“I Have the Worst Fear of Teachers”: Moments of Inclusion and Exclusion in Family/School Relationships among Indigenous Families in Southern Ontario

Abstract

Student success is facilitated by strong bonds between families and schools, including a shared sense of purpose and mutual trust. However, for Indigenous peoples these relationships are often broken, undermined by the legacy of residential schooling and assimilative educational practices. Drawing on interviews with 50 Indigenous (mainly Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Métis) and non-Indigenous parents and educators, this paper examines the ways in which issues of class and race shape interactions between teachers and Indigenous parents. The interviews reveal that legacies of racial discrimination against Indigenous peoples in schooling affect family/school relations among middle-class (MC) and lower-class (LC) parents in different ways. MC parents intensify relations with the school while, in comparison, LC parents tend to disengage as a consequence of their negative schooling experiences. Les relations étroites entre les familles et les écoles, et notamment leurs buts communs et leur confiance partagée, facilitent la réussite des étudiants. Toutefois, au sein des populations autochtones, ces liens sont pour la plupart rompus en raison des conséquences des pensionnats scolaires et des pratiques éducatives d'assimilation. Cette étude s'appuie sur des entretiens avec 50 parents et éducateurs issus de populations autochtones (principalement celles d'Haudenosaunee, d'Anishinaabe et de Métis) et non autochtones pour étudier la manière dont les questions de classe et de race affectent les interactions entre les enseignants et les parents issus de populations autochtones. Ces entretiens montrent que le passé discriminatoire des écoles envers les peuples autochtones a eu des répercussions différentes sur les relations famille/école, selon qu'il s'agisse de parents issus de la classe moyenne ou de parents issus d'un milieu pauvre. Les parents issus de la classe moyenne ont renforcé leurs liens avec l'école alors que les parents des classes inférieures tendent à se désengager du fait de leur expérience scolaire négative.

Implementing Indigenous Education Policy Directives in Ontario Public Schools: Experiences, Challenges and Successful Practices

“…First, participants in this study had positive experiences with Indigenous-focused schooling initiatives, and these initiatives were seen to benefit both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Schooling initiatives that include Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, and cultures are seen to have a positive impact on Indigenous students' educational experiences, Indigenous family and school relationships, and the creation of welcoming and meaningful schooling environments for Indigenous families (Kanu, 2002(Kanu, , 2006(Kanu, , 2007Klump & McNeir, 2005;Kostenko & Merrotsy, 2009;Kovach, Carriere, Montgomery, Barrett, & Gilles, 2015;McKinley, Brayboy, & Castagno, 2009;Milne 2015Milne , 2016Whitley, 2014). For non-Indigenous students, Indigenous infused curriculum and schooling initiatives are seen as a mechanism to generate awareness of Indigenous cultures and perspectives, acceptance of cultural diversity, and to fight racism and prejudice (Direction Evidence and Policy Research Group, 2016;Okoye-Johnson, 2011;Segawa, 1994;UNESCO, 2003).…”

“…Little understanding and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and cultures, as well as the history of residential schooling, were common among the non-Indigenous educators interviewed. Educators may therefore teach Indigenous content incorrectly or avoid it altogether and, in the process, create barriers to Indigenous students, parents, and community members feeling comfortable in schools (Milne, 2015(Milne, , 2016. Furthermore, non-Indigenous students may still go through their entire educational career without learning about Indigenous Peoples and the history and legacy of residential schooling in Canada.…”

“…Denis, 2011). Indigenous Peoples' perspectives on the school system have been negatively affected by residential school experiences, leading to intergenerational distrust of and discomfort with the Canadian education system (Milne, 2016;Perley, 1993;Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015d;Wotherspoon, 2006Wotherspoon, , 2008Wotherspoon & Schissel, 2003).…”

The effect of parental residential school attendance and parental involvement on Indigenous youth’s participation in sport and physical activity during school

“…Parents who attended residential schools may have difficulty making appropriate decisions regarding healthy eating and PA for their children because of the trauma they experienced at school (Willows et al, 2012). Distrust and tension as a result of the residential school system and legacies of racial discrimination may have generated barriers for Indigenous parents to develop a connection with schools, impeding their ability to become involved in and have a positive attitude towards schooling and educators (Milne, 2016). Therefore, Indigenous parents who attended residential schools may be less likely to provide their children with adequate support in school related activities because of their own experiences with the educational system.…”

Schools as “Really Dangerous Places” for Indigenous Children and Youth: Schools, Child Welfare, and Contemporary Challenges to Reconciliation

“…However, these relationships can deteriorate when trust is violated, as notably demonstrated in residential school experiences. Trust in schooling can erode when institutional expectations and practices produce fears and potential disruptions in the lives of Indigenous children and family members (Milne 2016; Riley and Ungerleider 2012). Interviews with teachers and parents of Indigenous children in Alberta have enabled us to explore important dynamics associated with intersections between school and child welfare systems.…”