{"id":71809,"date":"2026-01-21T17:27:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T22:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=71809"},"modified":"2026-01-21T21:14:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T02:14:37","slug":"michigan-spent-1-1m-probing-tribal-boarding-schools-then-buried-the-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-spent-1-1m-probing-tribal-boarding-schools-then-buried-the-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan spent $1.1M probing tribal boarding schools, then buried the results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>For more than a century, many of Michigan\u2019s Native American children were forced to attend boarding schools&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The boarding schools were known for physical and sexual abuse<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A state study to document those abuses is finished but won\u2019t be released to the public<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan spent three years and $1.1 million to study the state\u2019s Native American boarding schools, then refused to release the report to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan officials blasted the report as too \u201cshoddy\u201d to show to the public, while the Native American firm hired to conduct the study accused the state of \u201cwhitewashing\u201d the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The report was completed in October, but few have seen it. Michigan\u2019s Department of Civil Rights, which oversaw its production, declined to provide Bridge Michigan a copy. Even a frustrated member of the Civil Rights Commission, which sets policy for the department, asked in October if the board needed to file a Freedom of Information Act request to view it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt sounds to me like it (the report) is just going to be put on the shelf with dust on it,\u201d commission member Regina Gasco, who until recently was the chairperson of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, said at a commission meeting in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat about all these survivors who came and testified? We talked to these people and assured them that this is the time we\u2019re listening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/how-tiny-school-became-national-model-native-american-education\/\"><strong>How a tiny UP school became a national model for Native American education<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/quality-life\/michigan-tribes-race-save-their-language-extinction\/\"><strong>Michigan tribes race to save their language from extinction<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Gov. Gretchen Whitmer requested the research in 2022, the same year the US Department of Interior issued its initial findings in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bia.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/dup\/inline-files\/bsi_investigative_report_may_2022_508.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">first-ever report <\/a>about the schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan\u2019s tribes had hoped a state report would document the abuses and deaths of Native American children over more than a century in state boarding schools, as well as determine the extent to which the state and local municipalities were involved in the tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, tribal leaders are frustrated by a failed effort that leaves them no closer to answers some families have been seeking for generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re all disappointed,\u201d said Alfredo Hernandez, equity and inclusion officer for the Department of Civil Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While that study flopped, another is just starting. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has opened its own criminal investigation to try to provide accountability for the abuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"220\" data-attachment-id=\"71814\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-spent-1-1m-probing-tribal-boarding-schools-then-buried-the-results\/attachment\/loc_boardingschool\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?fit=1024%2C220&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,220\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"LOC_boardingschool\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A historic photo circa 1910 of the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial School. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?fit=300%2C64&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?fit=1024%2C220&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?resize=1024%2C220&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A wide, historical photo of the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial School in Michigan. \" class=\"wp-image-71814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?resize=300%2C64&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?resize=768%2C165&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?resize=780%2C168&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?resize=400%2C86&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/LOC_boardingschool.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A historic photo circa 1910 of the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial School. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There were at least 417 federal-operated Indian boarding schools in 37 states in the 19<sup>th<\/sup> and 20<sup>th<\/sup> centuries, according to the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bia.gov\/service\/federal-indian-boarding-school-initiative\"> Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report<\/a>, released in 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Five federal boarding schools were located in Michigan, in Baraga, Mackinac Island, Schoolcraft County, Mt. Pleasant and Harbor Springs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/boardingschoolhealing.org\/\">National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition<\/a> lists three additional boarding schools, in Marquette, Omena and Assinins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last one, Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church and Indian School in Harbor Springs, closed in 1983.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another 1,025 non-federal institutions, many run by churches, didn\u2019t meet the federal criteria to be considered federal boarding schools, but also participated in the forcible relocation of Native American children, including 30 in Michigan, according to the federal report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the schools, children weren\u2019t allowed to speak native language or wear Native American clothing. Some were given non-native names. Physical and sexual abuse were common, according to the federal report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no known documentation of the number of Native American children who were taken from families and shipped to boarding schools in Michigan, or the number who died at those schools<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan documented<a href=\"https:\/\/wearefamiliesrising.org\/resource\/remembering-children-lost-to-cultural-genocide-while-continuing-to-work-for-meaningful-change\/\"> 229 students<\/a> who died at the Indian Industrial Boarding School in Mt. Pleasant between 1893 and 1934, when the school closed. Only five of the deaths were officially documented by the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The buildings, which remain standing, are now controlled by the Saginaw Chippewa tribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"71817\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-spent-1-1m-probing-tribal-boarding-schools-then-buried-the-results\/attachment\/26-01-20-nativeameiricanschoolhouse-mh-5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Mark Hoover&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R10&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Blocked off windows of a schoolhouse are shown on the campus of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1768917921&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;170&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"26-01-20 NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse MH-5\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Blocked off windows of a schoolhouse are shown on the campus of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Blocked off windows of a schoolhouse are shown on the campus of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School. (Mark Hoover for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Tree branches in front of a brick building in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. \" class=\"wp-image-71817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-5-1024x683.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Blocked off windows of a schoolhouse are shown on the campus of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School. (Mark Hoover for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no documented deaths at Michigan\u2019s other boarding schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2024, President Joe Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/articles\/president-biden-issued-a-historic-apology-for-native-american-boarding-schools-heres-what-policymakers-can-do-next-to-support-tribal-education\/\">issued an apology<\/a> for the federal government\u2019s role in the boarding schools. Some states have attempted to come to grips with their histories. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historycolorado.org\/2023-report-federal-indian-boarding-schools-colorado\">Colorado<\/a> issued a report in 2023. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpr.org\/history\/evers-apologizes-indian-boarding-schools-calls-investigation-history-schools-wisconsin\">Wisconsin<\/a> issued an acknowledgement and apology, as did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/20\/nyregion\/thomas-indian-school-apology.html\">New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Michigan Legislature appropriated money for the report in 2023, hoping it would \u201caddress the history of what happened in boarding schools in Michigan and how the State of Michigan contributed to this system,\u201d according to<a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/boarding-school-report-to-leg.pdf\"> a Nov. 30 letter sent to legislative leaders<\/a> in November from Department of Civil Rights Executive Director John Johnson Jr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Johnson declined to share the completed report with the Legislature, saying the study produced by Washington-based <a href=\"https:\/\/kauffmaninc.com\/\">Kauffman and Associates<\/a> was \u201cdifficult to read and lacked the substance\u201d the state sought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in a letter to the Civil Rights Department, Kauffman and Associates put the blame on state officials, saying the consulting firm had \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/mail.google.com\/mail\/u\/0\/#inbox?projector=1\">significant ethical concerns<\/a>\u201d about the editing of the report.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The firm contends it was asked to cut an initial 350-page report to 50 pages, and that references to potential connections to local government involvement be eliminated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are fully committed to finding a solution that supports transparency and accuracy, without whitewashing, sanitizing, or misrepresenting the experiences of Native American boarding school survivors and their descendants in Michigan,\u201d wrote Kauffman CEO Kevin Keefe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keefe told Bridge Michigan the legal counsel for the Attorney General\u2019s office ordered the references to local cities, townships and counties be cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Attorney General spokesperson Kim Bush said the office \u201cprovided legal advice to our clients regarding this report.&nbsp; The Department of Civil Rights\u2019 report to the Legislature details some of the issues with the consultant\u2019s work, including whether the report met the criteria set forth by the legislature and whether the consultant obtained informed consent from the participants in the Michigan Native American Boarding School Study.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the launch of the study <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michiganpublic.org\/social-justice\/2023-10-23\/native-american-boarding-school-study-preparing-for-a-second-rfp\">received public attention<\/a>, even some tribal advocates were unaware it wasn\u2019t going to be released.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rep. Carrie Rheingans, D-Ann Arbor, who sponsored legislation creating a <a href=\"https:\/\/council.legislature.mi.gov\/Council\/TribalLiaison\">tribal liaison legislative office<\/a>, told Bridge she wasn\u2019t aware the report had been shelved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important for us to know the truth of what happened in order for us to learn from it,\u201d she said. \u201cThe government hasn\u2019t always done the best, and can still strive to do better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nessel\u2019s office recently launched a criminal investigation into abuses at Native American boarding schools, modeled after that office\u2019s clergy abuse investigation which reviewed millions of pages of documents from Michigan\u2019s Catholic dioceses, which also operated some of the state\u2019s boarding schools.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In December, the office released a report alleging <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitcatholic.com\/news\/attorney-generals-report-details-allegations-of-clergy-abuse-in-grand-rapids-diocese\">sexual misconduct by 51 priests<\/a> in the Grand Rapids Diocese dating back to 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Danielle Hagaman-Clark, criminal bureau chief in the AG\u2019s office, told Bridge that criminal charges may be slim in the boarding school investigation \u2014&nbsp; the last boarding school closed 42 years ago, so some perpetrators may be dead or the statute of limitations will have run out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there is still value in accountability, Hagaman-Clark said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for people to share their stories and explore prosecutions if it\u2019s still available,\u201d she said. \u201cWe will use every resource at our fingertips.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hagaman-Clark said she is unaware of other states that have attempted to pursue a criminal investigation of boarding school abuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The attorney general\u2019s office has received calls from boarding school survivors since the investigation was announced in December, and a project manager was hired to oversee the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Those with information about abuses in Native American boarding schools can contact the attorney general\u2019s office by email at <\/em><a href=\"mailto:AG-NBSInvestigation@michigan.gov\"><em>AG-NBSInvestigation@michigan.gov<\/em><\/a><em>, or by calling the Native Boarding School Investigation tip line at 517-897-7391.&nbsp;Tips can be left anonymously.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The author of a report into treatment at state Native American schools is accusing Michigan of trying to \u2018whitewash\u2019 history. Tribes are worried nothing will come of the inquiry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1804,"featured_media":71811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-01-21T22:27:13Z","apple_news_api_id":"b632006b-50ea-4806-aceb-22ac45607cb8","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-01-22T02:14:36Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AtjIAa1DqSAas6yKsRWB8uA","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2445],"tags":[4328,1439,59],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2459],"class_list":["post-71809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-government","tag-top-of-homepage","tag-michigan-attorney-general","tag-michigans-spending","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Michigan spent $1.1M probing tribal boarding schools, then buried the results - Bridge Michigan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-spent-1-1m-probing-tribal-boarding-schools-then-buried-the-results\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Michigan spent $1.1M probing tribal boarding schools, then buried the results - Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The author of a report into treatment at state Native American schools is accusing Michigan of trying to \u2018whitewash\u2019 history. 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Michigan\u2019s last tribal boarding school closed, the state is still struggling to come to grips with the practice that devastated generations of Native American families.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Government&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Government","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A no trespassing sign stands in front of a boarded-up schoolhouse on the campus of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, 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Among other recommendations, authors sought an apology and money to teach what was lost.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Government&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Government","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"No trespassing signs on an old building.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-4-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-4-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-4-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-4-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26-01-20-NativeAmeiricanSchoolHouse-MH-4-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3868,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/michigan-deepen-native-american-history-social-studies-standards\/","url_meta":{"origin":71809,"position":2},"title":"Michigan to deepen Native American history in social studies standards","author":"Tracie Mauriello","date":"August 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"State lawmakers approved funding to ensure students in grades 8 through 12 develop a deeper understanding of the state\u2019s 12 federally recognized tribes, tribal governance, the Trail of Tears and the history of abuse at federally funded boarding schools.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Talent &amp; Education&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Talent &amp; Education","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/talent-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Grounds of the Ojibwa Native American Museum","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Grounds-of-the-Ojibwa-Native-American-Museum-shutterstock_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Grounds-of-the-Ojibwa-Native-American-Museum-shutterstock_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Grounds-of-the-Ojibwa-Native-American-Museum-shutterstock_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Grounds-of-the-Ojibwa-Native-American-Museum-shutterstock_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Grounds-of-the-Ojibwa-Native-American-Museum-shutterstock_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72757,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-tribal-school-survivors-recount-hell-on-earth-rapes-beatings\/","url_meta":{"origin":71809,"position":3},"title":"Michigan tribal school survivors recount \u2018hell on Earth,\u2019 rapes, beatings","author":"Ron French","date":"February 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Bridge has obtained a tribal boarding school study the state put on a shelf. 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