ALA teen denied diploma, fined $1,000 for wearing a feather at graduation.

[powderman]

 Alabama teen denied diploma, fined $1000 for wearing feather at graduation  Published June 05, 2013
FoxNews.com   A Native American student did not receive her high school diploma and faces a $1,000 fine because she wore a feather during her graduation.
WPMI reports 17-year-old Chelsey Ramer decided to wear the eagle feather during her May 23 graduation at an Alabama high school to honor her heritage. Ramer is a member of the Poarch Creek Band of Indians.
 
Although the school prohibits graduates from wearing "extraneous items" during the ceremony, Ramer says she asked the headmaster if she could wear the feather anyway. She was denied, and was told she had to sign a dress code contract to walk at graduation.
Ramer did not sign it, and wore the feather in her graduation ceremony anyway. She was denied her diploma, and now must pay a $1,000 fine to the school to receive it and her transcripts, WPMI reports.
Ramer says she feels it was worth it to wear the feather, but is angry over the school's actions.
"I don't think it's fair at all. I feel like its discrimination," Ramer told WPMI.
Click for more from WPMI.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/05/alabama-teen-denied-diploma-fined-1000-for-wearing-feather-at-graduation/?test=latestnews#ixzz2VMBfXzQA

[Conan The Librarian]

All this needs is the mere breath of the threat of a lawsuit. If those transcripts are denied, she should be able to hammer that school hard.

[mcwoodduck]

Of course she is going to make it about race and not the dress code of the school.
She asked for permission and was told no.  She could have worn the feather under her robe tied around her neck.
I see the school being remiss in matching the deplomas on stage with the signed contracts.  As well as a dress code inforcement officer at the bottom of the stairs that could stop them from going up on stage out of uniform.  Her diploma never should have been on stage with out the signed agreement.  They should have just called everyone up and left her standing there along with anyone else that did not sign the agreement and handed the diploma to her and any others as they came up to complain after the ceromony. 
 

[two-blocked]

The headmaster has been fired.....

[powderman]

Thank a liberal or 2 today. POWDERMAN. 

[Mike in Virginia]

This has come up before.  Went through with my son who wore tennis shoes with his tux and was denied his h.s. diploma.  He picked it up later at the school. 
 
I think that's okay.  The students agree to a dress code before they walk out and get the diploma in a ceremony.  Those who would rather not, don't attend.  It doesn't mean they didn't graduate, it's just means they refused to comply with school regulations.  They seem to want to go just a little too far to buck the system.  You do what you agree to do in this world, is what the withholding of the diploma taught the girl, or should have taught her. 
 
Maybe an Indian wearing a feather is no different than a Hispanic wearing a sombrero, or a slave descendant wearing a bone piercing or a white southerner wearing a confederate flag.  All of that is okay with me, but not if it violates the restrictions on the graduates who wanted to be part of the ceremony.   

[lakota]

The school should not have the power to levy fines like a court does and a $1000 fine for wearing a feather is quite excessive.

[powderman]

The school should not have the power to levy fines like a court does and a $1000 fine for wearing a feather is quite excessive.

 
LAKOTA. Darn right it's excessive, I still feel that the school is wrong. In the pic I had to look to FIND the feather. They would have better off keeping their big mouth shut. POWDERMAN. 

[Mike in Virginia]

I agree the school should not levy fines, unless it was part of a contract the girl signed to be in the ceremony.  Doesn't sound like it was. 

[spruce]

The fine is certainly ridiculous.  I don't think the school system has any legal power to levy a fine.  I hope she consults an attorney to get her diploma and transcripts.
 
I wonder if the school would have been so assertive and heavy-handed if she had been muslim and wanted to wear the traditional head covering?  Ha - not likely!

[mcwoodduck]

The school should not have the power to levy fines like a court does and a $1000 fine for wearing a feather is quite excessive.

One they said head master.  So it may be a private school and the $1,000 fine may be waht was used to deter kids from adding to the dress code.  But if you set a rule and do not enforce it then what good is the rule? 
If thye told the students that the dress code is X and if you defy the code there will be a $1,000 fine to get your diploma if you break the code on stage and they do not enforce it this year, everyone next year will be wearing Gang colors rather than school colors and the year after will be with out a code. 
I disagree with you all that either the dress code means something or it does not.  If the fine was there to scare students to follow the code then you need to hit the people that break the rules with the fine to stop others from breaking he rules too.
In Pa they used to put up a sign that said a speed limit and a fine for different speeds.  You knew ahead of time if you were going 75 it was a $200 fine and over 100 MPH was a $1,000 fine and loss of license for a year.  (example I forget the actual prices)

[vbhunter]

The fine is ridiculous, but the school should have a right to not allow her to receive her diploma at graduation, and deny her the right to participate in the ceremony.  She should be allowed to go pick it up at the school.  I am a proud Native American, but dress code rules are not made to attempt to discriminate.  She knew the rules, and chose to ignore them, so she should be prepared to suffer the consequences.  Part of what is wrong with this country is people not accepting responsibility for their actions.

[cooter74]

Why is it that today no one seems to think they have to obey the rules and laws? Especially a minority , any minority!

[williamlayton]

I guess this as good to bitch about as anything nonsensical .
Blessings

[Sourdough]

At Sky's college graduation two of the women had used glitter to adorn their hats.  One said, "Big Sister" the other said "Little Sister".  Very unobtrusive, and only the ones sitting up high actually saw it.  I don't think an Eagle Feather would have been that bad.  I would not have had an issue with it.  But if she had gone to the school and they said "NO" then that's the end of it, no means no.  The school is in charge of the graduation exercise, they set the rules.

 

[Dee]

I too am "native AMERICAN". I guess I should protest the fact that soldiers made my then, 5 year old great-great-grandmother walk from the Carolinas to Oklahoma, but walk she did, and she has several generations of "native AMERICANS" to prove it.
It's long since time that everyone stops being a "hyfanated AMERICAN", and get on with being an AMERICAN.
Wear your feathers to the next powwow.

[SHOOTALL]

it's a shame such a small thing could be such a big news item. REALLY ?

[mechanic]

As long as the rules were known ahead of time and equally applied, they are just.  This seems to be a private institution and not a government one...thus they make the rules.  You don't like the rules, don't go there.
Ben

[SHOOTALL]

As long as the rules were known ahead of time and equally applied, they are just.  This seems to be a private institution and not a government one...thus they make the rules.  You don't like the rules, don't go there.
Ben

agree !

[Oldshooter]

Whats the phrase, better to ask forgiveness than permission. I see stuff at graduations all the time that arent allowed. If ya wanna do it then do it. If ya wanna make a spectecle of it then ask, and then do what you were going to do anyway. If we dont have rules then we have the barry administration, 

[mcwoodduck]

At Sky's college graduation two of the women had used glitter to adorn their hats.  One said, "Big Sister" the other said "Little Sister".  Very unobtrusive, and only the ones sitting up high actually saw it.  I don't think an Eagle Feather would have been that bad.  I would not have had an issue with it.  But if she had gone to the school and they said "NO" then that's the end of it, no means no.  The school is in charge of the graduation exercise, they set the rules.

The dress code is the dress code.  What if a kid of German heratage wanted to wear a Swastaka on his gown or cap to honor his grandfather or great grand father that fought or served the Nazi's.  I am not eqaualing the two but at some point if you allow one you will have to allow another.  As others have said either the rules apply to all or to none. 

[williamlayton]

Rules without thinking ! Graduations have always brought out the relief that kids feel from the pressures. Funny little things, nothing harmful just release.
This justification stuff is getting a little old---let the kids be kids.
Blessings

[Old Fart]

Must have been a slow day at the newsroom for this to get reported.
I guess just about anything to help us forget Fast & Furious....

[SHOOTALL]

Maybe people forget that a graduation is an affair that involves many. When you decide to stray from the norm you in effect change it for all. Is that fair when expectations have been decided in advance ?
 The old my freedom stops where yours begins ............

[Bob Riebe]

The school should not have the power to levy fines like a court does and a $1000 fine for wearing a feather is quite excessive.

One they said head master.  So it may be a private school and the $1,000 fine may be waht was used to deter kids from adding to the dress code.  But if you set a rule and do not enforce it then what good is the rule? 
If thye told the students that the dress code is X and if you defy the code there will be a $1,000 fine to get your diploma if you break the code on stage and they do not enforce it this year, everyone next year will be wearing Gang colors rather than school colors and the year after will be with out a code. 
I disagree with you all that either the dress code means something or it does not.  If the fine was there to scare students to follow the code then you need to hit the people that break the rules with the fine to stop others from breaking he rules too.
In Pa they used to put up a sign that said a speed limit and a fine for different speeds.  You knew ahead of time if you were going 75 it was a $200 fine and over 100 MPH was a $1,000 fine and loss of license for a year.  (example I forget the actual prices)

Your analogy is silly.

What they are doing is extortion.
Either they obey the masser or those slaves will get a good whipping.

[Bob Riebe]

At Sky's college graduation two of the women had used glitter to adorn their hats.  One said, "Big Sister" the other said "Little Sister".  Very unobtrusive, and only the ones sitting up high actually saw it.  I don't think an Eagle Feather would have been that bad.  I would not have had an issue with it.  But if she had gone to the school and they said "NO" then that's the end of it, no means no.  The school is in charge of the graduation exercise, they set the rules.

The dress code is the dress code.  What if a kid of German heratage wanted to wear a Swastaka on his gown or cap to honor his grandfather or great grand father that fought or served the Nazi's.  I am not eqaualing the two but at some point if you allow one you will have to allow another.  As others have said either the rules apply to all or to none.

Then you exclude them from the ceremony and send them the diploma in the mail.

[williamlayton]

It is the kids graduation--not the schools.
Blessings

[mcwoodduck]

The school should not have the power to levy fines like a court does and a $1000 fine for wearing a feather is quite excessive.

One they said head master.  So it may be a private school and the $1,000 fine may be waht was used to deter kids from adding to the dress code.  But if you set a rule and do not enforce it then what good is the rule? 
If thye told the students that the dress code is X and if you defy the code there will be a $1,000 fine to get your diploma if you break the code on stage and they do not enforce it this year, everyone next year will be wearing Gang colors rather than school colors and the year after will be with out a code. 
I disagree with you all that either the dress code means something or it does not.  If the fine was there to scare students to follow the code then you need to hit the people that break the rules with the fine to stop others from breaking he rules too.
In Pa they used to put up a sign that said a speed limit and a fine for different speeds.  You knew ahead of time if you were going 75 it was a $200 fine and over 100 MPH was a $1,000 fine and loss of license for a year.  (example I forget the actual prices)

Your analogy is silly.

What they are doing is extortion.
Either they obey the masser or those slaves will get a good whipping.

So we can now have Soldiers and sailors designing their own uniforms?  The word Uni comes from Latin meaning one.  If everyone can change from it then it is no longer a uniform.  And  while graduation is a release maybe the dress code teaches them that some things need to be followed. And like I said she knew what the fine would be ahead of time if she did break the rules. 
And maybe this is the result of the lowering of standards.  Police and Firefighters had to be able ot do X and the smaller people cried that they wanted ot be police and they now lowered the standards so everyone can be a police or Fireman even if it puts others in danger of them not being able to pull their weight.  and it may have set the president that there are no longer standards and with the states and federal government picking what Laws they want to enforce and what laws they think are unjust and can be ignored has set up that all rules are just suggestions.  It may sound silly that the young lady is being fined $1,000 to get her diploma but those were the rules up front.  I just guess you are part of the lowering of standards and that laws only apply to the law abiding.  Again what is Unacceptable and if you allow a feather where do you draw the line of what someone else can wear to the graduation?  At what point will the Class A uniform for the Army be a Polo Shirt and jeans? 

[williamlayton]

MC
I think your analogy is incorrect.
This graduation thing is for the kids, not the school. The kids have already completed all the requirements set for graduation. It is over and they have graduated.
This ceremony is for the kids---not as a group but individually---it is set up with some order by the school but they really overstep their boundaries when they try to dictate decorum's. There have always been--well I go back to 1959 when I graduated---those that let off a little steam at graduation and the party afterwards.
That is a right of passage---it is not  a staid, black tie institutional affair. It is a simple graduation---you see the same things on the University level.
Blessings   

[Old Fart]

The whole thing is kind of silly. The diploma really isn't anything but a piece of paper that inevitably gets lost a few years down the road. The transcript is the only thing that matters. I'd say keep the stupid diploma and move on.