The Fallacies

Colonialism.  Understanding the impact of colonialism is key for examining why Indigenous students have particular experiences within the Western educational system, and why teachers are not better equipped to address the needs of Indigenous learners. 

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1. The colonial agenda is about acquiring land for the benefit of settler nations (Tuck & Yang, 2012);

2. It is a culturally embedded worldview intended to create divisions among people so that human and natural resource exploitation is easier;

3. It is physically and symbolically violent, primarily toward Indigenous Peoples; and

4. It continues as a social force in today's society

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Importantly colonialism is so deeply embedded in Western culture that it has become normalized and difficult to detect by members of that society. This normalization means that colonial structures may be unknowingly maintained, even by people who oppose them (Stoler, 2008).  Indigenous perspectices are critical to help intensify and resist this injustice (Tuck & Yang, 2012).

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Colonialism in Education

"Aboriginal academic achievement is influenced by a complex mix of socioeconomic,

socio-historical, and socio-cultural realities that are the residue of the colonizing efforts

that continue to underscore the contemporary reality of Aboriginal peoples in Canada"

(Cherubini & Hodson, 2008)

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The educational experience of Indigenous students has been marked by:

• multilevel racism,

• including verbal abuse,

• psychological abuse,

• self-fulfilling prophecies of low expectations,

• social marginalization,

• isolation,

• lack of professional support or attention, and

• rules and procedures that create barriers for students 

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(Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group, 2016).

 

Indigenous students often feel they do not belong in schools, and many have identified feelings of low self-esteem, low self-worth, and low motivation in relation to school.  Some students avoid racism in school by distancing themselves from Indigenous cultures and communities (Davidson, 2016), leaving school prior to graduation, or doing poorly in their school work (Hare & Pidgeon, 2011).

 

Colonialism in Special  Education

Indigenous students with special needs face additional barriers that are seldom discussed.  Nearly 1:5 Indigenous students are identified as having special learning needs, twice the rate for non-Indigenous students (Michell, 2012). 

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Are disabilities more prevalent in Indigenous communities,

or is systemic bias inflating numbers?

 

Evidence does not suggest that special education instruction is shaped in consideration of Indigenous students or Indigenous perspectives that tend to embrace the diversity and contributions of all learners.