历代的封建统治者,大都对苗族抱着歧视的态度.他们认为苗族“非我同类,鄙夷而不屑教.”因此很少在苗族地区设置学校,发展教育事业.据《湖南通志》记载,湘西苗族地区迟在南宋绍兴年间才建起了自己历史上的第一所学校———东洲书院;元、明两代也只在该地区增建了三所学校,即沪溪县学辰州府学和五寨司学(后改为凤凰厅学),而且这些学校时兴时废,形同虚设. Feudal rulers of all ages, most of the attitude of discrimination against the Miao people hold that they think Miao “non-similar, contempt and disdain to teach.” Therefore, in the Miao area is rarely set up schools to develop education.According to << Hunan Teng Chi >> records, Xiangxi Miao area was late in the Southern Song Dynasty Shaoxing years built its first school in history --- Dongzhou College; yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties also only three additional schools in the area, namely Xuexi Xue State House and Wuzhai Division (later renamed as Phoenix Hall), and these schools are fashionable and useless.