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What was the goal of schools for African Indian youths such as carlisle school?

The goal of schools like the Carlisle Indian Industrial School (and other similar boarding schools for Native American children, not just African Indian) was cultural assimilation and the eradication of Indigenous cultures. They weren't focused on education in the way we understand it today. Instead, the aim was to forcibly integrate Native American children into white American society by suppressing their languages, religions, and traditions.

This was achieved through several methods:

* Forced assimilation: Children were forbidden from speaking their native languages and were punished severely for doing so. Their traditional clothing, hairstyles, and spiritual practices were also prohibited.

* Industrial training: Emphasis was placed on vocational training for manual labor, aiming to prepare them for low-skilled jobs in the broader American economy, rather than providing a path to higher education or leadership roles within their communities.

* Severing family ties: Children were often separated from their families for long periods, sometimes never to see them again. This disrupted cultural transmission and generational knowledge.

* Christianization: Many of these schools were run by religious organizations, and the aim was to convert children to Christianity.

In short, the goal wasn't to educate these youth, but rather to systematically destroy their cultural identities and replace them with a white, American identity. The devastating impact of these schools on Native American communities is now widely recognized.

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