In 2021, NCAI further expanded the initiative to include work at the state level, developing a State Activity Tracker and engaging directly with state legislatures pursuing mascot bans through legislation. The organization's lawsuit argues that the Colorado law is unconstitutional and "unlawfully enacts state-sanctioned race discrimination" against the Native American residents the association is representing. NCAI Statement on the Washington Football Team's Retirement of Racist Mascot(07.13.20), Native Appropriation in Sport: Cultivating Bias Toward American Indians, Dog whistle mascots: Native American mascots as normative expressions of prejudice, Study finds only harmful effects from Native themedmascots. The state Board of Education has adopted two resolutions in 1993 and again in 2012 discouraging the use of Native American mascots. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Several of the mascot bans also empower tribes to grant their permission for schools to continue using Indigenous mascots. (The Washington Redskins were invited to have a representative at the event, but they declined.). NCAIs work to end Indian or Native themed mascots, used interchangeably here, is guided by our numerous resolutions pertaining to cultural appropriation and the harmful effects of these mascots. We explain that it's not about war paint and fake feathers. I think that's a missed opportunity for the type of cultural exchange and education that I just described. But it's true that there are some Native Americans who are fine with the use of Native imagery in sports. Research has shown that the continued use of American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities has a negative effect on not only American Indian students but all students by: Undermining the educational experiences of members of all communities-especially those who have had little or no contact with indigenous peoples. That's why it's important to have a statewide bill.. In conclusion, all sports teams including, high school, college and professional, should be banned from using offensive and racist mascots. Studies have shown that Native mascots cause psychological harm to both Indigenous students and their non-Native counterparts. "We know from the literature that oppression, covert and overt racism, and perceived racism can have serious negative consequences for the mental health of American Indian and Alaska native people. Teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Blackhawks, North Dakota Fighting Sioux, and many more teams have mascots or names that mock the Native Americans. Any use online should include a link back to our website. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver. This is NOT honoring Native American's, this is a virulent racist practice and should be banned. From time immemorial, the greatness of tribal nations and Native people has been the foundation of America's story. In 2020, NCAI formally expanded the initiative to include work at the K-12 level, which included the development of the National School Mascot Tracking Database. Last question: Have you had discussions with people in your tribe, or from other tribes, who see this as more of a black-and-white issue? (In Oregon, schools are required to get a tribes permission to use or keep a Native American mascot.) . AllStatelinestories and graphics may be republished in print or online for free. Yes. Mascots seem to be the only Natives that America cares about. People around the United States are trying to get professional sport teams to change their names and mascots because they feel it depicts their certain race in bad way. I remember seeing lots of racist reactions to the Cleveland Indians decision to discontinue their mascot Chief Wahoo, said Tyler Jimenez, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington and leader on both studies, which were published Dec. 10 in Group Processes and Intergroup Relations. For decades, NCAI largely focused its efforts on ending Indian mascots at the professional level, directing specific attention to the former mascot of the NFLs Washington "Commanders". As part of that agreement, the tribe and the university each has an obligation. One reason Native American mascots should be banned is because they are being stereotypical. (The Cleveland Indians during the 2021 season announced a name change to the Guardians.). The students in the western New York school district reacted in protest of a decision to retire the Redskins nickname because it offends some Native Americans. They kept the part that said schools needed to get tribal permission if there was a complaint about their nicknames, but did create bigger bureaucratic hurdles for a complaint to be brought in the first place. Personally, as a Jew I would take offense to this and I'm hoping everyone else would. His solo campaign was met with significant resistance from some in the community and didnt last long. In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the governing body of college athletics, formally condemned the use of disparaging mascots and banned the use of Indian names, logos, and mascots during its championship tournaments. Whether youre studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers. In Support of the Petition for Awrit of Certiorari, Ending the Legacy Of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful Indian Sports Mascots, Support for the Introduction of H.R. These teams reinforce stereotypes about American Indians that aren't true. He says the mascot is only racist if its being used as a slur. why native american mascots should not be banned. Maine lawmakers voted in 2019 to ban Indigenous mascots in public schools and state colleges, making it the first state to pass such a sweeping restriction through legislative action. The National Congress of American Indians says there are about 1,900 schools nationwide that continue to use tribal mascots. Should non-Natives have a voice in this debate? In March, the Skowhegan school board voted to retire the districts Indians nickname, which was the end of a long, long process with lots of community discussion and angst, as well as out-of-town interest group involvement just like anywhere else that has ended up dropping a Native American mascot. NCAI Commends Announcement by Major League Baseball's Cleveland Franchise of Its New Name "Guardians" (07.23.21) 43). Under the measure, school districts would have some time to phase out the mascot, team name or logo, but they would be required to select a new mascot by Dec. 31 to take effect by the end of the 2021-22 school year. In Killingly, Connecticut, leaders voted last year to bring back the Redmen mascot a year after it was retired. I think Native American mascots shouldn't be allowed because they're insulting to rthe real natives and keep the stereotype that natives are savages. Twenty Years of Research into the Health Impacts of Native-themed Mascots: A Scoping Review Ending "Indian" Mascots Update: More School Districts Retire their Native "Themed" Mascots, NCAI Shares Statement on Atlanta "Braves" Mascot and Fan Rituals(11.04.21) These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indians. See disclaimer. Some people feel unwelcome because of certain mascots. (The Redskins in 2020 dropped their name and logo and are known as the Washington Football Team.) Today, there are fewer than 1,000 of these mascots left. Probably. The school board voted this week to retire it altogether after three nearby districts with sizable numbers of Native American students canceled lacrosse matches. Many teams say that their use of Native American imagery is meant to be an honor, especially when they use team names like "Warriors," which is meant to symbolize American Indians' fighting spirit. The Washington Redskins had just announced they would continue to use their name and mascot, while the Cleveland Indians had just removed theirs. I am on the side that Native American mascots should not be changed. Bottom Line: It IS racist! However, there is plenty of work yet to doespecially in the realm of professional sports. Based on responses to Project Implicit questions, prejudice against Native Americans increased in the year after a mascot was removed specifically among Ohio residents after the discontinuation of Chief Wahoo; and, after the removal of Chief Illiniwek, among residents not only of Illinois, but also among those of all other states. I was curious to learn more, so I contacted the Saginaw Chippewas and spoke with their public relations director, Frank Cloutier. It is degrading and hurtful to far too many people to keep them from staying the same. The Redskin mascotalmost disappeared in June of 2013when the superintendent of the Teton School District unilaterally declared it would be replaced with something not considered offensive to American Indians. In the study they used, they said these Native children who go to these schools with these mascots are "marginalized." There should not be Indian mascots because the mascots are stereotypical, the clothing is very excessive, and the names can be very racist. All we ask is that you follow a few rules: Founded in 1948, The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference. The school teaches and celebrates Cowlitz history. Its a Movement Thats Inching Forward. I would argue the last half of that headline is more indicative of the fight to ban Native American Mascots, which has been going on for at least 40 years, than the first. [Fans] were extremely racist and derogatory to these students at the same time.. Some schools and sports teams chose a Native American mascot name with the intent to honor this population of people, as well as to educate the public about the importance of these populations. If approved by the full Legislature and signed by Gov. The Confederate, heritage-not-hate comparison really isnt that much of a stretch, isnt it? But in many districts across the country, change has been hard to come by. Native people are proud of their culture. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, Atlanta Braves fans do the tomahawk chop during the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Braves and Milwaukee Brewers in Atlanta on October 12. Extensive research has shown that Indigenous mascots are harmful to students, said Laurel Davis-Delano, a professor of sociology at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Native Americans should be able to look at . Some also have framed the matter as a local sovereignty issue and expressed concerns about the costs of changing uniforms and signs on playing fields. In fact, in 2013, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People called for the owner of the Washington Redskins to change the team's name. For example, the name "Redskins" suggests that all Native Americans had red skin, which isn't the case. The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs identified more than 20 schools across the state for violating the law by using terms such as Savages, Indians and Warriors in their mascot's name. There's nothing derogatory about "Warriors" or "Braves." These teams reinforce stereotypes about American Indians that aren't true. Moses Lake (WA) Unveils "Mavericks" Imagery, Lyme Central (NY) Adopts "Lakers" as New Mascot, "Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascotting", Native Appropriation in Sport: Cultivating Bias Toward American Indians**NEW** If you liked this column, you'll probably like his daily Uni Watch web site, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Any thoughts on that? ", - Former APA President Ronald F. Levant, EdD. Its part of our heritage here, said parent and Adams alumna Sheri Story. The study posed a fictional legal dilemma for participants to read about vandalism, committed by a Native American, at either the Cleveland ballpark or Maryland stadium; or, as a neutral scenario, vandalism at the Kansas City Royals ballpark related to ticket price hikes. Native American themed mascots such as Braves and Warriors should not be used due to the misrepresentation they give of Indians. It's just brutally tiring to go district by district and to face the racism and the backlash from people who are very attached to a mascot, said Massachusetts state Sen. Jo Comerford, a Democrat who sponsored the mascot ban legislation, which is pending in committee. Similarly, not all Native American tribes were considered warriors, and many actually tried to avoid fighting at all costs. Results showed that Ohio residents set the highest bail in the Cleveland case substantially higher than the other scenarios, and when compared to participants from other locations. The firm is representing a John Doe, Jane Doe and three other Colorado residents who cite Native American heritage in the lawsuit. All rights reserved. State Sen. Jessie Danielson, the Democrat who sponsored the measure, said about 25 schools in the state still have Native mascots. Indians, Redskins, Chiefs, Blackhawks and Braves are all terms that refer to Native Americans, and they're also used as mascots for many middle and high schools, colleges and pro sports teams. Pew helped reduce harmful fleet subsidies that drive overfishing, expand broadband to more Americans, and save consumers billions in 2022. Dog whistle mascots: Native American mascots as normative expressions of prejudice National Congress of American Indians: Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports and the Era of Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots, Basic and Applied Social Psychology: Of Warrior Chiefs and Indian Princesses: The Psychological Consequences of American Indian Mascots, Talking Chop: The Origin of the Braves' Name. New plaques provide context to public art and acknowledge changing values. The first, conducted in 2018, recruited a little more than half of its nearly 400 participants from Ohio and Maryland where, at the time, two mascot-related developments had occurred. The measure passed with a bipartisan 92-5 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration. The World Series champion Atlanta Braves were again under scrutiny for the team name and their fans performing the "tomahawk chop" during games. Mascots are entertainment. The National Congress of American Indians, comprised of hundreds of tribal nations, said its members have been passing resolutions to oppose Indigenous mascots since 1968. NCAIs work to end Indian or Native themed mascots, used interchangeably here, is guided by our numerous resolutions pertaining to cultural appropriation and the harmful effects of these mascots. In Wakefield, Massachusetts, town residents voted in a non-binding referendum in April to keep the schools Warriors mascot a month after school leaders had tried to ditch it. Everyone quoted in the article was opposed to the use of such imagery, which led many readers to ask why I hadn't given equal time to the other side. So it's important to talk about the true history about the settling of the United States, and to talk about those things that happened to Native Americans that are often not talked about. The findings suggest that prejudice against Native Americans might increase in areas where a mascot has been removed, Jimenez said. To support this argument, consider the team names based on religion, such as the Saints, or the names based on other historical cultures, such as the Vikings and Celtics, which are less of a controversial topic, the Psychology Today website notes. Skowhegan school board voted to retire the districts Indians nickname, schools on this Wikipedia entry of those that do use them, schools are required to get a tribes permission to use or keep a Native American mascot, The reaction from one parent is indicative of how these decisions blow up into huge fights, high school newspaper staff recently decided to stop printing the nickname because of its racist imagery, changed a lawregarding public schoolsgetting tribal permission to use Native nicknames, Native Americans who are supportive of just that. "Indian" mascots are destructive because it perpetuates the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans, and promotes and justifies the racist slurs and action - thus increasing the risk for discriminatory experiences against Native Americans. We have the fifth- or sixth-largest Indian-owned casino in the Midwest, so we're rather successful when it comes to our economic growth and development. Either they're completely opposed to all uses of Native American imagery, or they have no problem with any of it. Scott Walker in 2013 changed a lawregarding public schoolsgetting tribal permission to use Native nicknames. What about states that have already banned all Native imagery from their high schools, like Wisconsin and Oregon? If they're using a menacing-looking Indian and trying to intimidate the other team because they might get scalped, that's inappropriate. An email sent Thursday to the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs for comment on the lawsuit was not immediately returned. Naming a team an Native American Indian name like that is like calling a team the "Warsaw Jews" or the "Auschwitz Jews". Perhaps one of the worst worries as for Native Americans mascots is that, Native Americans may be denied by and socially addressed similar to mascot speculations. What would your feelings be about their use of Native imagery? Here's how our conversation went: Uni Watch: First, for people who aren't familiar with the Saginaw Chippewas, please tell me a bit about your tribe. Since than Native American people have halted to be viewed as certified (Chaney, pg. At least with Maines statewide ban, there is legislative recognition that using people as mascots certainly, without their consent or approval is not acceptable. Some believe that it shouldn't be banned because it's a symbol of honor, and. Lancaster High School students skipped classes and, walked along the perimeter of the school to protest the districts dropping of the schools nickname and mascot Thursday, March 19, 2015, in Lancaster, N.Y. Undermines the ability of American Indian Nations to portray accurate and respectful images of their culture, spirituality and traditions. Adding to this push, our findings suggest that more needs to be done, Jimenez said. Since NCAI launched its campaign to address stereotypes of Native people in popular culture, media, and sports in 1968, significant progress has been made in pursuit of ending the era ofIndianmascots. As a cheerleader, she was expected to lead a chant of Stomp the Wamps, but she couldnt bring herself to say the words. There are many sports teams and schools that use Native American themed mascots. Our position is that if it's not derogatory and it's being used appropriately, with an opportunity to share or cross-share our culture, then it's fine. NCAI is pleased that tribal advocates have succeeded in eliminating over two-thirds of derogatory Indian sports mascots and logos over the past 50 years. (202) 336-5700, Ethnicity, Race, and Cultural Affairs Portfolio "Native people have been pushing sports teams to stop using Native 'themed' mascots for decades. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. The school hopes to have its uniforms and signage switched over by next school year. Why Native American Mascots Should Be Banned. Lekanoffs measure allows tribes to grant permission to nearby schools that wish to retain their mascots. The symbols, images and mascots teach non-Indian children that it's acceptable to participate in culturally abusive behavior and perpetuate inaccurate misconceptions about American Indian culture. The two want their school to continue honoring their cultures and heritage because, as the suit alleges, they "would suffer a hostile environment" if the Native mascots were banned. Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues, creating common ground, and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress. The measure passed with a bipartisan 92-5 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration. June 2021 "We already took away their land, Elena Corradino, a supporter of the mascot, told WBUR. Seriously, if sports fans honored Native people like they honor our images and appropriate our culture, we'd be set. According to the National Congress of American Indians, a Native rights organization that represents tribes across the country, 19 states in recent years have considered policy changes to ban or limit Indigenous mascots in public schools. He said all traces of the mascot would be removed and tasked the high school with coming up with something new. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, be added to his mailing list so you'll always know when a new column has been posted, or just ask him a question? Native Americans are still fighting for what they believe and will not give up until they see justice. Many American Indians report that they find today's typical portrayal of American Indian culture disrespectful and offensive to their spiritual beliefs. A fiscal note attached to the bill notes that costs to school districts would vary based on the number of items that would need to be replaced, including sports and club uniforms, flags, banners and other materials. We've made that university our school of choice for Native Americans, because our tribal community is close by, so we can help support those Native students. Native mascots are part of the larger issues of cultural appropriation and the violation of indigenous intellectual property rights. Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. That's why we needed to do the bill, she said. If they're not going to educate and they feel no obligation [to do so], then they have no right to use this imagery. In, 2005, the NCAA banned schools with Native American mascots from hosting a national championship game (ProQuest Staff). And when they go out there and compete, they're Chippewas, they're fighting like a Chippewa, fighting to win. It's been frustrating how hard it is to get some school systems to make the change, she said. And that would also apply to white Americans? Major League Baseballs Cleveland Guardians ditched the Indians name this year after previously retiring their Chief Wahoo logo. Daily update original reporting on state policy, plus the day's five top reads from around the web. I do not think that Native American mascots should be allowed in schools and teams. Many of the bills include funding for schools to make the switch, or extended timelines to reach compliance. For decades, NCAI largely focused its efforts on ending "Indian" mascots at the professional level, directing specific attention to the former mascot of the NFL's Washington "Commanders". Colorados new mascot law also punishes schools that refuse to change. The Redskin mascot almost disappeared in June of 2013 when the superintendent of the Teton School District unilaterally declared it would be replaced with something not considered offensive to. From time immemorial, the greatness of tribal nations and Native people has been the foundation of Americas story. Many Sports teams in this era, now have mascots and team names that are offensive to Native Americans. The question today is "Should the use of Native American mascots be banned?" Yes, it should be banned. Indian mascots can damage the perception of Native Americans on the parts of the Native Americans themselves, as well as other populations of people, according to an article in Basic and Applied Social Psychology. It's just brutally tiring to go district by district and to face the racism and the backlash from people who are very attached to a mascot.. Mascots aren't racist, because you, personally, aren't offended. From Boise State Public Radio: [The week of May 7]10 freshman walked out of class with signs in favor of the Native American mascot. This conversation has long plagued major sports teams, including the Washington Football Team, which dropped its original nickname in 2020, and the Cleveland Indians, which will start the 2022 season as the Cleveland Guardians. Native Americans or any other race or ethnicity should not be stereotyped in a way that degrades them in any way. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, naming Governor Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser and Kathryn Redhorse, the executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. Sign up for our daily updateoriginal reporting on state policy, plus the day's five top reads from around the Web. But some lawmakers argue that the mascots are harmless or honor Indigenous people. Statelines team of veteran journalists provides daily reporting and analysis on trends in state policy.