JENNINGS, La. (AP) – The Jefferson Davis Parish School Board has reversed itself and agreed that Native American students may wear eagle feathers as part of their graduation garb.


The board originally had ruled that the feathers would violate graduation dress code. However, it told seniors at Elton High School on Thursday that each Native American could wear an eagle feather or an acceptable alternative, the American Press reported.


Whether Indians may wear feathers or caps with traditional tribal beadwork has become an issue across the country, said senior Sophia John, the reigning Coushatta Tribal princess.


“Students have been fined and not allowed to graduate because of a feather,” she said. “We are not doing this to be disrespectful. We just want to show pride, and we should be allowed to celebrate our heritage.”


School officials will meet with tribal leaders to discuss the matter, said Superintendent Brian Lejeune.
He told the board, “We have done things like this in the past, and you as a board decided you didn’t want too much to go on, but this is a little different because they have heritage concerns. We have made heritage accommodations for them in the past. This is their culture. It isn’t new, but it’s new to this.”


Coushatta Tribe Vice Chairman David Sickey said the board’s decision to allow the students to wear the feather, or an alternative, to mark their academic achievement shows respect for their culture.
“Education is about teachable moments,” Sickey said. “Therefore in this special moment one should know that a feather in our Native American culture signals trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power and respect. It is a remembrance of who we are as a people – the first Americans.”
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Information from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com