Video above: 17-year-old Farmington High School graduate, Genesis White Bull's, cap adorned with tribal beads and cultural significance was removed by two faculty members during its commencement ceremony on Monday, May 13. KOAT spoke with Navajo Nation council delegate, Amber Kanazbah Crotty, on how they plan to ignite change and help bridge the gap moving forward. MORE: Farmington High School graduate's tribal beads removed raises questions "What is the enforcement? If these laws are passed, then who is responsible for enforcing these laws? Is it the New Mexico Public Education Department? Is it the governor's office? Is it the local school board? Is it schools working in these kinds of silos?" Crotty said. "Someone needs to be accountable for these laws. And that's what we're looking for. That's where we hope we could change the conversation, where laws are being passed to protect our children and we want the school system to fully embrace that," Crotty told KOAT"An apology is a first step and an apology without any buts or, any other justification to the action and now reaching out with the family and empowering Genesis and other students that was with her and future students on how they could be part of the decision making and how some of these practices impact them on how they want to represent themselves as modern educational scholars," Crotty said.What are the next steps? (via Navajo Nation council)State, county and school district levels are made aware of all laws that are protective of Native American Navajo students. Review of federal laws and policy changes within all school districts Seek assistance through Navajo Human Rights office to have U.S. attorney's 'Civil Rights' unit look into issues that may occur. New Navajo Nation task force to include Navajo Nation leadership, Department of Diné Education, and Navajo Human Rights Commission, so reports and issues received from students will be reviewed.'Comprehensive meetings' with Farmington Municipal Schools"This is actually a long legacy of how our Native American students are treated in our educational state system. We know the findings with the Yazzie/Martinez case, the reason why we have to have the New Mexico American— our Indian Education Act and Senate Bill 80 just so that we could continue to represent ourselves and show up as ourselves when it comes to our regalia, how we honor our educational milestones," Crotty told KOAT.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News"I'm extremely grateful for Genesis and her courage to show up and her courage to also demand that the students be treated fairly and equitably. That takes a lot, especially in this climate. So, it's amazing what she did," Crotty said.Senate Bill 80"Relating to race; prohibiting the imposition of discipline, discrimination or disparate treatment in schools based on the hair or cultural headdresses of a student; defining terms in the public-school code and the human's right act.""We reached out to Farmington Municipal Schools, and we had a meeting with the superintendent and school board president on Friday . What we want to do is look at, 'OK, if you're on Equity Council and all of these remedies to help with this disconnect on how our students are treated, how are we still at the point where regalia and our students are targeted at their celebration for who they are and what they represent?" Crotty said.Sen. Shannon Pinto statement, May 20“While all the groups involved in the Farmington High School graduation continue to meet and determine the best way forward for the community and those involved, I encourage all New Mexico school districts and their stakeholders to review their own policies to ensure that dignity and respect is extended to every student and our laws are being followed. This is a time of great celebration for many students and their families, and we should not lose sight of that. I offer my sincere congratulations to all our graduates across the state," NM atate Sen. Shannon Pinto New Mexico Public Education Department statement"There is no remedy provided for in statute. The Public Education Department works with schools to ensure statutes, like this one, are followed even when the agency is not provided express authority to impose a consequence," NMPED, policy divisionFarmington Municipal Schools statementFarmington Municipal Schools declined an interview, but a spokesperson for the district provided the following statement:"There is a review of our protocols taking place right now, and it is including representatives of the Navajo Nation and other communities, but there are no updates from those early conversations." — Roberto TaboadaGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, May 20On Saturday, KOAT reached out to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for an interview and/or statement for Monday, May 20, regarding next steps in connection to Senate Bill 80. A spokesperson for Lujan-Grisham's office replied, "The Gov's schedule won't accommodate an interview today" and "That's all we have on this issue" regarding the following statement issued on Friday, May 17:“In New Mexico, we are proud of and committed to our diversity, and what happened at the Farmington High School graduation ceremony does not reflect that commitment. It is unacceptable that a student was reprimanded for representing their culture during a time of celebration.I appreciate that the Farmington schools acknowledge that they could have handled this situation better and that their policy may be too restrictive. However, it shouldn't have required the student raising this issue for a school to recognize its lack of inclusivity,” —Gov. Michelle Lujan GrishamStay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Video above: 17-year-old Farmington High School graduate, Genesis White Bull's, cap adorned with tribal beads and cultural significance was removed by two faculty members during its commencement ceremony on Monday, May 13. KOAT spoke with Navajo Nation council delegate, Amber Kanazbah Crotty, on how they plan to ignite change and help bridge the gap moving forward.
MORE: Farmington High School graduate's tribal beads removed raises questions
"What is the enforcement? If these laws are passed, then who is responsible for enforcing these laws? Is it the New Mexico Public Education Department? Is it the governor's office? Is it the local school board? Is it schools working in these kinds of silos?" Crotty said.
Curtis Ray Benally/Turkeyboy Photography
"Someone needs to be accountable for these laws. And that's what we're looking for. That's where we hope we could change the conversation, where laws are being passed to protect our children and we want the school system to fully embrace that," Crotty told KOAT
"An apology is a first step and an apology without any buts or, any other justification to the action and now reaching out with the family and empowering Genesis and other students that was with her and future students on how they could be part of the decision making and how some of these practices impact them on how they want to represent themselves as modern educational scholars," Crotty said.
What are the next steps? (via Navajo Nation council)
- State, county and school district levels are made aware of all laws that are protective of Native American Navajo students.
- Review of federal laws and policy changes within all school districts
- Seek assistance through Navajo Human Rights office to have U.S. attorney's 'Civil Rights' unit look into issues that may occur.
- New Navajo Nation task force to include Navajo Nation leadership, Department of Diné Education, and Navajo Human Rights Commission, so reports and issues received from students will be reviewed.
- 'Comprehensive meetings' with Farmington Municipal Schools
"This is actually a long legacy of how our Native American students are treated in our educational state system. We know the findings with the Yazzie/Martinez case, the reason why we have to have the New Mexico American— our Indian Education Act and Senate Bill 80 just so that we could continue to represent ourselves and show up as ourselves when it comes to our regalia, how we honor our educational milestones," Crotty told KOAT.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News
"I'm extremely grateful for Genesis and her courage to show up and her courage to also demand that the students be treated fairly and equitably. That takes a lot, especially in this climate. So, it's amazing what she did," Crotty said.
Senate Bill 80
"Relating to race; prohibiting the imposition of discipline, discrimination or disparate treatment in schools based on the hair or cultural headdresses of a student; defining terms in the public-school code and the human's right act."
"We reached out to Farmington Municipal Schools, and we had a meeting with the superintendent and school board president on Friday [May 17]. What we want to do is look at, 'OK, if you're on Equity Council and all of these remedies to help with this disconnect on how our students are treated, how are we still at the point where regalia and our students are targeted at their celebration for who they are and what they represent?" Crotty said.
Sen. Shannon Pinto statement, May 20
“While all the groups involved in the Farmington High School graduation continue to meet and determine the best way forward for the community and those involved, I encourage all New Mexico school districts and their stakeholders to review their own policies to ensure that dignity and respect is extended to every student and our laws are being followed.
This is a time of great celebration for many students and their families, and we should not lose sight of that. I offer my sincere congratulations to all our graduates across the state," NM atate Sen. Shannon Pinto
New Mexico Public Education Department statement
"There is no remedy provided for in statute. The Public Education Department works with schools to ensure statutes, like this one, are followed even when the agency is not provided express authority to impose a consequence," NMPED, policy division
Farmington Municipal Schools statement
Farmington Municipal Schools declined an interview, but a spokesperson for the district provided the following statement:
"There is a review of our protocols taking place right now, and it is including representatives of the Navajo Nation and other communities, but there are no updates from those early conversations." — Roberto Taboada
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, May 20
On Saturday, KOAT reached out to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for an interview and/or statement for Monday, May 20, regarding next steps in connection to Senate Bill 80. A spokesperson for Lujan-Grisham's office replied, "The Gov's schedule won't accommodate an interview today" and "That's all we have on this issue" regarding the following statement issued on Friday, May 17:
“In New Mexico, we are proud of and committed to our diversity, and what happened at the Farmington High School graduation ceremony does not reflect that commitment. It is unacceptable that a student was reprimanded for representing their culture during a time of celebration.
I appreciate that the Farmington schools acknowledge that they could have handled this situation better and that their policy may be too restrictive. However, it shouldn't have required the student raising this issue for a school to recognize its lack of inclusivity,” —Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
