Abigail Pino, 19, said she was in her film class at Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri May 14 when several of her classmates screened a short that left her feeling "uncomfortable and harassed."
Pino, who's a citizen of the Laguna Pueblo Nation, said she watched in disgust as her peers appropriated Native Americans in a film assignment they titled, "Pocahotass."
The film, which is roughly 12 minutes long, presents several college students, clad in faux Native garb and war paint, spouting words like "Injun" and "Savage." The film loosely follows the storyline of Disney's 1995 animated film "Pocahontas."
"It depicts Native Americans as savages, as uncivilized," said Pino. "They're basically taunting our culture in one film."
Pino added that the film "reestablishes all the stereotypes and taunting and negative depictions" of Native Americans.
After the screening of the film, Pino immediately contacted school administrators as well as her mother so she could begin filing a racial and national origin harassment grievance against her classmates.
A hearing was held at 1 p.m. May 18 where Pino and all five students involved in the film met with school administrators.
According to a summary of findings report, the students did not have the approval of their professor to pursue the film. The professor, instead, believed the students had been working on a film about their recent trip to Thailand.
Following the investigation, two students were "found responsible in violating racial, religious, or national origin harassment" and fined $125 each. The other three were cited for "unprofessional conduct for participating in the film" and fined $50 each, according to the report.
Along with the fine, one student, who was slated for graduation, was also forbidden to walk with her classmates as a consequence of the film.
Steve Reed, director of public information at Cottey College, provided BuzzFeed with this written statement:
"The College takes seriously all such allegations, and works to eliminate any hostile environment and to prevent its recurrence. At the beginning of the next academic year, the College will host sensitivity training for all students, and in November —Native American Heritage Month — the College will host a powwow to highlight Native American culture."
Reed said Cottey College cannot release the names of the five students sanctioned by the school due to its confidentiality policy.
Pino said she's satisfied with the outcome.
"I feel better about the situation," she said.
As of 2012, Cottey College has three self-identified Native Americans in its student body of 290.
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