Statement in Support of Our Native Communities
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the University of Utah College of Social Work, we are deeply saddened by the discovery of the bodies of 12 children buried at the site of the Panguitch Indian Boarding School. The Southern Utah school, which operated for six years in the early 1900s, was used in efforts to erase the culture, language, and identities of American Indian children who were forcibly removed from their homes and families.
We unequivocally support the Native families, bands, and tribes who have been directly impacted by this devastating news. The uncertain fate of these and many other missing—but never forgotten—Indigenous children has rippled heartbreak and trauma through generations of American Indian families. The impact on the well-being of these communities is deep and long-lasting.
The federal policies that facilitated the forced removal, incarceration, labor, and death of these children will perpetually stain our history. There is absolutely no place, a century ago or today, for the erasure of an individual’s identity, nor their language or cultural traditions.
Social work is rooted in respect for the dignity and worth of a person and we, as individuals and as a profession, recommit to honoring that ideal in every word and action.
To learn more about the history and impact of American Indian boarding schools, to find resources for mental health or trauma support, or to learn about ways to engage in advocacy work, please connect with the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. University of Utah students are also encouraged to reach out to the College of Social Work’s Indigenous Social Work Scholars program or the U’s American Indian Resource Center for additional support. Mental health services, including telehealth and walk-in options, are available to community members through the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake.
Philip Osteen, PhD
Dean and Professor
