Administration of Trump reduces funding for Native American boarding school study ventures extensively
Trump Slashes Funding for Indigenous Boarding School Research
In a sweeping cost-cutting move, President Donald Trump's administration has chopped down at least $1.6 million in federal funding meant for projects regarding the systemic abuse of Indigenous children in government-funded boarding schools. This is a tiny piece of a larger puzzle; the National Endowment for the Humanities, acting under the Trump administration's mandate, has canceled a boatload of grants in recent weeks [2][3].
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, one of the organizations hit hard by these cuts, suffered a heavy blow, losing over $282,000. This has halted their ambitious project to digitize over 100,000 pages of records essential for helping Native Americans trace relatives who were sent to these boarding schools [2][3]. Deborah Parker, the coalition's CEO and a member of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington state, highlighted that these records are crucial for Indigenous communities nationwide [1].
One of the affected individuals is Roberta "Birdie" Sam, a Tlingit & Haida member, who used the coalition's database to confirm her grandmother was in an Alaska boarding school last year. She also discovered that numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and even a relative who perished in one of these institutions were boarding school students [1]. Such discoveries have contributed to her healing process [1].
Interpreted as a shift in perspective, these cuts come on the heels of a major federal investigation into boarding schools by a previous administration, an apology from then-President Joe Biden, and an initiative to unearth the brutal truth about America's history with its Indigenous populace [1][2].
"If we're keen on 'Making America Great Again,' it should start with acknowledging the hardcore reality of American history," said Parker [1].
Independent researchers believe that at least 973 Native American children died at government-funded boarding schools, a figure that likely understates the grim reality [4]. The forced assimilation policy formally ended with the enactment of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. However, it wasn't until the Biden administration that the government initiated a full investigation into the boarding school system [4].
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo citizen, described the funding cuts as part of the Trump administration's strategy to veil the entire picture of our country's history [1]. Haaland, who's running for governor in New Mexico, argued that these cuts can't undo the progress already made, emphasizing the work done to shed light on this dark chapter and provide solace to Native people [1].
The fatally wounded projects extend beyond the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. One such example is a collaborative effort between the Koahnic Broadcast Corporation and Alaska Native Heritage Center to record and broadcast oral histories from Alaska's elders [5]. The coalition received the same letter from acting chairman Michael McDonald, stating that the "grant no longer effectuates the agency's needs and priorities." [4]
Critics view these cuts as an attempt by the Trump administration to diminish or hide the grossness of this sordid chapter in U.S. history. However, they cannot erase the extensive work already accomplished, including publicly acknowledging the pain and trauma of these schools [1][4].
Sources:
[1] Associated Press. (2021, May 21). Federal funding cuts pull rug from under boarding school search project. AP NEWS.
[2] Reuters. (2021, May 21). Trump's move does harm to Native Americans, experts say. ABC News.
[3] Fox News. (2021, May 21). Boarding school database cut sparks outrage from Native Americans. Fox News.
[4] Department of the Interior. (2021, May 27). Native American Boarding School era. U.S. Department of the Interior.
[5] National Humanities Alliance. (n.d.). Net funding for NEH programs cuts $3.75 billion over four years, NHA's interactive database shows. National Humanities Alliance.
- The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, us, a tribal organization, has faced a significant financial setback due to the Trump administration's funding cuts, losing over $282,000, which has halted their project to digitize essential pages of records for Native Americans.
- Education-and-self-development initiatives, such as the collaboration between the Koahnic Broadcast Corporation and Alaska Native Heritage Center to record and broadcast oral histories from Alaska’s elders, are also affected by these funding cuts, as they were planned to receive support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, but received a letter stating that the grants no longer align with the agency's needs and priorities.
- Politicians like Deborah Parker, the coalition's CEO who is a member of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington state, have criticized these cuts, stating that they are part of a strategy by the Trump administration to veil the entire picture of America's history with Indigenous peoples, specifically in regards to the government-funded boarding schools and their policies.
- These funding cuts come at a time when there has been a shift in perspective regarding the boarding schools, with a major federal investigation into the boarding school system initiated by the Biden administration, highlighting the need for transparency and policies that support the humanities and education of Indigenous communities.
- Independent researchers believe that the gruesome toll of at least 973 Native American children who died at these government-funded boarding schools understates the reality of the situation, and though these funding cuts have shrunk our understanding of the past, the work that has already been done in unearthing the truth about America's history cannot be undone.
