The debate over Native American mascots in schools is heating up again in Pennsylvania, where a state lawmaker is making another push to ban names and imagery tied to Indigenous cultures.

State Rep. Chris Rabb, whose district includes Philadelphia, is reintroducing legislation for the fifth time to ban Native American names and mascots in Pennsylvania public schools.

"There are team names, such as the Indians and such," Rabb said. "You wouldn't think of having a team name called the Caucasians. So fair is fair."

According to the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, dozens of public schools across the state still use Native American mascots. One of them is the Coatesville Area Senior High School, home of the Red Raiders.

"We are aware of the bill being proposed but have not taken any action at this time," Anthony P. Rybarczyk, superintendent of the Coatesville Area School District, said.

Supporters of Native-themed mascots argue that they promote school pride and honor Indigenous heritage. But activists believe the imagery is harmful and offensive.

"When we tell them to stop using Native imagery or Native names or racial slurs, they say it's their culture and we're taking it away," Donna Fann-Boyle, co-founder of the Coalition of Natives and Allies, said.

Fann-Boyle, a Bucks County resident who is Cherokee and Choctaw, said she has been fighting since 2012 to get schools to remove Native American names and mascots. Her advocacy began at her son's school, Neshaminy High School.

"We had a complaint filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission," Fann-Boyle said. "It went to court."

The commission later ruled that the school district had to remove its Native American mascot logo, though it was allowed to keep the name.

"When we tell people that it doesn't honor us, that it harms Native Americans, especially Native American youth, there's always pushback, that we should just be quiet," said Kelley Bova, a board member of the Coalition of Natives and Allies, who is Dakota, said.

The Neshaminy School District stated it remains in compliance with the 2019 Human Relations Commission ruling and has no current plans to make any changes to its team name or imagery.

"What they've done is they've scaled back, they've done it quietly," Fann-Boyle said. "I myself have driven by the school grounds and they've reduced it down to the word skins. Most of them that use the word, shorten it to skins anyway, but the red part isn't there."

Across the country, professional sports teams have taken steps to rebrand, including the Cleveland Guardians, which used to be the Cleveland Indians, and the Washington Commanders. But in Pennsylvania, Rabb said his bill continues to face steep resistance in Harrisburg.

"I think one of the reasons this has not picked up as much steam as it should is because there is a fallacy that there are no more Indigenous people left," Rabb said.

So far, no date has been set for lawmakers to debate the bill. And with no clear timeline, the future of Native American mascots in Pennsylvania schools remains uncertain.

"It's been a huge, a huge battle and a hard one," Fann-Boyle said.