Home > News > Headlines

printer friendly version
Professor: Not the first tragedy in Indian education
Monday, April 4, 2005

"The recent deaths of students at Red Lake High School remind me that this is not the first tragedy in the history of Indian education.

Hundreds of children like Lizzie died at boarding school, never to return to their families and communities. Indians survived that dark era with tribal cultures largely intact and a remarkable commitment to the future of their people. As a historian who has written about American Indian people during an era when the United States government followed a policy to break up Indian families through assimilation programs and government boarding schools, I have often been inspired by the strength of Ojibwe family ties and the heroism of children.

Therefore, I was not surprised to learn that school guards acted bravely, and that some Red Lake students shielded others during the shooting with their own bodies or pulled classmates to safety. A Red Laker would do that. Courage, fortitude, and the ability to act for others are built into tribal life and are the very foundation of Ojibwe values."

Get the Story:
Brenda Child: Ojibwe have balanced strength and grief before (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/3)
Username: indianz, Password: indianzcom

Relevant Links:
Red Lake Net News - http://www.rlnn.com
Red Lake Nation - http://www.redlakenation.org
Red Lake High School - http://www.paulbunyan.net/rlschools/hs.htm

Related Stories:
Tragedy at Red Lake: Protest and preparations (4/1)
Tragedy at Red Lake: Shootings at school detailed (3/31)
Paper apologizes for Red Lake shootings cartoon (3/31)
Column: Red Lake people look out for each other (3/31)
Opinion: Mascot gets more press than Red Lake (3/31)
Editorial: Red Lake Nation needs a free press (3/31)
Red Lake chairman defends son as information surfaces (3/30)
Yellow Bird: Media interested in getting the true story (3/30)
Column: Tragedy turns political with arrest of son (3/30)
Opinion: Indians should stop segregating themselves (3/30)
Chairman's son charged in connection with shootings (3/29)
Column: Teacher died a hero protecting students (3/29)
Editorial: Red Lake doesn't seem to want help (3/29)
Bad Eagle: Indian leaders today are pitiful (3/29)
Bush responds to shootings at Red Lake Reservation (3/29)
Red Lake begins to say goodbye to shooting victims (3/28)
Editorial: 'Massacre' at Red Lake Reservation (3/28)
Yellow Bird: Red Lake people are gentle warriors (3/28)
Ojibwe Reporter: Red Lake familiar yet different (3/28)
Opinion: Indian people suffer from disconnect (3/28)
Editorial: Tribe's response to shootings a model (3/28)
Native students talk about tragedy at Red Lake (3/28)
Reader Rep: Tribe's harsh policy against media (3/28)
Column: Lawmakers pray, but won't pay, for Red Lake (3/28)
Opinion: 'Warning signs' apply to every other child (3/28)
Column: Sadness fills services at Indian church (3/28)
Column: Covering Red Lake tragedy a difficult task (3/28)
Surviving victims talk about Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Opinion: A dark day in the history of all tribes (3/25)
Column: Red Lake members in Twin Cities head home (3/25)
Opinion: Everyone to blame for Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Deadly tragedy puts focus on Native youth problems (3/24)
Response continues to tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/24)
Yellow Bird: Red Lake community in deep pain (3/24)
Ojibwe Leader: Answers needed to help youth (3/24)
Opinion: Violence not uncommon at Red Lake (3/24)
Column: Has media underplayed Red Lake? (3/24)
Opinion: Media circus won't get to heart of matter (3/24)
Letters: Star Trib readers respond to tragedy (3/24)
Indian Country sends support to community in shock (3/23)
Details emerge on tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/23)
Tribal Member: My reservation will never be the same (3/23)
Opinion: Above all, this is a tribal nation tragedy (3/23)
Editorial: Tragedy at Red Lake unites all in grief (3/23)
Editorial: Solidarity with the people of Red Lake (3/23)
Column: Sacred pipe ceremony begins the healing (3/23)
Column: Media gets crash course in sovereignty (3/23)
Shooting at Red Lake Reservation leaves 10 dead (3/22)

Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com