Eagle Feather Ban At Caney Valley Graduation Leads To Lawsuit

A Caney Valley High School graduate filed a lawsuit against the district because the superintendent would not allow her to wear an eagle feather on her graduation cap last spring.

Hayden Griffith asked the school district to allow her to wear the feather but the district denied the request in April of 2015. Griffith then asked a federal court for an injunction against the district but in May 2015, the court denied the request. Griffith graduated without the feather on her cap.  

5/21/2015 Related Story: Caney Valley Senior Graduates Without Eagle Feather

Griffith is a member of the Delaware and Cherokee Nations. Her lawsuit claims the school violated her rights under Oklahoma's Religious Freedom Act. Her suit seeks an unspecified amount of damages.