District to allow tribal attire at graduation ceremonies

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Native American students in Tucson's largest school district can now wear culturally significant attire to their graduation ceremonies.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously Tuesday to allow Native American students to wear tribal clothing at graduation without prior district approval.

Until Tuesday, the district required students to ask for permission to wear tribal regalia to district graduation ceremonies, which many Native American students, parents and community members thought was problematic and unjust.

According to the language of the new policy, the change allows students from any diverse background to wear clothing relevant to their culture.

Pueblo High School alumna Madeline Jeans spearheaded the effort to allow native regalia before she graduated from high school in 2017.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.tucson.com