Colville tribal leader writes open letter to Covington High School

NESPELEM — Colville tribal leader Rodney Cawston published an open letter to Kentucky’s Covington Catholic High School on Wednesday, calling for a viral exchange between its students and a Native American man to be used as a teaching moment.

The exchange happened Friday outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. A group of high school-aged students, many from Covington, were seen on video gathered around Omaha Tribe member Nathan Phillips as he beat a ceremonial drum, according to The New York Times.

The video was shared widely across social media.

Cawston, who is the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, said in the letter that he felt the need to contribute to the conversation.

“At a time when racial tensions are getting worse in the United States, incidents like this exacerbate the problem and social media as raised awareness of the oppression against people of color,” he said in the letter. “… As Americans place Covington Catholic High School under a microscope, this should be viewed as an opportunity to teach these young men the importance of treating all people with respect and dignity.”

In the letter, which was addressed to Covington principal Bob Rowe, Cawston said the school should hold the students accountable.

“I pray that Covington Catholic High School doesn’t just dismiss the boys’ actions,” he said in the letter. “I also pray that these boys are held accountable and honestly assess their actions and how they were allowed to conduct themselves at a public event while representing Covington Catholic School.”

Native Americans can also learn from the incident, Cawston said in the letter.

“This is also a teachable moment for our own Native people,” Cawston said in the letter. “… I hope this letter will show our young people to understand that such racial intolerance and bigotry that was exhibited during the horrible scene does not reflect all of society.”