Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Contributed Photo An example of a Native American medicine pouch is shown, although there are many variations in size and style.
Contributed Photo Gresham school officials recently forced eighth-grader Rose Kaquatosh, above, to remove a medicine pouch she was wearing because it contained tobacco, which is prohibited on school property. The School Board decided this week the district would permit the Native American religious symbols without restriction or limitation, provided that the tobacco is used only for prayer
Gresham school employees are getting native American cultural training after an incident with a student wearing a traditional religious symbol.
The 13-year-old girl was wearing a “medicine pouch” that she hung around her neck and used for silent prayer periodically throughout the school day.
When a school employee discovered that the pouch contained tobacco, the situation led to an exchange Oct. 21 that upset the girl’s family and caused school administrators to intervene.
State law prohibits students from having tobacco on any public school property.
Family members say school officials forced eighth-grader Rose Kaquatosh to remove the pouch and surrender it, despite her objections that it was a religious symbol.
“I felt she was being bullied,” said her grandmother, Karen Gardner, who compared the pouch’s significance to that of a cross for Christians.
Gardner said the tobacco in medicine pouches is ceremonial only — not for smoking — and that her granddaughter would sometimes sprinkle small amounts alongside a tree as part of her prayers.
Gardner and other Native Americans confronted the Gresham School Board over the situation earlier this week.
Superintendent Keary Mattson said medicine pouches have never been an issue before, but he noted that Native American enrollment in the district has increased in recent years from 34 percent to 50 percent. The district has 327 students in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, all in one school.
Mattson said he did extensive research on the subject and decided that the district would permit the Native American religious symbols without restriction or limitation, provided that the tobacco is used only for prayer.
“It’s a reasonable accommodation,” he said.
Mattson would not say whether any staff were disciplined over their handling of the girl last month. He said the district was planning special training of employees on Native American cultural awareness as a result of the episode.
Three different training sessions will be made available to all employees, one of which was scheduled before the medicine pouch issue came up.
School Board members said they were satisfied with how the issue was handled and how Native American tradition was being upheld.
“We try to meet everyone’s needs the best we can,” board member Margie Eberhard said.
Noting that many other students wear medicine pouches, Gardner agreed that school employees should learn more about Native American culture.
“I think it’s an eye-opener for the school,” she said. “Maybe they’ll be more sensitive.”