Education committee approves school-related act after cultural presentation

The Cherokee Nation Education Committee voted to approve an act concerning a school or school site after a presentation emphasizing the site's cultural design and Cherokee traditions. The committee’s clerk recorded a roll-call tally that the chair announced as “Motion carries 14 0.”

A presenter who addressed the committee described the building’s orientation and symbolic design, saying the school was “built on the equinoxes in alignment with some of our mounds back home” and describing colors and directional symbolism that meet tribal storytelling and ceremonial considerations. The presenter added, “I have no doubt this is right.” The presenter also introduced guest Cherokee speaker Michael Cooksey and noted that translator David Crawler assisted with the material presented.

Howard Payton, identified in the meeting as the executive director of language, was asked by the chair to join the discussion about the act. Committee members conducted a roll-call vote following the presentation; Shelley carried out the roll call and the chair announced the outcome as a 14-0 approval. Several members were listed as absent during the roll call.

The committee did not place detailed motion text on the record in the transcript; the minutes record that the act was taken up, presented, and approved by roll-call. The committee set its next tentative meeting for Monday, March 9 at 3:00 p.m.

The transcript does not specify the formal title of the act, the exact motion text, or any implementation timeline or departmental assignments tied to the vote. Those details were not included in the hearing record provided.