Native American Education

Henry Roe Cloud was devoted to the improvement of Native American education. He had experienced firsthand the effects of boarding school, from receiving a new name to being separated from his tribe. Cloud believed that the current form of education for Native American children then, was not a well-rounded one that would benefit the children. The focus of “civilizing” children only worked to deprive them of important subjects of study. He thought that this form of education was incomplete because they could not receive additional education at their Native American homes. In a white home, children would receive additional education that would supplement what was lacking in public education. However, in Native American homes children could not
receive this supplemental education because in their homes they had different values that taught different skills and priorities. The value of a classical education was not given importance in those Native American homes therefore those children could never have the same educational experience as a white child. Throughout this document Cloud expresses his concern of the inequality of education for Native American children versus that of white children. He argues that without a proper curriculum for native American children, paired with the typical home life that they have, they will not have the tools that they need to succeed. Through education Cloud received a master’s degree in anthropology, with his experience he makes comment that education is not only a means to civilize children but that it could benefit them like it did to him.
In this document Cloud presents the barriers that Native American children faced as a result of their race and culture at that time in the 1900s.
Additionally, the issue of inequality in education arises and he suggests a curriculum that would be more inclusive of various subjects not being taught at home. This article is important to know about because Cloud gives a different perspective on education. He does not completely state it is failing but he states that it is not wholesome and that it should include more of what is not being taught at home. He gets his point across that they should be treated as children and not uncivilized people, however the way it should be changed is not specifically addressed. The reader is left wondering how the education Cloud states is lacking at home could be supplemented at school. Finally, since Cloud was able to succeed with his education his view may be biased. He can easily say that the problem can be overcome like he did but not every child could receive the same kind of support he did pursuing education. For many Native American children going to boarding schools was not something they looked forward to it was something they were forced to do. Changing their whole lifestyle to adjust into a civilized society was a big change that took much out of them and left them confused between life as a Native American or life as a civilized person, they were too identities that were difficult to co-exist in one
person.