Native American sues school for $50k after she says she was banned from wearing ... trends now
A Native American teenager has sued her high school for $50,000 after they banned her from wearing a sacred eagle feather in her graduation cap.
Lena' Black, of Oklahoma, has sued Broken Arrows Public Schools after school officials 'accosted' her and took away her eagle feather right before she was set to graduate in May 2022.
Black, who is a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, was told to 'remove' the plume from her cap, which hung right by her tassel, as she had not gotten approval to wear it. The feather was reportedly damaged after two school officials 'attempted to forcibly remove the eagle plume,' the lawsuit stated.
Black then suffered from an anxiety attack and 'collapsed' on the ground, trying to protect herself and her feather while 'school officials continued to grab at her eagle plume and mortarboard.'
She eventually walked across the graduation stage with the feather in her hand, the lawsuit said.
The now-graduate says her First Amendment rights were violated, as other students were allowed to wear crosses, hijabs, secular stoles, cords, and other items to graduation.
Lena' Black, of Oklahoma, has sued Broken Arrows Public Schools after school officials 'accosted' her and took away her eagle feather (pictured) right before she was set to graduate in May 2022
Black, who is a member of Otoe-Missouria Tribe, was told to 'remove' the plume from her cap, which hung right by her tassel, as she had not gotten approval to wear it. The feather was reportedly damaged after two school officials 'attempted to forcibly remove the eagle plume,' the lawsuit stated (pictured: Broken Arrows Public Schools building)
'My eagle plume has been part of my cultural and spiritual practices
