Church apologizes for Native boarding schools

The Presbyterian Church of America has apologized for the experiences of Native Americans at boarding schools that had ties to the church.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports a group of people who attend a Presbyterian church in the state gave the official apology at the end of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention on Saturday.

Convention co-chairman Jerry Isaac thanked the church and said he hoped other governments and groups take similar action.

The apology calls the boarding schools an ill-conceived system of assimilation and cites the physical, sexual and emotional abuse that took place.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications