School board won't allow honor song at graduation ceremony

Tuesday, May 14, 2013  

The Chamberlain Board of Education in South Dakota voted 6-1 against allowing an honor song at the high school graduation ceremony.

Indian students, many from the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe and the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, make up 28 percent of this year's graduating class in the district, and about 40 percent of the entire student body. But board president Rebecca Reimer said an honor song would be too much.

“Most schools with our demographics have either a feathering ceremony or an honor song,” Reimer said at a public meeting last night, The Mitchell Daily Republic reported. “Not both.”

Seniors and eighth-graders will go through the feathering ceremony on Friday. The high school graduation ceremony is Sunday.

Get the Story:
Indian students lose fight for honor song (The Mitchell Daily Republic 5/14)

Native Sun News: School balks at honor song for graduation (5/6)
Editorial: Allow honor song at school graduation ceremony (04/30)
Indian students push for honor song at graduation ceremony (04/25)