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Fairbanks school board advances graduation attire policy

The Fairbanks school board advanced a resolution to allow cultural attire at school graduation ceremonies.

The resolution which was up for first reading at a meeting, broadens existing North Star Borough School District regulatory language, which already allows some Alaska Native and other cultural dress at commencement, and spells it out in policy.

The board requested the change after some students were mistakenly told at some school graduation ceremonies last spring that they could not wear cultural attire.

Superintendent Karen Gaborik told the board the revised policy would be more open than those in other Alaska districts.

“This policy would say that cultural attire could be worn in lieu of a gown, so that is a significant step that Fairbanks would be taking.”

Gaborik emphasized that the district will take the lead role in ensuring the policy is followed at all schools.

Provide this consistency that we were lacking last year.”

During public testimony, District Alaska Native Education Director Yatibaey Evans expressed support for the change and noted the history of mistreatment of Native people within the education system.

“Assimilation and the boarding school era, we are still facing those effects,” Evans said.

“We’d get beat on our hands with a ruler for talking our own language,” said Darleen Herbert, who recounted her experience growing up attending a Bureau of Indian Affairs school in Fort Yukon, and said she sees the new Fairbanks district graduation attire policy as an important change.

“I have grandkids that are Athabascan and Eskimo,” Herbert said. “I want them to be proud of that. I don’t want my child to be put down just because my child wants to wear their Native clothing.”

School board member Sharon McConnell, who is Alaska Native, also welcomed the new policy as a measure of recognition of the significance of cultural attire at graduation ceremonies.

“A lot of thought goes into making the regalia for their student that is graduating. They’re very proud of who they are.”

McConnell and the rest of the board, voted unanimously to advance the graduation attire policy resolution.  It will come back before the board for a second reading and final vote.

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