Today if you mention the topic of boarding schools, you usually talk about the schools that rich kids go to. When I was younger my sister worked at a boarding school. I was able to meet several of the students and they were happy to be there.

I used to tease the boys about sending them to military school. Boarding schools are okay if that is what you want. I could not have sent my kids off to a boarding school. I would have missed them too much.

Imagine not having a choice about having your kids go to a boarding school. How would you feel? What if armed men came to you home and took them? What would it be like to never see them again?

This happened to native parents. Under the direction of the US government. The stated purpose was to “Kill the Indian and save the man.” It was a policy to force families apart. Most kids returned home for the summers, but many did not. Many never returned home at all.

At boarding schools, the children were often abused. They had their hair cut, their clothes taken away, and they were not allowed to speak their native language. They were punished if they were caught speaking anything but English. Many kids died at boarding schools.

St Louis friends I was surprised to learn that there was a boarding school in Florissant MO. Like the one in St Louis most of the schools were run by churches. All in the name of spreading Christianity. More on this later.

The effects of the trauma caused by boarding schools are still being felt today. More on that later.

Look into the issue. It will shock you.

Know this God loves all the people. Not just the ones that look like you.