The Significance Of The 1905 Act

“The 1905 Act was an Act to make provision for the better protection and care of the Aboriginal inhabitants in Western Australia” (AustLII, 2010). The above 1905 Act to the reader seems like an act of goodwill by the Western Australia (WA) Government but indigenous history has been somewhat hidden and untaught in classrooms overtime. The 1905 Act created a system of unjust treatment, control and separation of indigenous people between 1906 into the 1970s. In fact, the WA Government introduced this discriminatory law against only indigenous people to attempt to eradicate their race and to protect themselves and the wider WA community.
Under the 1905 Act, the Chief Protector had power as legal guardians of Aboriginal children (under 16 years) whom he decided were illegitimate. He could grant or
This history may still affect future indigenous student parents’ and carers’ and subsequently they could lack engagement in current classrooms. The reason being, that indigenous parents’ and cares may have trust issues of certain people and shy away of engaging with others besides their own kind, in relation to their history. The teacher of indigenous students I will have to initially gain the trust of parents’ and carers’ by befriended them. The parents’ and carers’ could see a teacher as an authority figure (being in control of their child’s education) but by letting them see the person besides a teacher, could gain their trust. Educators need to reverse the negative affect that Indigenous parent’s and carers have in regards to the low involvement in current classrooms. “Successful programs tend to include the following principles: they create a school environment that is culturally welcoming and inviting for Indigenous parents, they empower parents to support their children’s learning and they actively include parents in the children’s programs” (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,