An Escambia Academy High School student said she was denied a diploma and fined $1,000 for wearing an eagle feather at her graduation.
For 17-year-old Chelsey Ramer, graduating on May 23 was supposed to be a joyous occasion.
"I was excited," said Ramer.
It has been more than a week, and she still does not have her diploma. She said it is all because of her feather.
"They told me that if I wore it that they would pull me off the field," said Ramer.
The eagle feather is part of her Native American Heritage. Ramer is of the Poarch Creek Band of Indians. She wanted to wear the feather as a show of pride for her heritage.
"Being honored with a feather for graduation is a wonderful experience. It's a lot more than showing off your culture. It has ties into our spirituality as well," Ramer's former teacher Alex Alvarez.
According to a school contract, Ramer must pay a $1,000 fine to get her diploma and transcripts.
"I don't think it's fair at all. I feel like its discrimination," Ramer stated.
The contract states, "Students and staff shall not wear extraneous items during graduation exercises unless approved by the administration."
Ramer stated she asked the Headmaster at the time for permission to wear the eagle feather.
"She told us we could not wear our feathers," said Ramer.
Shortly after inquiring, Ramer said she was told she must sign the dress code contract to walk on graduation.
Ramer stated, "I never signed it,"
Instead, she still walked across the stage proudly with her feathers and family's support.
"It was worth it. It means a lot to me," said Ramer.
For 17-year-old Chelsey Ramer, graduating on May 23 was supposed to be a joyous occasion.
"I was excited," said Ramer.
It has been more than a week, and she still does not have her diploma. She said it is all because of her feather.
"They told me that if I wore it that they would pull me off the field," said Ramer.
The eagle feather is part of her Native American Heritage. Ramer is of the Poarch Creek Band of Indians. She wanted to wear the feather as a show of pride for her heritage.
"Being honored with a feather for graduation is a wonderful experience. It's a lot more than showing off your culture. It has ties into our spirituality as well," Ramer's former teacher Alex Alvarez.
According to a school contract, Ramer must pay a $1,000 fine to get her diploma and transcripts.
"I don't think it's fair at all. I feel like its discrimination," Ramer stated.
The contract states, "Students and staff shall not wear extraneous items during graduation exercises unless approved by the administration."
Ramer stated she asked the Headmaster at the time for permission to wear the eagle feather.
"She told us we could not wear our feathers," said Ramer.
Shortly after inquiring, Ramer said she was told she must sign the dress code contract to walk on graduation.
Ramer stated, "I never signed it,"
Instead, she still walked across the stage proudly with her feathers and family's support.
"It was worth it. It means a lot to me," said Ramer.
What crap. Glad I did what I did. I didn't go to the damn ceremony, and just picked up my diploma the next day. Needless to say, I didn't consider high school graduation an issue. Just more mortal flotsam ritual garbage I had to go through to get to where I'm going.
ReplyDeleteThe 'contract' was signed under duress and as such, will not hold up in court. If the student completed the necessary classes and received a passing grade she has a legal right to get her diploma and NOT pay that bogus fine!
ReplyDeleteChelsey Ramer - get a lawyer who will take the case on a contingency basis(lawyer gets paid when Chelsey wins the case)and sue both the school district board AND the people who comprise the school district board for 3 times the amount of the fine.
After a Citizen's Arrest for violating discrimination laws, and mental assault.
DeleteDo we need any more evidence that school is about producing docile, complicit people rather than educating them?
ReplyDeleteThis girl has balls, good on you.
ReplyDeleteJct: Sad to say but who'd want an "Escambia Academy High School" diploma now that they've turned themselves into a P.R. joke?
ReplyDeleteAdd this story to the one where the student was detained for heroically stopping a knife wielding bully in class by an administration that told his parents they don't condone heroics and you have clear evidence that the public school system has been redesigned to program obedient, compliant lemmings who will gladly march in lock step into their enslavement.
ReplyDeleteThis control freak policy is completely asinine. Hopefully Miss Ramer will contact the ACLU. In any event, congratulations to her both for her achievement in graduating and standing up.
ReplyDeleteIt was an assault , high capacity feather!! She had a feather of mass destruction from Sadaam. But on the other hand it is O.K. for Obummer to drone bomb innocents. Look over here so you don't see the real terrorists.
ReplyDeleteLOL !
ReplyDeleteOne big problem is the requirement for people to have a doctored mind to qualify for work as a public school administrator. The bureaucrats forget that they are supposed to be working to help and empower the students, not the district. As a group they resort to fear and intimidation to enforce the dumbing down of their victims, the students. Nowadays only the biggest sellouts can obtain a PhD.
ReplyDelete