{"id":22834,"date":"2025-04-04T13:52:03","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-mexico-governor-signs-regalia-law-whats-the-reaction-at-home\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:17:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:17:42","slug":"new-mexico-governor-signs-regalia-law-whats-the-reaction-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-mexico-governor-signs-regalia-law-whats-the-reaction-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico governor signs regalia law. What\u2019s the reaction at home?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=dac11886-3289-5f9d-b2f4-afeadcedee1f&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" alt=\"Terri Etcitty, Shiprock High School graduate, wore a beaded cap with a feather attached. (Alx Lee\/Tri-City Record)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Terri Etcitty, Shiprock High School graduate, wore a beaded cap with a feather attached. (Alx Lee\/Tri-City Record)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Alx Lee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 19 signed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nmlegis.gov\/Sessions\/25%20Regular\/final\/SB0163.pdf\" id=\"link-aace3d2db8c48f340eda0614534bbcc8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Senate Bill 163<\/a>, guaranteeing that students in San Juan County may legally celebrate and express their cultural heritage at commencement exercises.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation prohibits school boards and charter schools from preventing Native American students from wearing culturally significant clothing, accessories and objects during graduation events.<\/p>\n<p>San Juan County was at the center of national attention in 2024 after a Lakota student\u2019s graduation cap was confiscated during a Farmington High School commencement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis legislation represents our commitment to honoring and respecting the rich cultural heritage of New Mexico\u2019s Native communities,\u201d said Grisham. \u201cEvery student deserves to celebrate their academic achievements in a way that honors their identity and traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Across the county, more than 9,000 Native American students are enrolled in schools, according to district data.<\/p>\n<p>The Farmington High incident garnered national attention regional and state criticism of the faculty\u2019s decision to remove Genesis White Bull\u2019s cap. Although the district remained quiet until the start of the academic year, when the Board of Education dedicated a graduation committee, a policy was finally implemented in February.<\/p>\n<p>New Mexico now joins 18 other states that have enacted similar protections, according to a news release from the governor\u2019s office. The bill was introduced in the 2025 regular session of the legislature and was approved without opposition, according to committee reports from the Senate and House.<\/p>\n<p>The legal protection explicitly states that local school boards, governing bodies of charter schools and public schools must permit students in federally recognized Native nations, tribes, and pueblos to wear tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies or public school events.<\/p>\n<p>The act includes a definition of significant attire that is cultural or religious such as tribal symbols, jewelry, beading and feathers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-pdf-embed\"><iframe class=\"article-pdf\" src=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/qksuBd6kt9oFcsU45EKpL8ZrAHA.pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:500px;border:1px solid #ddd\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/qksuBd6kt9oFcsU45EKpL8ZrAHA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SB0163.pdf (Download PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/iframe>\n<p class=\"naviga-pdf-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dur-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/qksuBd6kt9oFcsU45EKpL8ZrAHA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SB0163.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Additionally, permitted regalia includes items that are worn with or attached to a cap or gown, tribally significant footwear and culturally significant apparel worn under a gown. Protected hairstyles include braids, locs, Afros, hijabs and head wraps.<\/p>\n<p>School discipline policies must include training for racial sensitivity and anti-racism. A hotline is established for reporting racially charged incidents and racialized aggression involving students or school personnel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a powerful law protecting the rights of Native students and their families to celebrate their achievements while honoring their culture and identity,\u201d said Josett Monette, secretary of the state Indian Affairs Department and a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. \u201cWe are proud to have worked alongside Gov. Lujan Grisham, the Public Education Department, and our legislative sponsors to make this a reality. Students\u2019 milestones deserve to be honored without barriers, ensuring that Native students can wear their regalia is a victory for tradition, identity, and resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9cb01d71-d571-5365-bbe6-c2b268c4077a&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"1027\" height=\"537\" alt=\"Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 163 on March 19. (Office of the Governor)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 163 on March 19. (Office of the Governor)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Alx Lee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>\u201cSB 163 is a significant step forward in honoring and respecting the cultural heritage of Native American students across New Mexico,\u201d said Mariana Padilla, secretary of the New Mexico Public Education Department. \u201cBy ensuring their right to wear traditional regalia at school ceremonies, this bill affirms the importance of identity, culture and self-expression of the nearly 40,000 Native American students enrolled in a public school across the state. Education should uplift and celebrate the rich traditions that make our communities stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Farmington Municipal Schools responded with a statement regarding its policy change just ahead of graduation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFarmington Municipal Schools updated its <a href=\"https:\/\/core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/documents\/asset\/uploaded_file\/1657362\/FMS_Parent_Student_Handbook_2024-2025_UPDATED_03.24.2025.pdf\" id=\"link-00e2b879bab547de7cd576597c714bd3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">graduation guidelines<\/a> on Feb. 12, allowing all the students of the Class of 2025 to decorate their caps with cultural, religious, Americana, military or civic expressions,\u201d a district spokesperson said. \u201cWe will review the newly signed SB0163 for alignment, including training and asthma medication requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The district did not comment further.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=e22605db-093e-5555-841f-72a920266121&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, on Capitol Hill on Sept. 24. Responding to the passage of the bill, he said, \u201cWith the passage of the tribal regalia bill by the New Mexico Legislature, they will no longer fear being asked to remove these symbols of identity.\u201d (Jose Luis Magana\/The Associated Press)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, on Capitol Hill on Sept. 24. Responding to the passage of the bill, he said, \u201cWith the passage of the tribal regalia bill by the New Mexico Legislature, they will no longer fear being asked to remove these symbols of identity.\u201d (Jose Luis Magana\/The Associated Press)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Jose Luis Magana<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren thanked Grisham for her decision in signing the bill into law.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen our Din\u00e9 students receive their diplomas, they proudly wear their tsiiyeels, beaded caps, and eagle plumes,\u201d Nygren said \u201cWith the passage of the tribal regalia bill by the New Mexico Legislature, they will no longer fear being asked to remove these symbols of identity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nygren said the bill follows years of advocacy and aligns with the executive order he signed last spring after the Farmington High incident that required school districts serving Navajo students to permit traditional regalia at graduations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur students represent the resilience and strength of our ancestors,\u201d he said. \u201cGraduation is a moment for them to stand proudly in cultural attire that reflects who they are and where they come from. For too long, Native students were denied this right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Regalia is more than clothing, Nygren said, as it carries prayers, blessing and protection of the Holy People in the Din\u00e9 culture.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEach piece tells a story of resilience,\u201d he said. \u201cWearing regalia at graduation is not only personal but a powerful statement of cultural pride.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At Central Consolidated School District, Board of Education president Suzette J. Haskie-Oberly, applauded the passage at the Roundhouse.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image naviga-align-left alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=9cec6464-b98b-554f-98ed-6f7c7bb6643a&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"1787\" height=\"2346\" alt=\"Suzette J. Haskie-Oberly, Central Consolidated School District Board of Education president, applauded the decision to pass the bill, permitting the inclusion of tribal attire at school events. (Central Consolidated School District)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Suzette J. Haskie-Oberly, Central Consolidated School District Board of Education president, applauded the decision to pass the bill, permitting the inclusion of tribal attire at school events. (Central Consolidated School District)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Alx Lee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=5d5d58f8-837e-5359-b97a-78b6a83015e8&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" alt=\"Haylei Redhouse, Navajo Preparatory High School senior and Student Senate president, spoke to the significance of tribal attire during important school events like graduation. (Alx Lee\/Tri-City Record)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Haylei Redhouse, Navajo Preparatory High School senior and Student Senate president, spoke to the significance of tribal attire during important school events like graduation. (Alx Lee\/Tri-City Record)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">Alx Lee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Haskie said the board approved a similar policy that extends that cultural, ethnic and religious identity at school in addition to school functions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor our students, wearing tribal regalia and other cultural attire is a profound expression of cultural identity, resilience, and pride,\u201d Haskie said. \u201cIt represents a connection to their ancestors, survival of traditions, and communities and serves as a powerful statement of heritage and self-respect.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Haylei Redhouse, Navajo Preparatory High School senior and Student Senate president, referenced the Navajo saying, \u201cTaa hwo ej\u00edteego\u201d meaning that \u201cOnly you can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt carries a weight in the Navajo language because every word is regarded as sacred. This strength is not complacent. It lives in the concha belt I wear. The beads on my cap. The ribbons on my skirts. And this sage-green san\u00ed skirt my younger brother made for me,\u201d Redhouse said.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to wear traditional regalia at an important day like graduation is essential, Redhouse said, and it is an event that acknowledges the four year journey developing students from adolescents to adults.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe turquoise I wear now symbolizes the spirit of my ancestors walking alongside me. Ones that I will wear during graduation. It is disgraceful to tell someone they cannot be who they are when that is the same person who worked hard to receive that diploma when walking on that stage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p><em id=\"emphasis-6912c8f3e16f98788baa4f70da6d9e69\">Tri-City Record<\/em> contacted the family of the Farmington High graduate. Brenda White Bull, mother of the graduate, did not return calls for an interview for this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legislation concludes ongoing conversation brought on by Farmington High graduation incident <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1240,1222,155,799,28,1241],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-22834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-aztec","tag-bloomfield","tag-education","tag-farmington","tag-headlines","tag-kirtland"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77871,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22834\/revisions\/77871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22834"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=22834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}