100 signatures reached
To: Warren County NC School Board and Superintendent Dr. Ray Spain
Stand Up For Native American Students And Justice in Warrenton, NC
Allow students to wear Native American cultural symbols during graduation ceremonies. Setting an example as leaders of cultural inclusion, equity, and diversity in education.
Why is this important?
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - MLK
Maintaining outdated and culturally insensitive practices does not maintain "dignity". It only seeks to maintain white standards as the only appropriate and acceptable norm for all cultures in Warren County. Warren County, NC is a beautiful mix of people and cultures with a complex history, as is much of this country. Warren County is also known as a leader of progressive movements with communities standing side by side and working together for social justice, environmental justice, and civil rights. Warren County should lead by example for others by supporting cultural inclusion and equity with a clear understanding that wearing religious and cultural symbols of honor (that are not harmful, insensitive, or disrespectful to other groups) such as an eagle feather and a beaded cap is not decoration nor a distraction. It's beautiful, important and a part of everyone's American history. Diversity and inclusion should be welcomed, honored and practiced not only during select history months and designated weeks but every day, especially at high school graduation.
Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Chief Dr. Ogletree Richardson will speak before the Warren County Board of Education on Tuesday, May 14th to present a “Request for reconsideration to support allowing Native students to wear eagle feathers and beaded graduation caps at high school graduation,”. Let's stand up together for our students, for justice and for diversity and for INCLUSION in education.
BACKGROUD INFO
Warren County NC High School students’ requested during the Warren County Board Of Education’s Jan. 8, 2019 meeting that students with religious or cultural customs be allowed to wear related articles at graduation ceremonies. They explained that Native American high school graduates place great honor on being able to wear an eagle feather and beaded caps for graduation
Superintendent Spain announced at the April, 2019 meeting that “Essentially, they were unanimous in their opinion that we should not alter our current practice of not permitting any decoration for any reason for high school caps and gowns for commencement,” Spain said. “My recommendation to the board is in support of that recommendation, and, therefore, would recommend (not altering the policy for any reason).” “We are also aware that any alteration of (what is permitted to be worn at graduation) would open up all kinds of requests from non-Native Americans, and, practically the (entire) senior class to alter their caps and gowns, and I think would distract from our graduation ceremony,” Spain said. “This is not to cite or disregard your request, but, simply to maintain what we think is important, and that is to have some dignity in our graduation. We think that any form, any kind of decoration would be a distraction.”
Maintaining outdated and culturally insensitive practices does not maintain "dignity". It only seeks to maintain white standards as the only appropriate and acceptable norm for all cultures in Warren County. Warren County, NC is a beautiful mix of people and cultures with a complex history, as is much of this country. Warren County is also known as a leader of progressive movements with communities standing side by side and working together for social justice, environmental justice, and civil rights. Warren County should lead by example for others by supporting cultural inclusion and equity with a clear understanding that wearing religious and cultural symbols of honor (that are not harmful, insensitive, or disrespectful to other groups) such as an eagle feather and a beaded cap is not decoration nor a distraction. It's beautiful, important and a part of everyone's American history. Diversity and inclusion should be welcomed, honored and practiced not only during select history months and designated weeks but every day, especially at high school graduation.
Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Chief Dr. Ogletree Richardson will speak before the Warren County Board of Education on Tuesday, May 14th to present a “Request for reconsideration to support allowing Native students to wear eagle feathers and beaded graduation caps at high school graduation,”. Let's stand up together for our students, for justice and for diversity and for INCLUSION in education.
BACKGROUD INFO
Warren County NC High School students’ requested during the Warren County Board Of Education’s Jan. 8, 2019 meeting that students with religious or cultural customs be allowed to wear related articles at graduation ceremonies. They explained that Native American high school graduates place great honor on being able to wear an eagle feather and beaded caps for graduation
Superintendent Spain announced at the April, 2019 meeting that “Essentially, they were unanimous in their opinion that we should not alter our current practice of not permitting any decoration for any reason for high school caps and gowns for commencement,” Spain said. “My recommendation to the board is in support of that recommendation, and, therefore, would recommend (not altering the policy for any reason).” “We are also aware that any alteration of (what is permitted to be worn at graduation) would open up all kinds of requests from non-Native Americans, and, practically the (entire) senior class to alter their caps and gowns, and I think would distract from our graduation ceremony,” Spain said. “This is not to cite or disregard your request, but, simply to maintain what we think is important, and that is to have some dignity in our graduation. We think that any form, any kind of decoration would be a distraction.”