Growing up with two parents who are lawyers, I’ve heard a lot about justice, especially landmark Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of Education. These cases framed education as “the great equalizer,” a space where everyone, regardless of background, should have equal opportunity. But as I’ve learned more, especially through middle school at Meadowbrook, I’ve come to see that this ideal doesn’t always reflect reality. Education has never been a neutral space. It often mirrors the inequalities of the society around it, reinforcing power structures instead of dismantling them. Check out this PBS article. 

One of the most powerful examples of this is the system of Native American boarding schools that operated across the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries. These schools weren’t just about literacy or math; they were tools of forced assimilation. Indigenous children were taken, sometimes kidnapped, from their families and sent to distant schools. Once there, they were forbidden from speaking their native languages, practicing their traditions, or even using their real names. The motto was often “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Education was used to destroy identities in the name of civilization. I came across this interactive NYTimes article that brought the history to life. The photographs, interviews, and stories made it clear: this wasn’t just a mistake of the past, but it was a deliberate effort to erase entire cultures.

After reading finding some books on this topic, I started asking myself: Who designs education? And for whom? Schools are powerful cultural institutions. They can preserve heritage, foster pride, and create critical thinkers. But they can also standardize identity, exclude marginalized voices, and punish difference. In many Indigenous communities, schools weren’t places of empowerment. Instead, they were sites of trauma. It made me realize how fortunate I am to attend a school that encourages open discussion, cultural awareness, and diverse perspectives. But, not everyone has that privilege. And even today, inequality in education persists. As I reflect on my own school journey and where I may want to go in the future, one thing that has stuck with me is getting closer to the suffering of others to see how I can better understand and help. Please feel free to check out this National Native American Healing Coalition and how there is always an opportunity for us to make an impact when we learn about injustice. 

As a student, I’ve started to look more closely at the systems I’m part of, especially in my community. Who decides what we learn? Whose voices are missing? And how can I be part of reshaping these systems to be more inclusive? I don’t just want to remember the injustices of the past, I want to help prevent them from being repeated. We can all make a difference by asking hard questions, challenging the narratives we’re given, and learning with empathy.

Education is never just about academics. It’s about shaping how we see the world and how the world sees us. This isn't a small idea. It is the beginning of change.

Learning about Native American boarding schools changed the way I see education. It showed me that schooling can either erase or uplift. It can be a weapon or a tool for justice. Today, conversations around immigration, school funding, curriculum bans, and college admissions are all part of this same larger struggle. Now, I think more critically about the systems I’m part of and how we can use education not to erase, but to uplift diverse voices and histories.