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26
Mar
2017
As far as I know, no one ever accused Jessie Oliver of racism. Of beating helpless children. Of screaming abuse at them. Or of sexually abusing any of the children under her care. To the end of her life, her former students visited her. They were her family; she was their friend.
But Jessie Oliver worked in Indian Residential Schools along the B.C. coast. Did that make her a bad woman?
She felt as if Canada were attacking her personally.
Whenever one group of people are given absolute power over helpless victims, a few will take advantage of their power. But not everyone will. There were Arthur Plints. And there were Jessie Olivers who did their best within an unjust and iniquitous system.
Categories: Sharp Edges
Tags: Residential schools, Jessie Oliver, Lynn Beyek