Native American students storm out of North Dakota prom where 20 white students are seen mocking their traditional indigenous dance

A North Dakota high school has issued a groveling apology after white students were filmed mocking a traditional Native American dance at prom.

The racist display at Flasher High School prompted nearly a dozen Indigenous students to walk out, including the teen who caught the incident on video.

Video shot by Ronnie Carry Moccasin's son on April 20 shows students imitating the dances and songs typically seen at powwows, ceremonies that honor Native American culture.

Ronnie, whose family is part of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, said his 16-year-old son was unable to enjoy his own prom after he grew upset and stormed out.

'All the faculty and parents that were there, the chaperones, they should never have let that happen,' he told the Bismarck Tribune. 'It should never happen. It should never have kept going.'

Video captured by 16-year-old Lucas shows students at Flasher Public School imitating the dances and songs typically seen at powwows. Nearly a dozen Indigenous students ended up leaving the prom

Ronnie Carry Moccasin (left) and his wife Mary (right) spoke out after their teenage son left his own prom, where white students were mocking a traditional Native American dance

Sixteen-year-old Lucas and his three sisters dance competitively at powwows.

'The way my boy reacted when he got home, and my little girls, it's like, is that going to happen again, are they going to be made fun of again?' Ronnie said.

As controversy mounted, Superintendent Jerry Erdahl issued a statement insisting there was never an 'intentional intent to disrespect the Native American culture'.

'To the Native American people, we are sincerely apologetic,' the statement read.

'Now, for us here at Flasher Public School is the time to educate both students and staff on cultural sensitivity issues that can affect values, morals and beliefs of others. Again, we are sorry for offending those who were insulted by these actions.'

Among the 265 students enrolled in the district are a 'significant' number of Native Americans, according to Erdahl.

Flasher Public School swiftly removed all mentions of the prom from its Facebook page, and parents received an email notifying them that there would be 'on-site support with two dedicated crisis counselors' for students in grades six through twelve.

Ronnie said the superintendent apologized to him during a call on April 22, but he believes more needs to be done.

Flasher Public School swiftly removed all mentions of the prom from its Facebook page after videos began to circulate online

School Superintendent Jerry Erdahl (right) issued a statement insisting that there was never an 'intentional intent to disrespect the Native American culture'. However, the incident is only the latest in a string of purported racism against Indigenous students

Ronnie expressed concern that the offensive display would dissuade Lucas and his sisters from participating in dance competitions

'It's going to take something more than an apology to get a lot more people to understand how serious this is to us as Native people,' Ronnie said.

His wife, Mary, first uploaded the videos of the incident to Facebook. These quickly circulated, and a reuploaded clip racked up over 168,000 views.

'Despite what anyone thinks, whether it was appreciation or imitation, my son who attends FPS is disheartened,' Mary wrote.

'I will not disregard his feelings that are valid and merit attention. What am I showing him if I didn’t address the issue?

She called her son 'an amazing grass dancer who dances with his heart and takes pride in what he does'.

'No one should ever make them feel like they’re being mocked and degraded, especially a place that is so close to home to them,' she continued.

Mary, who works for United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, vowed to keep speaking about the incident 'for as long as I need to'.

The Flasher prom was not the first time white students were accused of discriminating against their Indigenous peers.

In January 2023, two Native American players on the Bismarck High boys basketball team were subjected to racist taunts including monkey noises and war whooping during a game in Jamestown.

Their parents filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, kicking off an ongoing case.

After the prom video went viral, Mary shared two other clips showing purportedly racist behavior.

This included a Snapchat story from a girl on the Eureka track and field team. 'The natives won't leave,' the teen wrote as she filmed other students whose backs were turned.

In another video, three high school boys were seen mocking a traditional dance in the basement of a home.

A clip shared to social media shows a Snapchat from a high schooler at a Eureka track meet, captioned: 'The natives won't leave'

Teens are seen mocking a traditional dance in the basement of a home in another video

Mary has vowed to continue talking about the incident 'for as long as I have to,' and praised her children for choosing to dance

'No one should ever make them feel like they’re being mocked and degraded, especially a place that is so close to home to them,' Mary wrote on Facebook

Mary continues to advocate for her children in the face of mounting hardships.

She praised her 'babies' in a July 2023 Facebook post featuring a photo of the siblings clad in traditional attire at a dance competition.

'One-by-one my babies all on their own made the choice of wanting to dance,' she wrote. 'I’m so proud of them. They have all of my encouragement, support and admiration.'

Ronnie intends to speak with an attorney about filing a civil rights lawsuit against the district. 'It's going to take a long time for me to get over this,' he said.

'I hope it doesn't take away from what my kids like to do. It's going to stay with me for a while until I get it resolved, until I think it's over.'

There have been efforts to educate students statewide, seemingly to no avail. With the passage of Senate Bill 2304 in 2021, North Dakota schools were required to include curriculum on Native American history.

The Department of Public Instruction has been holding an Indian Education Summit for the past 10 years. This summer's conference will offer instructional sessions for educators on blending Indigenous history and culture into their teachings.

The pattern of pervasive racism has caught the attention of local leaders, who assert that more has to be done.

State Representative Jayme Davis, Representative Lisa Finley-DeVille, and Nicole Donaghy, executive director of North Dakota Native Vote, have voiced their concerns about discriminatory conduct toward Native American students.

Davis and Finley-DeVille, both Democrats, called on the North Dakota High School Activities Association to better enforce its 'zero tolerance policy'.