Indian boarding schools focus of Sept. 28 Conversations on Race and Policing

An examination and discussion of Indian boarding schools will be the focus of Cal State San Bernardino’s next Conversations on Race and Policing.

The presentation, “Indian Boarding Schools: Assemblymember James Ramos in Conversation with Robert Levi Jr. and Dr. Daisy Ocampo,” is free and open to the public, will take place on Zoom beginning at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28. It can be accessed from a PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android at https://csusb.zoom.us/j/97960458784.

The history of Indian boarding schools, such as the Sherman Indian Boarding School in Riverside, represent a dark period. Schools like Sherman instituted an assimilationist education meant to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man,” prohibiting the use of Native American languages, outlawing cultural practices, imparting a military regimentation, religious conversation and instituting exploitative work programs. In many cases, the children were forcibly taken from their parents and sent to the boarding schools run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (now Bureau of Indian Education).

The panelists:

• James Ramos ’02 represents the 40th state Assembly District that includes CSUSB. Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla) is the first California Native American elected to the state Assembly.
• Robert Levi Jr. (Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla) is CSUSB’s first Elder/Culture Bearer In-Residence. Prior to coming to CSUSB, he taught for 38 years, including at the Sherman Indian High School.
• Daisy Ocampo (Caz’Ahmo Indigenous Nation of Zacatecas) is a CSUSB assistant professor of history. In 2021, Ocampo led a collaborative partnership of CSUSB students, the Sherman Indian Museum and Sherman community members to produce the virtual museum “Brave Hearts: A Virtual History of Sherman Indian Boarding School.”

Conversations on Race and Policing, also known as CoRP, began in the aftermath of the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd while in the custody of four Minneapolis, Minn., police officers. A video of the incident posted on social media led to widespread protests, the firing of four police officers, the arrest and conviction of one officer on a second-degree murder and related charges, the other three on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder – and a spotlight worldwide on race and policing.

The series has featured scholars, journalists, law enforcement officers, lawyers, activists, artists, educators, administrators and others from throughout the nation who shared their experience and expertise on issues related to race and policing.

More than 50 forums have taken place, and video recordings of the sessions are posted online on the Conversations on Race and Policing Lecture Series Archive. 

The fall lineup of Conversations on Race and Policing, each at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, include:

• Oct. 5: “What Is Accountability?: A History of Philadelphia's Police Advisory Board,” with Aaron Bekemeyer, a lecturer in modern U.S. history at Harvard University.
• Oct. 12: “In Conversation with Siobhan Brooks,” with Brooks, a professor in the Department of African American Studies at Cal State Fullerton.
• Oct. 19: “Peace, Justice, and Immigrant Rights: In Conversation with Dr. Brad Elliot Stone (LMU) and Rita Morales, Attorney at Law.”
• Oct. 26: “Policing China: Street Level Cops in the Shadow of Protest,” a lecture and discussion with Suzanne Scoggins, associate professor of political science at Clark University, presented in partnership with CSUSB’s Modern China Lecture Series.

The series is organized by CSUSB students Marlo Brooks, Zoralynn Oglesby, Evelyn Jimenez, Jade McDonald, Jaime Castro and Connie Cornejo. Along with the students and Texeira are Jeremy Murray, CSUSB associate professor of history; Robie Madrigal, public affairs/communication specialist for the CSUSB John M. Pfau Library; and community member Stan Futch, president of the Westside Action Group

For more information, contact Robie Madrigal at rmadriga@csusb.edu or Jeremy Murray at jmurray@csusb.edu.

Also visit the Conversations on Race and Policing webpage.