Board weighs rules on decorated caps, stoles and pins at graduation; asks for student input and legal guidance

Summary

Board members, students and staff debated whether to permit decorated graduation caps and school-provided stoles or pins. Concerns included possible offensive political messaging, first-amendment risks, student equity and logistics. The board asked staff to survey students, consult legal counsel and return with recommendations.

Board members, staff and several students discussed whether North Bend graduates should be allowed to decorate caps and to wear club or academic pins and school-provided stoles at commencement.

Supporters, including students who spoke, said personalized caps and pins recognize diverse accomplishments and boost student motivation. Some board members and administrators cautioned that allowing open decorations could lead to political or offensive messages on graduation day and might create a difficult enforcement decision for staff or expose the district to legal challenge. A number of participants proposed compromise steps: require school-appropriate, school-related decorations; require that any decorated caps be submitted for approval in advance; provide a school-issued stole for all graduates and allow clubs to supply pins; and involve student council and club advisors in drafting criteria. The board asked staff to survey students and clubs about preferences, get legal counsel advice on First Amendment exposure, and return with a recommended approach for approval.