Graduation dress codes, laws collide

The debate over whether high school students should be allowed to decorate graduation caps has gained a lot of attention following a new law and the recent denial of a Flathead High School graduate of Blackfeet descent to wear a painted cap depicting a Native American headdress and striped motif during the commencement ceremony.

While the student was allowed to wear an eagle feather, he was not permitted to wear the decorated graduation cap, which had been painted by his grandmother, a Blackfeet artist, despite a new law that prohibits a state agency — such as a school — or local government from “prohibiting an individual from wearing traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at certain public events ...”

Flathead High School Principal Peter Fusaro said the decision was made before the June 2 ceremony got underway because paint did not follow the graduation dress code, but later issued an apology.

The vagueness of the new law, originating as Senate Bill 319, has opened up the discussion on what constitutes “tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance,” and who makes that call.

“The state needs to offer some direction. The bill needs to be clarified,” Fusaro said during a phone interview Thursday.

Following the incident, Montana Sen. Jen Gross, a Democrat from Billings, who was the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 319, said it was intentionally left open to broad interpretation because “culture is unique to each individual.”

In the valley, only Bigfork and Columbia Falls high schools allow students to decorate graduation caps.

Flathead, Glacier and Whitefish high schools have had longstanding policies on not permitting decorations with some exceptions for Native American regalia such as feathers and bead work.

The high-school principals said graduation dress-code policies and handbooks will be revised to comply with the new law.

The new law has raised another question about why stop at a single group? Or why don’t schools let students decorate caps in the first place?

Allowing students to decorate graduation caps would require deciding what images are appropriate for high school graduation — a hefty task for larger schools such as Flathead, which graduated an estimated 303 students, and Glacier, 264, earlier this month.

Without having the history of why decorated graduation caps are not allowed at Flathead and Glacier, Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau commented, “It is the cleanest manner to control what can get out of hand very quickly.”

Fusaro asked whether or not the commencement ceremony should be about honoring a graduating class, individualism or making statements, political or otherwise.

“We want it to be about kids,” Fusaro said. “Although we respect individualism.”

Fusaro then asked — “Why wear a cap and gown at all?”

In Crown Point, Indiana, this question was put to the test when a high school graduate, and new Marine, was barred from walking across the stage to get his diploma because he decided to wear dress blues despite school policy requiring graduates to wear the standard cap and gown, according to The [Northwest Indiana] Times. According to the article, the principal said stoles and cords worn over gowns recognize individual achievements such as military service.

With approximately 119 Whitefish High School graduates this year, Principal Kerry Drown said a no-decorations policy is about “maintaining a dignified atmosphere and celebrating the whole class.”

Drown said while he hasn’t had a student request to wear tribal regalia, he anticipates the graduation dress code will be revised in accordance with the law over the summer.

At Columbia Falls High School there were about 170 graduates this year. Principal Scott Gaiser said allowing students to decorate graduation caps is a tradition. Gaiser said prior approval from principals is a requirement.

“Students traditionally have been respectful and creative with their designs,” Gaiser said.

Bigfork High School’s Alan Robbins said graduation caps that are decorated have images typically pertaining to the college a student is attending, other post-secondary plans or depict their excitement for high school graduation.

The only stipulations about decorations is that they are appropriate and don’t block other’s views.

The definition of what is “appropriate” is also subjective, but the process has worked so far. At Bigfork, prior approval by administrators takes place on the day of the commencement ceremony, which is different from other schools Robbins has worked at where advance approval was required; however the smaller school had a manageable 60 graduates.

“When we screen caps on the day of graduation we have blank mortarboards to give students if decorations are inappropriate,” Robbins said. “We haven’t had to take a mortarboard away yet.”

Robbins said students so far have respected the responsibility of being able to personalize graduation caps, but is it a distraction to the audience?

“We haven’t had a single person make a negative comment about what a kid has put on their cap,” Robbins said.

As to uniformity in graduation pictures, Robbins argues that most photos don’t show the top of the caps.

“Kids are really proud of their mortarboards and it becomes memorabilia for them,” Robbins said. “The graduation ceremony is not about what’s on cap, it’s about recognizing graduates, speakers, and the moment of walking across stage.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.