Bill Empowers Indigenous Students To Wear Tribal Regalia To School Events

A senate bill that’s making its way through the legislature could make it easier for indigenous students to wear tribal regalia to school events.  

Right now it’s up to the school district if they allow indigenous students to wear tribal regalia to events like graduation.  

While some districts embrace their cultures, others don’t allow the celebration. This bill would grant them that right, across the state. 

For indigenous students like Isabella Cornell, graduation is one of many milestones they share with their loved ones. 

“Representing yourself through your culture is an honor and a privilege and especially on a day as important as graduation,” Cornell said, who graduated from Epic Charter Schools.   

Isabella’s mother Sarah Adams said graduation is coming of age marked with tribal regalia gifted from elders. 

“I was wearing a feather, and that was gifted to me from my aunty Summer, and it was a turkey feather, and my mom did the bead work on top of the grad cap. I was also wearing a ribbon skirt under my gown; I sewed the ribbon skirt myself a few nights before,” Cornell said.  

“Many tribes will reward these milestones with feathers, things that are important to us and representative of our culture. It is important that they be able to share that and be fully indigenous in these spaces,” said Adams, who is also in favor of Senate Bill 429.  

If the bill passes, Oklahoma public schools could not prohibit students from wearing tribal regalia. The bill defines “tribal regalia” as "traditional garments, jewelry, eagle feathers, beaded caps, stoles, or similar objects with cultural significance.”  

“I just have to say thank you to all those senators in the education committee that also see this as a plus,” Adams said.  

“We get a lot of contact from families and students who are wanting to wear their Native American regalia as part of graduation but are afraid that their school policies will not allow them to,” said Tesia Zientek, the President Elect of the Oklahoma Council Indian Education.  

Cornell hopes every indigenous student after her gets the same experience.  

“It makes me really excited for the opportunities that they are going to have to be able to express themselves and their culture on a day that is so important to them,” Cornell said.  

The bill unanimously passed out of committee and now heads to the senate floor for a vote.