be forgotten, at least not by me.
Arsenij Borisovs, gr. 10
The study of residential schools has surprised me. I had no idea that in a tolerant country like Canada there were such injustices. I think that we as a country need to work hard to raise awareness about these issues so that they never happen again.
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