Oregon bans Native American mascots in schools

The Banks High School mascot is shown on the wall of their gym Thursday, May 17, 2012, 2012, in Banks, Ore. / AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

(AP) SALEM, Ore. - Eight Oregon high schools will have to retire their Native American mascots after the Board of Education voted Thursday to prohibit them, giving the state some of the nation's toughest restrictions on Native American mascots, nicknames and logos.

The 5-1 vote followed months of passionate and emotional debate about tolerance and tradition.

The schools have five years to comply with the order or risk losing their state funding. Another seven high schools identified as the Warriors will be allowed to keep their nickname but will have to change mascots or graphics that depict Native Americans. An unknown number of elementary and middle schools also will be affected.

The ban doesn't apply to colleges, but none in Oregon have Native American mascots after Southern Oregon University and Chemeketa Community College dropped them.

Since the 1970s, more than 600 high school and college teams across the country have done away with their Native American nicknames, including 20 in Oregon.

Critics say Indian mascots are racist, contending they reinforce stereotypes and promote bullying of Native students. Supporters say the mascots are a way to honor Native American history, evoking values of strength and bravery.

"It is racist. It is harmful. It is shaming. It is dehumanizing," Se-ah-dom Edmo, vice president of the Oregon Indian Education Association, told the board.

In 2006, the Oregon Board of Education adopted a nonbinding recommendation that schools stop using Native mascots. A handful did, but some small communities have resisted the trend, saying the nicknames are a source of pride.

"It's a chance for us to talk about family and tradition and loyalty," said Jim Smith, principal of Banks High School — home of the Braves — who grew up on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.

Banks, west of Portland, has a logo depicting an Indian head on the gymnasium floor and walls, and even on the hurdles used by the track team. When the Star Spangled Banner is played at the beginning of every game, the crowd joins in and tweaks the last stanza: "and the home of the Braves."

Some critics of the ban said they were concerned about the costs of changing sports uniforms and equipment, school letterhead and street signs.

In some areas, schools have worked with nearby tribes to change their practices without changing their nickname. Roseburg High School, home of the Indians, switched a logo depicting a Native American to a simple feather. Molalla High School changed sports jerseys to say "Molalla" instead of "Indians" and stopped using a mascot dressed like a Native American to lead cheers.

Students and teachers from schools with Native American nicknames packed two public hearings on the topic. Some suggested they be allowed to keep their Indian nicknames if nearby tribes consent.

The board rejected that idea, with board member Artemio Paz describing it as a "search for acceptable levels of racism."

Native American mascots are a form of oppression that contributes to isolation among Native Americans and its social consequences, said Tom Ball, assistant vice president of equity and diversity at the University of Oregon. Those include high rates of suicide, incarceration and school dropout.

Oregon Department of Education officials say Wisconsin is the only other state to enact restrictions on Native American mascots. Wisconsin's law, approved by the Legislature in 2010, requires school boards to prove that their Indian mascots don't promote discrimination, harassment or stereotyping if someone complains. Dozens of Wisconsin schools still have Native American mascots.

The NCAA limits the use of imagery and names considered hostile and abusive, and a debate still rages over the University of North Dakota's "Fighting Sioux" nickname and a logo with the profile of an American Indian warrior.

The Oregon Legislature voted in 2001 to eliminate the word "squaw" from geographic names because many Native Americans consider it offensive.

[ImaPaqRat]

Here is a puzzler for you. The new Warm Springs Casino that just opened earlier this month is called the Indian Head Casino. Hmmmmm . . . Indian Head High School is insulting but Casino is OK.

[Trecanoe]

Excellent point, but you know corporations are people so they can get away with it. Apparently schools are NOT people and are held to a higher standard. Weirdness about.

[Red_Beagle]

Good for Oregon. It's time to stop commemorating the decimation of the Native American population by invaders from Europe.

[zarnon61]

Awesome! It will be a whole new day for indians. We'll see rapid declines in alcoholism, joblessness and spousal abuse. What's that? We won't? Then what the f*&* did we do this for?

[Trecanoe]

You have not studied lingistics and that is perfectly understandable, so please do not take offense that I explain this to you. Dropping the language of oppression is a BIG step towards re-empowerment. I CELEBRATE that the Indian Nations have fought back to a level of self-empowerment such that they can successfully fight our white privileged co-opting of their archetypes and traditions. As their self confidence rebounds we may well see a drop in alcoholism and spousal abuse. The joblessness front is still lookin' pretty bleak, even for white folk so don't know about that one.

[CHICO_KK]

Cowboys and indians have been a part of American culture as long as TV has been around.
People need to get over it.
If anything, indians should be proud that their image is being held in such high regard!

[keote_poet]

indians were here way before the smelly cowboys and tv...
the images depicted were part of a racial stereotype when indians were killed for the land you now call america.

[keote_poet]

by Craig_Burns May 18, 2012 1:31 PM EDT
@keote, Only the strongest and most intelligent, prevail.
That's how the entire world works.
______________________

that explains why minorities continue to flourish and prevail over whites..

[mysticpizza]

Well considering the Native American history in this country, they have the right to not want to be mascots from those whose ancestor tried to wipe them off the face of the earth.

[taxed01]

We should ban food stamps and other taxpayer paid giveaways for any Indians still on reservations.
I am offended by all the "Native American" talk. Their ancestors came from Siberia. Mine came from Europe. They are no more "native" than I am.

[keote_poet]

haha..indians were here way before europeans, thousands of years before the idiot columbus landed. if anyone should be offended, its the native americans who should be offended by the white-man's ignorance...and you're a prime example.

[stormerF69]

I always thought a mascot was the Animals like the tiger,bear,Orgeon Duck,Bull dog,Hawk,eagle,Racoon, Golden Gopher or hornytoads. Never would have thought of using a Indian as a Mascot? Whats next no more Dallas Cowboys,because it offends the cows?What a bunch of stupidness,and we spend 86 biilon a year on education and this is what we get? No wonder we are failing on the world graph of education.

[AOCGUY]

Well this Redskins fan agrees with you. Way too much PC.

[zarnon61]

I surprised someone hasn't complained using a drunken irishman (ala Notre Dame). Oh wait, he's a white guy. Never mind.

[mors_libertatis]

Dear BWB, please stop insulting classicists with your misspelling of the motto, "ad absurdum". We might have to ban the use of Latin mottos by those who don't know squat about it.

[tuathadedannan]

Is "The Fighting Irish" still available?

[AOCGUY]

Don't want to offend our Gaellic friends do we?

[Lerianis4]

If I was the schools in question, I would challenge this in a state and federal courts. Seems like a blatant First Amendment violation here to be blunt and final on the matter.

[AOCGUY]

Well if they are public schools then the state is paying the bill and probably can make this stupid ruling.