OKLAHOMA CITY – In response to the Oklahoma Legislature moving to override Governor Stitt’s veto of SB 429, which allows public, charter, technology center, and higher education school students to wear tribal regalia during graduation ceremonies, the ACLU of Oklahoma issued the following statement:
The following is attributable to Cindy Nguyen, ACLU of Oklahoma Policy Director:
“After centuries of attempted genocide and erasure of Indigenous culture and tradition, Indigenous students in Oklahoma can now wear their tribal regalia during graduation ceremonies starting July 1, 2023. Tribal regalia is a symbol of resistance, resilience, and reclamation by students of their right to an education that honors their culture and heritage. As we witness Oklahoma politicians interfere with the curriculum our schools teach, Indigenous history continues to be erased. Policies that strip Indigenous students of their cultural and religious heritage in the name of assimilation only compound the violence and oppression that these students and their communities have suffered. The ACLU of Oklahoma will never stop fighting to address the ongoing deprivations of Indigenous students’ educational and expressive rights.”
