The legacy of Michigan's Native boarding schools today

For decades, Native American children in Michigan were taken from their families and sent to boarding schools designed to erase their languages, cultures, and identities. Many of these schools remained open far longer than the public understands, leaving deep and lasting harm across generations.

In this episode of The Metro, Leora Tadgerson — director of Reparations and Justice for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan and co-chair of Michigan’s Truth, Justice, and Healing Commission — discusses the history of Native boarding schools in the state, their enduring impacts on families and Tribal nations, and why this legacy continues to resonate amid contemporary debates over family separation, government power, and accountability.

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