Native American student takes school to court in California

On Monday, an American student sued his high school after it banned him from wearing an eagle feather on his graduation cap.

According to The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU), Clovis High School senior Christian Titman notified the court of the emergency lawsuit ahead of his Thursday graduation.

Titman, 18, is a member of the Pit River Tribe. His parents have repeatedly sought permission to wear the feather during the ceremony so that he could represent his heritage and religion.

The mark is also his academic achievement. However, the school denied the request. Titman told the local Fresno Bee newspaper, "The eagle feather is not only a signature of my tribe but it also represents the pride I have for my tribe, my people and my heritage. When I have feathers on I'm connected with ancestors before me".

Clovis School District spokeswoman Kelly Avants said that the school has banned non-academic accessories from being worn during the ceremony long ago in order to maintain uniformity across the graduating class.

Avants added that the district offered to allow Titman to receive the feather as he gets his diploma or let him wear it during portions of the ceremony, but the offers were rejected.

The district has offered a compromise and to allowed Christian to put on his feather after he's been handed his diploma.