Vermillion parent addresses school board over son's exclusion from native honoring ceremony
June 10, 2025 | Vermillion School District 13-1, School Districts, South Dakota
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
During the recent Vermillion School Board meeting, a heartfelt plea from a concerned parent highlighted ongoing issues surrounding the treatment of Native American students in the district. Renee Halper, a parent of a recent graduate, shared her family's painful experiences related to the Native Honoring events at Vermillion High School, particularly regarding her son’s exclusion from these ceremonies in both 2022 and 2025.
Halper recounted how her son, despite being involved in school Native student groups, was left out of the Native Honoring ceremony in 2022. After filing a formal complaint, the school acknowledged the oversight but failed to prevent a similar situation in 2025. Halper expressed her disappointment that the same individuals involved in the previous exclusion were again part of the planning process, leading her family to feel targeted and marginalized.
The situation escalated when Halper revealed that, leading up to the 2025 ceremony, her son faced bullying and social isolation. Despite assurances from the school superintendent that the event would proceed respectfully, Halper learned that many Native students had withdrawn from the ceremony in solidarity with another student, resulting in her son being the only Native graduate honored that day. This exclusion was compounded by the discovery of a separate event organized at the University of South Dakota, which Halper believes was intended to protest her son's presence at the school ceremony.
Halper's account detailed not only the emotional toll on her son but also incidents of harassment from other families during graduation, which she described as deeply distressing. She called on the school board to acknowledge these issues and take steps to ensure that no other Native student or family experiences similar discrimination.
The board's response to Halper's testimony remains to be seen, but her passionate appeal underscores the need for the district to address systemic issues of exclusion and discrimination, fostering a more inclusive environment for all students. The community is left to ponder how the school will respond to these serious concerns and what measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
Halper recounted how her son, despite being involved in school Native student groups, was left out of the Native Honoring ceremony in 2022. After filing a formal complaint, the school acknowledged the oversight but failed to prevent a similar situation in 2025. Halper expressed her disappointment that the same individuals involved in the previous exclusion were again part of the planning process, leading her family to feel targeted and marginalized.
The situation escalated when Halper revealed that, leading up to the 2025 ceremony, her son faced bullying and social isolation. Despite assurances from the school superintendent that the event would proceed respectfully, Halper learned that many Native students had withdrawn from the ceremony in solidarity with another student, resulting in her son being the only Native graduate honored that day. This exclusion was compounded by the discovery of a separate event organized at the University of South Dakota, which Halper believes was intended to protest her son's presence at the school ceremony.
Halper's account detailed not only the emotional toll on her son but also incidents of harassment from other families during graduation, which she described as deeply distressing. She called on the school board to acknowledge these issues and take steps to ensure that no other Native student or family experiences similar discrimination.
The board's response to Halper's testimony remains to be seen, but her passionate appeal underscores the need for the district to address systemic issues of exclusion and discrimination, fostering a more inclusive environment for all students. The community is left to ponder how the school will respond to these serious concerns and what measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meeting