President Joe Biden recently issued a formal apology on behalf of the federal government for the abuse of Native American children in boarding schools, a move that has been welcomed by Native American tribes and New Mexico politicians. In New Mexico alone, there were 46 Indian boarding schools where at least 95 children died under the state’s care. The apology is seen as long overdue and a step towards healing and restorative justice for native families who suffered trauma due to the boarding school system.
New Mexico Democratic Senator Ben Ray Lujan has also expressed support for the apology, calling it a step in the right direction towards healing the intergenerational trauma caused by the federal government’s Indian Boarding School Policies. Lujan has been a proponent of legislation such as the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act, which aims to seek healing for stolen Native children and their communities.
The acknowledgment of the injustices of the boarding school era is seen as just the beginning of the reconciliation process, and efforts must continue to right the wrongs of the past and ensure that such atrocities are never repeated. The apology has opened the door for meaningful dialogue and is a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to address the historical trauma experienced by Native communities.
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