Gov. Colyer signs regalia bill

A bill that was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Colyer on Monday to protect the rights of Native Americans to wear tribal regalia at award and graduation ceremonies, as well as other public events in Kansas, probably won’t have much impact locally.

House Bill 2498 was enacted in response to some policies enforced at events like high school graduations where officials sometimes insist on strict dress code.

Royal Valley High School, which serves students who live on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, has long allowed students to decorate their mortar boards with beadwork or wear beaded necklaces at its graduation, if they want to, according to RVHS Principal Jim Holloman.

“We’ve just asked that they don’t attach anything to their graduation robes,” Holloman said. “We want everyone to wear their purple robes, but we allow them to decorate their mortar boards. The parents and grandparents do beautiful beadwork around them.”

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