A consent decree (full text) was entered this week in Johnson v. Cody-Kilgore Unified School District, (D NE, Oct. 4, 2023). In the case, Native American parents (members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe) who practice traditional Lakota religious traditions sued over the school's cutting of their children's hair as part of a lice check and disposing of the hair in violation of Lakota tradition. (See prior posting.) Under the Consent Order, the School District will prohibit School Officials from cutting students' hair for any reason without the written parental (or guardian's) consent. It will also provide recognition of Native American Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples' Day. Also the school district will pay damages totaling $227,500. Nebraska Examiner reports on the settlement agreement.
