Levi Rickert, Native News Network
ATMORE, ALABAMA The Escambia Academy’s school board met on Monday night to discuss the circumstances surrounding seventeen year old Chelsey Ramer wearing an eagle feather that was hung from her cap along with its tassel.
Chelsey Ramer, 17, Poarch Band of Creek Indians
There are two sides to every story.
To Chelsey, she was simply displaying pride for her American Indian heritage. To the school board, her display was an act of defiance to the school board’s graduation dress code.
Escambia Academy is a private school where each student is charged $325 per month twelve months a year or $3,900 annually.
Because of her act of Native pride, she was denied receiving her diploma and was assessed a $1,000 fine.
What was discussed at the closed board meeting is not known to the public as the school chose not to issue a news release. Numerous calls to the interim headmaster went unanswered on Tuesday.
However, one board member was willing to speak to Native News Network on the condition of anonymity.
Escambia – is derived from the Creek word for “clear water”
Atmore, Alabama is a town of some 10,000 where people know one another. The board member has known Chelsey since she was a little girl.
Atmore is also home to the Poarch Band of the Creek Indians. The tribe supports Escambia Academy financially each year. Given the fluidity of school enrollment, the number of American Indian students differs from year to year. The board member stated the percentage is probably between 10 and 15 percent, not 20.5 percent Native News Network published yesterday that was obtained from an Internet source.
Even though the board member would not disclose anything substantive about what was discussed at Monday night’s board meeting, the board member did say the board wants to meet with Poarch Band Creek tribal representatives to tell their side of the story. The school dress code is in place so that there is neutrality.
“We owe it to them first. I know American Indian tribes across America are concerned, but this is a local issue,”
the board member told Native News Network.
“We regret that this incident has arisen and we hope that a mutually agreeable resolution can be reached between Escambia Academy and Ms. Ramer.”
commented Sharon Delmar, Public Relations Tribal Liaison for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in a statement issued Tuesday morning.
No meeting has been set according between the Tribe and school board as of Tuesday afternoon according the school board member.
In spite of the $1,000 fine currently assessed Chelsey’s parents have been supportive of their daughter’s Native pride.
“First and foremost I love and support my daughter very much. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments. Graduating high school, in today’s world, is a huge accomplishment in itself,”
Debra Ramer, Chelsey’s mother, commented to Native News Network.
“The fact that she has plans of continuing her education make me ever more proud. But I am proudest of her for standing up for things that are important to her, no matter the consequence. I’m ashamed to say it but she knows more about our culture and history than I do. She is very proud of our heritage and I respect that. Yes we as a family discussed the consequences and every scenario imaginable before she made her decision, to wear her eagle feather, but that doesn’t make the consequences right. She has strong beliefs and convictions and I will always support that.”
The family is willing to pay the fine imposed by the school so that Chelsey’s college admission to the Troy University this fall is not disrupted.
“In order to pursue Chelsey’s educational goals and achieve freshmen status at Troy University this fall, which is our highest priority at this time, the fine must be paid.”
Chelsey’s mother also commented on the departure of the Betty Warren, who was the headmaster of Escambia Academy until when she resigned on May 28.
“The contract that was to be signed was generated by the Escambia Academy Board, not Ms Warren. I have nothing but respect for Ms Warren and I sincerely hope that her abrupt resignation had nothing to do with this situation,”
commented Debra Ramer.