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BiBoFieTo t1_iu2tolk wrote

Hey - this was a long time ago. The residential schools closed in... wait what the fuck... 1996? We had the internet!

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Cobbertson t1_iu38tao wrote

The vast majority were closed long before that, but yes, there is no excuse for the fact that it was never taught in school up until a few years ago

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KatsumotoKurier t1_iu3p354 wrote

Would you consider 2006 a few years ago, in this context? Because I was in Grade 6 then and we learned about it at that time. I even did a short project presentation in my social studies class which was partly on residential schooling. Maybe my school just happened to be ahead of the curb here though, but I kinda doubt that. And even then, I’m quite confident that my parents (both boomers) knew all about this well over 20 years ago too.

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Prax416 t1_iu453ki wrote

I was also in Grade 6 in 2006 and didn’t learn shit about residential schools until I was in university.

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spirit-mush t1_iu51wnn wrote

I went to Catholic grade school in the Toronto area in the 90’s and distinctly remember being told about the residential schools in a 5th grade history class. I remember feeling and inherently knowing that it was wrong even though the teachers acted like it was normal to take children away from their families and forbid them from speaking their language. My experience in Catholic school was terrible. I’ve never met more cruel and unchristian people.

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KatsumotoKurier t1_iu5ahpo wrote

I went to a kinda fundamentalist Protestant private school (which was chiefly attended and operated by United Church members), and as one of the few people from a Catholic background, I can remember two occasions where I was explicitly mocked and derided for my family’s faith from staff members there. I will never forget that. It was so humiliating and insulting. Overzealous, insecure adults going on power trips about how their only somewhat different brand of the same religion is superior to 10 and 12 year olds. Super pathetic.

Other students there never cared for anything like that, because most of the kids there couldn’t even tell you what denomination their family was. But lemme tell you as a Catholic at a Protestant school, it was no distinct pleasure being there and in the crosshairs when those over-religious nutjobs showed their true beliefs.

I’m an atheist now though, and have firmly been for about 15 years. I was always hesitant and sceptical — I even remember in Grade 1 we were read a cartoon, kid-friendly version of the Adam and Eve story in the school library, and I distinctly recall thinking it was nonsensical and far-fetched. Obviously one can’t adequately express that at all at such an age, but I never firmly believed. Of course I had to keep that shit a tight secret. Regardless, what will irk me until the end of my days is the lengthy rap sheet of crimes the Catholic church committed over centuries. It is truly and deeply disgusting. I am so glad to no longer be affiliated with that horrible institution, which is all lovey-dovey now, but only is because it can no longer arrest, torture, or execute us for not believing in its dogma.

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KatsumotoKurier t1_iu56xoq wrote

I’m from the GTA, which is pretty much determinable as the most left-leaning socio-political reach in the whole country, so I can imagine that maybe influenced why the topic was discussed for me back then. Hbu?

I should mention that this was not covered at great length. I would say probably only a few classes were spent mentioning it. We spent more time talking about Rosa Parks and MLK Jr during black history month (February) the year before in Gr 5.

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Prax416 t1_iu57vvc wrote

I went to elementary school in the GTA (in Toronto itself) as well.

Maybe it’s a YMMV thing or maybe my school just didn’t bother - I learned about Rosa Parks and MLK too, and we definitely spent a few lessons talking about First Nations (I remember doing a project on Woodland Cree haha) but I can’t remember this particular topic coming up. Who knows, lol.

Anyway, this was 16 years ago, chances are the kids in school today might have a better understanding given access to knowledge, information sharing, social media etc. I think the first time I used Wikipedia was also in 2006, before that I had to use Encarta or go to my local Toronto Public Library.

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KatsumotoKurier t1_iu58zh0 wrote

Dude! I did my aforementioned project on the Plains Cree people(s) and of the central Canadian prairies! High five!

>kids in school today might have a better understanding given access to knowledge, information sharing, social media etc.

Yes, absolutely. The world is really at our fingertips with the internet. It’s never been a better time to be a curious learner.

>I think the first time I used Wikipedia was also in 2006

Ah yeah, those were the days. Probably the exact same year of first use for me too. Back when every teacher disavowed Wikipedia as being this grossly unreliable source. Funny how it has now become a globally revered one. Even just a few years ago when I was doing my master’s, I occasionally had professors either openly using Wikipedia themselves or referring someone to use it. It is a fantastic and incredible utility — imperfect from time to time, but it is devoutly moderated and a place where one can almost always find substation from reliable source material, especially for larger and more popular topics.

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