Legislation awaiting the governor’s signature could prevent situations like the one in which a South Elgin High School student was told to remove a Hispanic academic scholarship stole the day of her commencement ceremony.
State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, is the chief co-sponsor of a bill introduced in February that addresses the issue and ensures students have a right to wear stoles, sashes or cords related to their “cultural, ethnic or religious” identities.
The legislation was written and sponsored by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Oakbrook Terrace, in response to an incident last year in which an Evanston Township High School senior was told he could not wear his Native American regalia at graduation.
If approved, school district dress code policies “shall not prohibit the right of a student to wear or accessorize the student’s graduation attire with items associated with the student’s cultural, ethnic or religious identity or any other protected characteristic or category identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act.”
Items deemed obscene or derogatory toward others are prohibited, according to the bill.
Castro said the bill is meant to guide school districts to avoid these types of situations in the future.
Because Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not yet signed it, the legislation could not have helped South Elgin High School graduate Stephanie Pedroza, who was told to take off the stole she received from the Elgin Hispanic Network in honor of a scholarship she won and her Mexican heritage.
A high school dean told Pedroza she had to remove the accessory if she wanted to participate in the May 27 graduation ceremony at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.
She was told School District U-46 had a strict policy against wearing such attire but district officials later said the decision was up to individual high schools. South Elgin allows students to wear stoles not provided by the school if a student asks permission beforehand, something Pedroza was not told, she said.
“Intentionally or unintentionally, it impacts someone’s day in their life that they only get one time,” Castro said.
Castro is a former Elgin Hispanic Network official who has been involved with the organization’s scholarship committee. This was the first year the network gave stoles to scholarship recipients, she said. “It identifies with the Latino culture,” she said.
School districts have students from many different cultures who want to honor their heritage at graduation, Castro said. It’s especially important for first generation students like Pedroza to honor their family, who often make many sacrifices to help them achieve academic milestones, she said.
“As long as it’s not offensive, why would we tell a student not to show their appreciation?” Castro said.
U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson read a statement at Monday’s School Board meeting in which she apologized to Pedroza on the district’s behalf.
“The feedback and attention from the community has been heard,” Johnson said. “We appreciate everyone’s engagement and advocacy on this matter. I would like to express on behalf of School District U-46 our sincere apologies for the distress caused to Stephanie.”
Johnson also reached out to the Elgin Hispanic Network, she said.
“We value their partnership. We will work together to address concerns and better support our students,” she said. “We remain committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that honors the diversity of our students and ensures that all graduation ceremonies are joyous and respectful occasions.”
Pedroza, who will attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the fall, has been an advocate for underrepresented students and was a member of the school’s Racial Inclusion, Support and Equity Committee.
She is also doing an internship with Castro’s office, having been selected prior to the stole situation occurring, the senator said. Pedroza’s first day was Monday.
“I’m very proud of her for speaking up for others,” Castro said. “We need more young people to be involved.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
