A Native American High School Graduate is suing a School District for Forceful Removal of Sacred Eagle Plume at Graduation. High school graduate Lena’ Black, an enrolled member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and of Osage descent, filed a lawsuit on May 15th against the Broken Arrow School District for violating her rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech. At Black’s 2022 high school graduation, school officials attempted to forcefully remove an eagle plume Black wore on her cap. The plume, which she received in ceremony when she was three years old, was damaged by the attempt. Black said she passed several checkpoints leading up to the ceremony before being approached by a school counselor and security guard who “kept trying to take it off her.” Black told the Tulsa World Newspaper the feather was attached to her mortarboard and that she had been told previously that the feather would be allowed because of its cultural significance.
The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe website got a new domain name last week, www.cheyenneriversioux.com replaces the previous web site, www.cheyenneriversiouxtribe.org. Dot ORG is no longer accessible. The new website features an introduction to the tribe and the four bands alternating in Lakota and English. Information on the website includes a Tribal Council and Committee calendar with links to appropriate livestreams, public service announcements such as an update on the current election from the Tribal Secretary’s office, and links to information on Programs, Employment, Tribal Government, Archives, History and Community. The website also highlights tribal businesses. Lakota Thrifty Mart, KIPI radio and the 7th Generation Cinema. It also has a link to the River Cities Public Transit Eagle Butte Area schedule and fees.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.