Tracing the history of Native American schooling in North America, this book emphasizes factors in society at large - and sometimes within indigenous communities - which led to Native American children being separate from the white majority. Charles L. Glenn examines the evolving assumptions about race and culture as applied to schooling, the reactions of parents and tribal leadership in the United States and Canada, and the symbolic as well as practical role of indigenous languages and of efforts to maintain them.
"This is a book for those who want a clear and comprehensive treatment of the sad history of schooling of First Nations children in the United States and Canada. Charles Glenn boldly exposes the embarrassing assumptions behind the policies and practices of educationalists, government bureaucrats, anthropologists, and racial virtuosos." - Elmer Thiessen, Research Professor of Education, Tyndale University College and Seminary