Oklahoma School Tried To Remove Tribal Regalia At Graduation, Lawsuit Claims

A recent Broken Arrow graduate is suing the school district after she says she was blocked from wearing an eagle feather at her graduation.

Lena Black is a member of the Otoe Missouria Tribe who graduated from Broken Arrow in 2022. She says two school officials tried to physically remove the feather from her graduation cap, telling her it was a prohibited decoration.

The school district issued the following statement when asked about the lawsuit:

"At this time, the District has not yet been served with a court filing on behalf of Ms. Black. As a result, it would be inappropriate to comment publicly as to such a lawsuit."

A representative from Broken Arrow schools did say that while they cannot comment on the lawsuit, the school does give students the option to add items to their graduation regalia. They said there are exceptions provided for Native American tribes as well as other religious and ethnic heritages.

Otoe-Missouria Tribe Chairman John Shotton also released a statement about the lawsuit showing the tribe's support.

“Lena’ Black and her family are well known among the Otoe-Missouria people. From the Elk Clan, Lena serves as the Princess for our Red Rock Creek Gourd Dance Society. She does not stand alone. Her Otoe-Missouria Tribe and People stand with her as she fights to vindicate her rights and make positive change for all Native students.”