TRAVERSE CITY — A state-commissioned report detailing the history of Native American boarding schools across Michigan has been made public. The document, which 9&10 News obtained through an open records request, examines abuses suffered by students and the role local and state governments played in enforcing federal policies at these institutions.
The report cost the state more than $1 million to produce. Although state officials originally shelved the findings over concerns regarding unethical sources or historical content, the document has now been released to the public.
This week, the MDCR stood by its original concerns surrounding the report.
The findings include specific details regarding several schools located in northern Michigan. Researchers investigated the experiences of students at these boarding schools to document the abuses they suffered while enrolled in the system.
The report also analyzes how local and state governments in Michigan participated in the boarding school system. This includes an examination of the methods used by government officials to enforce federal policies regarding the schools.
The Attorney General’s office has also opened an investigation.
You can watch 9&10’s special report looking at the Native American boarding school in Harbor Springs, here