American Indian students in the Scotland County Schools district will be permitted to wear items of cultural significance upon graduation moving forward as mandated by House Bill 166, which Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law last week.
LAURINBURG — The interim superintendent for the Scotland County Schools district is commending the state’s General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper for passing the American Indians Graduating with Honors Act, also known as House Bill 166.
“I salute the state of North Carolina for this decision. It’s a sign of respect to honor the culture of other people. With great pride, we look forward to honoring such a request in the future,” Interim Superintendent Robert Logan told the Laurinburg Exchange.
Following unanimous support in N.C. General Assembly, Cooper signed House Bill 166 last week. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Jarrod Lowery (R-Robeson), an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe and brother of the Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery.
The law states that “a student that is, or is eligible to be, enrolled as a member of a state or federally recognized Indian Tribe shall be allowed to wear objects of cultural significance as part of the student’s regalia at any graduation ceremony,” at any public school in North Carolina.
The objects of cultural significance are defined as bird feathers or plums.
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s tribal districts extend to Scotland County. The tribe boasts more than 50,000 members.
In 2019, American Indian seniors in the SCS district petitioned the school board to allow them to wear ceremonial American Indian items, such as eagle feathers, during their upcoming graduation ceremonies.
Eagle feathers are presented by their tribe to select American Indian students that have overcome certain obstacles and hurdles in life. According to the Native American Rights Fund, “eagle feathers are given to individuals to mark and honor significant life accomplishments, such as graduation.”
Ultimately the request was denied, but students were permitted to wear the feathers during the baccalaureate service instead.
The school district’s current policy solely allows graduating students to wear school-issued cords like honor cords and cords representing clubs the graduate may have participated in with their standardized graduation regalia, according to a spokesperson for the Scotland County Schools district.
An appeals court ruling more than 40 years ago declared schools may deny a student participation in graduation ceremonies if the student does not comply with a dress code, according to a bill explanation from General Assembly staff.