N.D. education board sues to drop Fighting Sioux

BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota's Board of Higher Education voted Monday to sue to try to block a state law requiring the University of North Dakota's athletics teams to be called the Fighting Sioux.

The board approved the lawsuit after meeting by telephone with state Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, who said he was confident the law violates the state Constitution.

The university has been trying to retire the nickname and a separate logo that shows an American Indian warrior's square-jawed profile. Last November, the North Dakota Legislature repealed a state law that required UND to use the nickname and logo.

UND to keep contentious Fighting Sioux nickname

However, nickname supporters filed referendum petitions last week with North Dakota's secretary of state, Al Jaeger, to revive the pro-nickname law. It is now back in effect.

If Jaeger decides the petitions are valid, the question could be put on North Dakota's June 12 statewide primary election ballot. Voters would then decide whether the university should be required to keep the nickname and logo or be allowed to drop them.

The NCAA has imposed sanctions on the university for using the nickname and logo. The association says the school cannot host post-season tournaments, and its teams won't be able to wear uniforms with the nickname or logo in post-season play.

During Monday's meeting, board members argued about whether the law requires UND teams to wear uniforms with the nickname and logo. They decided to leave that issue up to the university, which favors uniforms without them.

Stenehjem said he expects to file paperwork with the North Dakota Supreme Court within a week, asking the court to block the issue from going to a statewide vote. Stenehjem said he believes the Supreme Court has to take the case immediately, without having it first handled in a North Dakota district court.

He said he hopes the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case by mid-March.

[mecanik-2009]

What on earth could be possibly get bogged down with that was any more stupid then this.

[kbrum1066]

The problem here is the NCAA... they think, for whatever reason, that the use of this name for a team is denigrating or insulting to the American Indian (in this case the Sioux). Personally I would consider it an honor to have a team named the Fighting Sioux.
The state will put it to a vote so that the people can decide... but this is a no-brainer. Why does there need to be a law for this anyway?
The school simply wants to appease the NCAA. It would be nice if they had the cajones to stand up to the NCAA or if the NCAA would have the cajones to stand on their own rather than try and be politically correct... after all, those that straddle the fence usually accomplish nothing other than a sore crotch.
Each team SHOULD have the right to use their own nicknames and wear the outfit they desire within reason... and this situation falls within reason....