TULSA, Okla. — Thousands of graduates and their loved ones filled the BOK Center Tuesday night for Broken Arrow High School's Class of 2023 ceremony.
After a recent lawsuit stemming from an incident in last year's graduation, school officials told 2 News they included the option of valid decorations on a student's cap and gown.
"I want to show my family that I am really proud about where I came from and I'm really excited to show that I'm here," BAHS senior Camila Perez said Tuesday prior to the graduation.
Perez and fellow graduate Carlos Ferrebus said they wanted to honor their Venezuelan family back home watching on the district's live streaming of the event.
They said they filled out an online application earlier in the semester and met with the principal for permission to show their cultural pride.
"I had to meet with her and I had to download a photo of (me) wearing this, and she just told me, "Oh yeah, okay you can wear that.'"
The two are of 92 graduates who filled out an exemption form allowing a break in Broken Arrow Public Schools' official graduation dress code.
Walter Gagajewski walked in the class of 2019, and recalled fewer opportunities to display anything.
"They were somewhat strict on that. There were several add-ons you could get yourself for being in the top X percent of the class GPA-wise, or involved in certain activities," he said.
"We were trying to find a way to allow students to express themselves, but still have a little bit of a decorum for a ceremony here and also make sure that everyone is being respectful," district spokeswoman Tara Thompson said. "The last thing we want is for someone to appropriate something that's not of their culture just because they like the way it looks."
The confirmation of measures taken by the district come after a civil lawsuit was filed, alleging that 2022 BAHS graduate Lena' Black was forced to remove her native regalia by a staff member after originally being told it was okay.
Thompson said the district hasn't yet been served the actual lawsuit papers, but that the new senior graduate dress code exemption application system offered this school year should help avoid issues in the future.
"We want everyone's experience to be positive when it comes to graduations, and that's to both our graduates and their families," she said. "So anything we can do to try and communicate ahead of time, that's our intention."
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