NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A bill protecting Indigenous students’ right to wear tribal regalia is heading to the governor’s desk. Native American students in New Mexico are one step closer to freely expressing their cultural heritage at graduation ceremonies.
After a high school graduate in Farmington had to remove their cap adorned with native American beads, state lawmakers say they never want it to happen again. SB 163 unanimously cleared the Senate and House, drawing praise from tribal leaders and legislators across the state.
Under the legislation, New Mexico school boards and charter school policies cannot prevent Indigenous students from wearing tribal regalia.