Oklahoma Council for Indian Education Celebrates Pass of Senate Bill 429

On Saturday, July 1, Oklahoma Council for Indian Education (OCIE) held a celebratory event for Senate Bill 429, which went into law the same day, at St. Andrew’s Community Church in Oklahoma City.

Comanche Nation Vice Chairman Cornel Pewewardy said the event celebrated the override of Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt’s veto of SB 429. He said that despite opposition at the governor’s office, the bill was passed with the help of tribes.

“It's to provide an opportunity for native students to express themselves in their native regalia at graduations, not just high school, college, university, higher education, preschool, kindergarten, eighth grade, middle school, and secondary,” he said. “So, all aspects of education is really the opportunity for those that wish to, to wear their traditional regalia as they go through graduation ceremonies.”

Pewewardy said this includes beaded caps, plumes, feathers, robes and stoles.

He said that although it took decades for this change to be implemented, he felt gratitude.

“Not only just to get to this point, but the decades that many of us tried to make change here in the state of Oklahoma,” Pewewardy said. “For me, it's almost 40, 45 years ongoing that this occurred to me in my, in my college graduation. But so, we stand on the shoulders of all those that try to express themselves in all. Many of them were defiant in trying to get through a policy that would not establish themselves to be who they are. And so, this makes me feel very triumphant that nobody gave up on this idea.”

He said it’s a celebration of many people and an opportunity to collaborate.

“And this is the effort for grassroots. And that is where you get things done,” Pewewardy said. “And just talking about a small focus group and then going towards sponsorship. And then for the sponsorship, moving it towards development and a bill. And so, getting it passed is a remarkable grassroots effort. So, I just want to express that this is a teaching moment. Our students need to know this history.”

Pewewardy said there are other avenues they would like to introduce into legislation.

He has been a member of OCIE for several years and has helped write policy. Pewewardy said this was one of the initiatives that was part of that.

President of OCIE Tesia Zientek said the purpose of OCIE is to advocate for indigenous students in Oklahoma.

“So, Senate Bill 429 allows Native students to wear their tribal regalia at graduation events. And this was necessary within the state of Oklahoma because while we had letters coming from the state superintendent's office saying that this was allowed and…there's Oklahoma Religious Freedom Acts that also protect wearing of eagle feathers and things like that for Native students,” she said. “Still, every year OCIE would receive calls and emails from parents and from students who were not allowed to wear beaded caps or eagle feathers or their tribal stole. So, it was really a case-by-case basis at the school whether or not a student was allowed. And as this is, graduation is such a meaningful event for everybody and within our indigenous communities, so many people are involved and want to lift up those students. It's integral that those students are able to express their full selves and their identity on that really important day.”

Their honored guest was Lena Black.

“Last year at Broken Arrow Public Schools there was a terrible incident where she was proved to wear the eagle plume that she received in ceremony at a very young age,” Zientek said. “But yet when she tried to walk the stage at graduation a school official tried to rip that feather off of her cap and it was damaged. And again, this was given to her ceremonially at a very young age and that's irreparable harm.”

There is a lawsuit in process for damages, according to Zientek.

Those participating included the ACLU of Oklahoma, which laid the foundation for SB 429, legislators and advocates in the indigenous community. 

Anyone who wants to be involved with OCIE can sign up for the annual conference in December in Oklahoma City.