text: I understand that forced assimilation hurt Native tribes centuries and even decades ago, but in rural Alaska Native students enroll in the Sitka Mt. Edgecumbe School and love attending that school.  I've talked with several Native students about the school and all of them indicated that it's their home away from home.  Obviously something positive changed over the decades or these kids wouldn't have fond affections toward the school.  The generation of Native students that were most affected by forced assimilation is a generation that's already passed away.  It's time for Alaska Natives and American Indian tribes to move on and keep fighting the good fight that forced assimilation can't hurt future generations.