Report Finds Triple Death Toll of Native Children

A Washington Post investigation has revealed that at least 3,104 Native American children died in US boarding schools between 1828 and 1970, a figure three times higher than the official government estimate of 973. These schools, which aimed to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children into European settler culture, often subjected them to severe abuse, neglect, and hazardous conditions. President Joe Biden recently issued a historic apology for these atrocities, characterizing them as 'a sin that stains our souls.' Many of the deceased children were buried near the schools, indicating that their bodies were rarely returned to their families. The report highlights widespread issues of poor record-keeping and the potential for even higher death tolls, as historians suggest that the true impact remains underreported. The findings expose a dark chapter in American history that has been largely overlooked and ignored.