Bozeman Public Schools Indian Education for All

Name of Lesson: Native American Mascots Subject Area Focus: Montana Studies: Native American Studies Unit or a US Government class Grade Level: 8th to 12th Prepared by: Katrin Dougherty

*Overview The purpose of this lesson is to get students to think about some familiar images, Native & Purpose/ American images and caricatures used as sports team mascots, from a variety of Essential perspectives in order to help them better understand this often-controversial topic. Questions Students will also utilize and practice a variety of important skills such as listening, participating in discussion and debate, and analyzing and evaluating a variety of images. This lesson engages students because they must use high level thinking skills and because it is an interesting topic to many who are interested in sports and/or problems with racism and stereotypes.

*Materials * Native American Mascots PowerPoint Slideshow (if accommodations are necessary for certain students it is possible to print handouts of the slides so that students may write their notes on these.) * Power Point program * Computer * LCD Projector * Remote (optional)

*Time Required 50 minutes or one class period

*IEFA Essential #2: There is great diversity among individual American Indians as identity is Understanding(s) developed, defined and redefined by entities, organizations and people. A continuum of Indian identity, unique to each individual, ranges from assimilated to traditional. There is no generic American Indian.

#5: Federal policies, put into place throughout American history, have affected Indian people and still shape who they are today. Much of Indian history can be related through several major federal policy periods. (Self-determination 1975-current)

#6: History is a story most often related through the subjective experience of the teller. With the inclusion of more and varied voices, histories are being rediscovered and revised. History told from an Indian perspective frequently conflicts with the stories mainstream historians tell.

*Time Required 50 minutes or one class period Bozeman Public Schools 1 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page *MT State *Media Literacy: Standards 1, 2, and 4 Content *Speaking and Listening: Standards 1, 2, and 3 Standard(s) *Social Studies: Standards 1, 2, 4, and 6

*Background Native American Mascots Information The use of Native Americans as sports team mascots is a widely-practiced and often controversial subject in America today. Many Native Americans and others are offended by the use of Native Americans as mascots, and they want these teams to stop using them; however, some do not mind the practice, and many others do not want to lose their team’s mascots. (Sears, Milloy, Will, MTIEA) This engaging, current, and often controversial topic serves as a good lesson in diversity, interpretation of media, critical thinking and debate for high school age students, and it will also create a broader understanding of some of the stereotypes—both negative and romanticized— about Indian people. The purpose of this lesson on Native American mascots is to get students to think about some familiar images: Native American images and caricatures that are used as sports team mascots, from a variety of perspectives in order to help them better understand this often-controversial topic. Students will also utilize and practice a variety of important skills such as listening, participating in discussion and debate, and analyzing and evaluating a variety of images. This lesson engages students because they must use high level thinking skills, and because it is an interesting topic to many who are interested in sports or problems with racism and stereotypes. Images of Indians have been used for a variety of reasons since Europeans and Euro-Americans came into contact with them hundreds of years ago. From early journalism and literature, to photography and motion pictures, to television and music, media, advertisement, and much more, the image of the Native American has been used for a variety of purposes. These images portray Indian people in a variety of ways; they can perpetuate racist stereotypes through cartoon caricatures, or they can promote romanticized, and often nostalgic, notions of what it means to be Indian through photographs. (Sears, Dime Novels, Gutenberg, Curtis, Geller, Driscoll) Just as the type of images of Indians vary greatly, so do the opinions of Indian people about these images. For example, depending on the content one Native American may view Indian mascots as perfectly fine, while another might be completely offended by them. In the case of Indians as mascots, the response depends on who is being asked. In some polls the majority of Native people do mind the use of Indians as mascots, while in others polls the majority find them offensive. (Millroy, Will) Those who are offended by the use of Indians as mascots argue that they put Native people in the same category as animals, which are the most common type of mascot. (Emert, Hook) Many people believe that these images are racist and they intensify harmful racist stereotypes of Indian people. (Hook, MTIEA) Others are offended by the types of images of Indians used by sports team mascots, many of which portray Indians in stereotypical “Indian” clothing (i.e. feathers etc.), and often depict them as violent or as degrading caricatures. (Hook) A term that many find especially offensive is “redskin,” because of the historical use of this word by bounty hunters to describe the scalps of the Indians they were hired to kill. Because they had to provide Bozeman Public Schools 2 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page evidence of their kills the bounty hunters would bring back Indian scalps, worth $1.00 - $2.00 each, and they called them “redskins.” To many Indians this term stands for death and is extremely insulting. (Millroy, Hook, AICS, Emert) However, there are many people who strongly want to keep their beloved mascots, and still more who do not mind either way. The Florida Seminole Tribe, for example, recently approved the mascot for Florida State University, and many other teams such as the Cleveland Indians, the Atlanta Braves, and the Washington Redskins have many loyal fans that would likely be sad to see their mascots go. (Sears) Some people even argue that many of the mascots honor Indian people. (Emert, Driscoll) In the case of K-12 education though the argument gets more heated, and in many cases schools have opted to change their mascots because they argue that they create an environment that is hostile to Native children. (Lapchick, Will, Driscoll, Emert) However, there are many schools that have kept their mascots. Currently it is not illegal to use images of Native Americans as mascots, although the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the Montana Indian Education Association and other groups have publicly condemned the use of Indians as mascots. (USCCR, MTIEA) Certainly there also are financial reasons to keep these mascots; it would be a great expense to any institution or organization to change one of their most-used symbols. (Emert) There are many valid arguments on either side of this debate. On one hand the group that finds the use of Indians as mascots offensive has the right to protest these images, and to stick up for themselves. On the other hand many people do not mind the use of Indians as mascots, and others are very attached to them. This lesson allows students to explore this issue from a variety of perspectives and it delves into important topics that are related to contemporary Indian people; it also engages students and allows them to practice critical thinking, and to perfect their skills at discussion and debate.

*Primary As a result of this lesson students will: Learner Results *Learn about an important contemporary issue that is relevant to many Native Americans: The use of Native Americans as mascots for sports teams *Utilize and improve their skills at listening and discussing while viewing a Power Point slideshow accompanied by a brief lecture, while also participating in class discussion throughout the lecture. *Improve their skills at analyzing and evaluating media that is related to the topic including political cartoons and real life images of “Indian” mascots, logos, memorabilia, and costumes. *Practice and improve their skills at debating by participating in an informal debate that includes the entire class.

Additional *Students will also further their knowledge of and practice the art of logical Learner Results thinking when as it applies to discussing and debating controversial topics. Students not only have to give their opinion, but they also have to back it up with logical arguments. This is an important skill that they will use throughout their education and their lives.

Technology This lesson utilizes Power Point and can serve as a good demonstration or example for Connection students who often use this program. Students often get new ideas from viewing other Bozeman Public Schools 3 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page people’s slideshows that may be used to improve their own slideshows in a variety of classes and assignments.

*Procedures Step 1 Hook: Description Write the following question on the board and ask students to write their answer in their Notebook. Tell students that they will use their answers during the debate after the lecture/discussion:

Question: Is it okay to use Native Americans as mascots for sports teams? Why or why not? Duration 5-7 minutes Step 2 Slideshow, Lecture, Discussion, Image Analysis: Description Present the Native American Mascots Power Point slideshow with a brief lecture, and discussion while viewing the slides. (If accommodations are necessary for certain students it is possible to print handouts of the slides so that students may write their notes on these.)

Allow students to interpret, analyze, and evaluate each image on the slideshow by asking questions, and having them explain the images for the class.

You could start by asking them to study the images carefully and to think about what they see. Next have them share what they see, and then ask them more in-depth questions to get them to interpret the different aspects, meanings, and information in the images.

Duration 20-30 Minutes

Step 3 Informal Class Debate: Description Ask students their opinion on the topic of using Native Americans as sports team mascot.

Have them literally take a stand on the issue by asking all students who want to keep the mascots on one side of the room, and all of the students who find the mascots offensive and want to get rid of them stand on the other side of the room.

Each student must explain why he or she chose the side that they did in approximately 15 seconds. (Some students may be in the middle but they have to explain their reasons.)

Allow each side of the room to take turns speaking so students can rebut one another’s points.

Duration 15 minutes

Extension This lesson could be extended for further discussion or debate, or even to include a formal debate. It could be included as part of a greater unit on images and stereotypes Bozeman Public Schools 4 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page of Native Americans that includes analysis and evaluation of other sources like films, photography, literature, the media, and more.

Or it could be included in a unit on media literacy in an effort to teach students the skills to critically analyze and evaluate a variety of forms of media, such as various types of advertisements.

This lesson could also be extended by requiring a one-paragraph (or more) written reflection in which the students state their position on the topic, and then explain why they feel that way.

Assessment Students will be evaluated on the following:

*Participation in class discussion/lecture: This will demonstrate how much of the information the students retained during the lecture and discussion. It will also help them demonstrate their abilities to listen and participate in group discussions.

*Participation in class debate: This will allow for some individual accountability, and will serve as a useful measure of how much every student in the class has gotten out of this lesson.

*Review: This will further indicate student’s retention and comprehension of the subject matter in this lesson. Review could be in the form of questioning the class, games, quizzes, and more.

*Written reflection (Optional): This would measure student’s ability to think critically on this topic and to evaluate the information that they have learned in the lesson.

*Interpretation of images on final exam from this slideshow: This will demonstrate students abilities to interpret and evaluate different types of visual media, as well as demonstrate the amount of information they retained and understood from this lesson.

Bibliography

Native American Mascot Lesson-

1. Sears, Phil. FSU Seminole Mascot. 2005. New York Times, New York. Nytimes.Com. May 2008 .

2. Cleveland Indian Mascot Image. Indianz.Com Website. Indianz.Com. May 2008 . Bozeman Public Schools 5 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page

3. Cleveland Indian Mascot Image. Indianz.Com Website. Indianz.Com. May 2008 .

4. Kit Carson and the Indians. Dime Novels, Chapter 1. Cover design of Frank Starr's American Novels, No. 139. May 2008 .

5. Indian Attack and Gallant Defense. Project Gutenberg. Historic Tales, Vol. 1 (of 15). The Romance of Reality. May 2008 .

6. Mascots Create Divisiveness on Some Campuses. 2005. USA Today. Usatoday.Com. May 2008 .

7. Mascot Protest. Website. Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition American Indian Mascot Page. May 2008 .

8. Indian Mascots Political Cartoons & Images: American Indian Sport Team Mascots. Website. American Indian Sports Team Mascots. 1998-2008. May 2008 , , .

9. Adult Mascot Costume: Indian Chief. Online costume store. Anytimecostumes.com. May 2008 .

10. People Mascot Costumes: Indian with Headdress, Brave, Princess, New Indian, and Native American. Online costume store. Team-Mascots.com. Chesterfield, MO, May 2008 .

11. Curtis, Edward, The Oath, The Lookout, Hidatsa Mother, and Crying to the Spirits. Library of Congress American Memory Collection: Northwest University Library. Edward Curtis’s The North American Indian: Photographic Images, Illustrations and Captions from Volume 4. Evanston, Ill. 1909, May 2008 .

12. Powerful Images: Portrayals of Native America. Eiteljorg Museum/Traditional Fine Art Online, Inc. Exhibit Description. Indianapolis, IN. 1996-2000, May 2008 .

13. Geller, Peter, Fluff and Feathers: An Exhibit on the Symbols of Indianness. Manitoba Historical Society: Movie Poster for Geronimo and Bell Telephone System advertisement: Department of History, Carlton University, Manitoba History, N 26. 1962, 1993, May 2008 .

14. Detail from Milwaukee Braves Pennant, 1957, Wausau Wausettes Cheerleaders in Indian Headdress Costumes, 1987, Willie Wampum, Marquette University Mascot, 1961-1971. Wisconsin Historical Society: Wisconsinstories.org. Indian Mascots in Bozeman Public Schools 6 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page Wisconsin. 2000-2004, May 2008 .

15. Image of Mascot. Wauwatosa East High School. Wauwatosa, WI. May 2008 .

16. OVU Fighting Scots Mascot Image. Ohio Valley University. Vienna, West Virginia. May 2008 .

17. ND Fighting Irish Mascot Image. StateUniversity.com-US University Directory. Notre Dame College. Cleveland, OH. May 2008 .

18. UNC Fighting Whities Mascot Image. Wikipedia.org. University of Northern Colorado Fighting Whities intramural basketball team, May 2008 .

19. Fighting Whities Humorous Logo. Wordpress.com. BLOG: Collateral Damage- Stephen Baker is Smart and I am Dumb. October, 2007. May 2008 .

20. Snyder, Brian, Cleveland Indians Fan Waits for Start of Game 4 of Major league Baseball’s ALCS Playoff Series in Cleveland. Reuters. October, 2007, May 2008 .

21. Sears, Phil (August 23, 2005). The NCAA Exempted Florida State from a Ban Against using Indian Mascots in the Postseason after an Appeal by the University and the Seminole Nation. The New York Times. Retrieved May 2008, from .

22. Milloy, Courtland. (Wednesday, September 22, 2004; Page B01). Team Name Belongs in a Museum. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2008, from HTTP://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/WP-DYN/ARTICLES/A39839- 2004SEP21.HTML.

23. (1998-2006). Schools Using Native American Racial Mascots in Montana. AICS American Indian Cultural Support. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.aics.org/mascot/montana.html.

24. (May 2008). List of Sports Team Names and Mascots Derived from Indigenous Peoples. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_team_names_and_mascots_derived_from _Indigenous_peoples This page was last modified on 4 May 2008, at 13:08.

25. Driscoll, David B. (2000-2004). Indian Mascots in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Historical Society: Department of Business and Technology. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.wisconsinstories.org/2002season/sports/closer_look.cfm. Bozeman Public Schools 7 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page

26. Emert, Phyllis Raybin. (200-2007). Native American Mascots: Racial Slur or Cherished Tradition? New Jersey State Bar Foundation-Students’ Corner: Respect. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.njsbf.com/njsbf/student/respect/winter03-1.cfm.

27. Will, George F. (Thursday, January 5, 2006). Chief Among the Silliness. The Washington Post, Page A15. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2006/01/04/AR2006010401590.html.

28. Lapchick, Richard E. (2006). Hank Aaron Steps Up to the Plate on the Use of Native American Names and Mascots in Sports Teams. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved May 2008, from http://155.33.32.224/csss/rel.html.

29. Hook, Johnathan B. Ph.D. (2008). The Problem with Indian Mascots in Schools. ALLARM The Alliance Against Racial Mascots. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.allarm.org/articles/hook.html.

30. United States Commission on Civil Rights. (April13, 2001). Statement of the US Commission on Civil Rights on the Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols. 2001 Press Releases, Advisories and Public Affairs (USCCR Publication). Washington, DC: US Government Press. http://www.usccr.gov/press/archives/2001/041601.htm.

31. (1998-2005). Proclamation Issued in 1755. AICS American Indian Cultural Support: Mascots-Redskins origin of the term. Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.aics.org/mascot/redskins.html.

32. Montana Indian Education Association MTIEA. (2006). Resolutions-2006 Passed at the Annual Membership Conference: Resolution 2006-06-Oppose the Use of Indian Mascots in Schools. Billings, MT. http://www.mtiea.org/Resolutions2006forEmail.doc.

Bozeman Public Schools 8 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page THE PROBLEM WITH INDIAN MASCOTS IN SCHOOLS By Jonathan B. Hook, Ph.D. (Cherokee) President, American Indian Resource Center

The best composite example of the obstacles faced by American Indian students is the continued use of Indian mascots by our schools. It perpetuates misinformation, engenders racial division, and establishes a hostile learning environment. Throughout the United States, American Indian organizations, nations, communities and individuals are calling for the removal of Indian-related mascots.

This issue has at least seven components. First, there are those mascots that are blatantly racist, like "redskins" and "squaws." The term "redskin" may be even more perverse than a derogatory reference to a person's racial heritage: "redskin" is believed to have originated with the practice of placing a bounty on Indian body parts such as heads, scalps, and skins. So, bringing in a "redskin" literally meant the death of an Indian. . There are five public schools in California with a "redskins" nickname. The borrowed word "squaw" became the derogatory name used by white men for Indian women. Many believe that its closest literal translation is the most offensive and vulgar term commonly used for vagina.

The second component is much more insidious. Even though Indians had no prior concept of the total war that was forced upon them, and despite the fact that we had peace leaders who struggled diligently to avoid hostilities, it is Indians who remain stereotyped as "warriors," "braves" and "savages." This effective tool of genocide is no longer necessary, yet it remains in our school systems, advertising, entertainment, and the media. In more than 90 California public schools, our youth are forced to see themselves as warlike caricatures, devoid of value except as tokens. These stereotypes are inaccurate and destructive, and educational institutions have no justification for perpetuating them. They only serve to divide our communities and our state.

The third component relates to religion. Indian communities have numerous vibrant and meaningful spiritual practices. There are many diverse Indian religious beliefs devolving from the various Indian nations and cultures. These religious symbols are universally defiled through the use of Indian mascots. Feathers are sacred to many American Indians; yet, show me one Indian mascot that does not include the depiction of feathers. Our drum is sacred; yet, show me the use of an Indian mascot that does not include a band drumming a Hollywood "Indian" beat. A similar scenario would be a mascot dressed as a priest waving a cross and tossing out communion wafers at a football game while cheerleaders dressed as parodies of nuns danced on the sidelines. Would that be acceptable? Activities currently happening at athletic contests are just as offensive to Native peoples.

The fourth component comprises the very nature of a mascot itself. A mascot is a good luck token, a "rabbit's foot" for athletic success. It establishes an unequal relationship: the players on the field and the good luck token on the sideline. The mascot is not a human being, it is a caricature. Native people are human beings, not mascots and not caricatures. We deserve to be accorded the same respect demanded by every other ethnic group.

The fifth component addresses the issue of the 27 California school mascots that on the surface appear innocuous, such as "Indians", "Cherokees", "Apaches", etc. How could these names be offensive? In such cases, the problem is not the word itself, but the context in which it is used. When the destructive and inaccurate stereotype of militant violence is perpetuated in association with these honorable names, it trivializes them. Sacred symbols are displayed in a sacrilegious manner and are overtly connected with these names. When the proud name of Cherokee is used as a good luck token, it is offensive and absolutely inappropriate. There is nothing wrong with the word, only with the context in which it is used.

The sixth component speaks to the relevance of this issue. Certainly, there are other areas of life that need to be addressed and which may superficially appear to be more urgent. Crime, substance abuse, incarceration and many other ills are relevant problems that require solutions. However, there appears to be a direct connection between these issues and the lack of self-esteem our children frequently possess . Over the past five centuries our religions, our languages, our ceremonies, the totality of our cultures, have been violently suppressed. Today, youth learn about Indians through distorted depictions in advertising, by watching television and movies, and through the symbols associated with athletic mascots. This situation must change, because without a healthy self-image, our young people are condemned to lives of continuing social and emotional problems.

Finally, the most frequent response we hear to the request for removing Indian mascots is "We're honoring Indians!" and, therefore, "You should feel honored." How perversely ironic and arrogant is the claim that non-Indians know better how to honor Indians than Indians themselves! Why not allow the Indian community to decide what is complimentary? The original intention may honestly have been to honor Native Americans. However, after being informed about the concerns and objections of American Indian communities regarding the use of "Indian" mascots, the moral and ethical responsibility to change falls squarely on the shoulders of those engaging in the objectionable practice. Use of the mascot after Native people have explained that it is unacceptable makes the offense intentional. Retention of the mascot is a perpetuation of the same old paternalism: "we know better what you need, what you want, and how you are honored than you do." If real motivation to honor Indians exists, work to eradicate the social ills facing our communities. Lobby to end the celebration of "Columbus Day," name schools and scholarships after specific American Indians, work to eliminate racist depictions of Indians in advertising and educational institutions, hold schools accountable for teaching insufficient and incorrect American Indian history, and become personally involved in activities at our numerous Native communities throughout the state.

Adapted for the Alliance Against Racial Mascots 2002-2003 // www.allarm.org //

Bozeman Public Schools 9 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page

Hank Aaron Steps Up to the Plate on the use of Native American Names and Mascots in Sport by Richard E. Lapchick Special for the Sports Business Journal

In one day, Hank Aaron did more for the campaign to stop using Native American names and mascots for sports teams than the 30 plus years that the campaign has been active.

As fans gathered for the All-Star Classic in Atlanta, Aaron stepped up to the platform that throwing out the first pitch gave him. He talked to the media about race and sport. This was not new for the man who had his own personal triumph of breaking Babe Ruth's career home run chilled by innumerable death threats and a barrage of hate mail. What was new was his statement that if the name "Braves" that he wore on his chest for decades was hurtful to many Native Americans, then it should be changed. He instantly became the most prominent athlete to take that position publicly.

I always found it incongruous that Ted Turner never really reacted when people confronted him about owning a team called the Braves that rallied around the Tomahawk Chop. Here was a man who brought the Soviets and Americans together for the Goodwill Games. He hired Hank Aaron, arguably baseball's most outspoken critic on racial issues, as a high-ranking executive for these same Braves. He donated $1 billion to the United Nations. Nothing in his personal or professional profile would conjure up a question about race other than the Braves.

I had been in that position myself. I played freshman basketball for the St. John's Redmen. My father coached those Redmen for 20 years, and was affectionately called "the Big Indian." He never had reason to question the nickname or the wooden Indian mascot.

That all changed late one evening in 1969 at Mama Leone's Restaurant, near the old Madison Square Garden. Whenever we were there to eat after a game, people would come up to my father to greet him or ask for an autograph. This night started no differently until an older man who appeared to be in his late 60s, like my father, asked if he could join us.

He told my father how much he admired him as a coach and as someone who helped to integrate basketball. (My father had signed Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the NBA's first black player, when he was the coach of the Knicks in 1950). We smiled until he added that these things made it particularly embarrassing that my father coached a team called the Redmen and was called "the Big Indian." The man was an Indian.

That was the first time that we had ever thought about what the "Redmen" meant. It began to conjure up memories of headlines: "Redmen on the Warpath;" and "Redmen Scalp Braves [Bradley]." The Braves even "hung the Redmen" once. Something was wrong with the picture.

Here was the man who helped integrate basketball being thought of as racially offensive. He died in 1970 and the issue persisted for another 20 years until St. John's, like other universities that came to understand, rid itself of the Indian symbols and name.

Too many haven't. More than40 colleges and universities and five professional teams, including the Braves, use Native American names and symbols. Would we think of calling teams names such the "Chicago Caucasians," the "Buffalo Blacks," or the "San Diego Jews?"

Could you imagine people mocking African Americans in black face at a game? Yet go to a game where there is a team with an Indian name and you will see fans with war paint on their faces. Is this not the equivalent to black face?

Although the thought of changing tradition is often painful, the sting of racism is always painful to its victims.

Supporters of maintaining the names and mascots generally claim that their use furthers our appreciation of Native American culture. They say that names are meant positively, that to be called a "Brave" is a compliment. There are even Native Americans who don't challenge that view.

Nonetheless, most Native Americans believe that campuses where Indian names and mascots are used can be hostile learning environments not only for Native American students, but all students of color and all students who care about racism. They have no doubt that this issue is about racism.

They insist that on most campuses where Native American symbols prevail, there are hardly any with a Native American studies department or serious attempts to recruit Native American students and faculty.

The fact that history has ignored the incredible pain we have inflicted on Native Americans does not now give us the right to ignore their largely muted call. Hank Aaron has given that call a new and powerful voice.

Like all people of color and women who fight for their rights, their voices must be raised to make people who look like me become uncomfortable like that Indian man did with my father and me in 1969. Like Hank Aaron did before the All-Star game.

In June I spoke at the Sovereignty Symposium in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is an annual gathering of Native American leaders to discuss issues of their sovereignty- how to protect it where it is intact and how to reclaim it where it has been stolen. The use of Native American names and mascots for sports teams is one of the issues Native Americans believe is a breach of their sovereignty.

That is so ironic. To me, Native Americans are our most spiritual people. They believe that we all live within the one circle of humanity, no matter what the color of our skin.

We wait for our sports teams to honor that circle.

Bozeman Public Schools 10 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page ------

Chief Among the Silliness By George F. Will Thursday, January 5, 2006; A15 The University of Illinois must soon decide whether, and if so how, to fight an exceedingly silly edict from the NCAA. That organization's primary function is to require college athletics to be no more crassly exploitative and commercial than is absolutely necessary. But now the NCAA is going to police cultural sensitivity, as it understands that. Hence the decision to declare Chief Illiniwek "hostile and abusive" to Native Americans.

Censorship -- e.g., campus speech codes -- often is academic liberalism's preferred instrument of social improvement, and now the NCAA's censors say: The Chief must go, as must the university's logo of a Native American in feathered headdress. Otherwise the NCAA will not allow the university to host any postseason tournaments or events.

This story of progress, as progressives understand that, began during halftime of a football game in 1926, when an undergraduate studying Indian culture performed a dance dressed as a chief. Since then, a student has always served as Chief Illiniwek, who has become the symbol of the university that serves a state named after the Illini confederation of about a half-dozen tribes that were virtually annihilated in the 1760s by rival tribes.

In 1930 the student then portraying Chief Illiniwek traveled to South Dakota to receive authentic raiment from the Oglala Sioux. In 1967 and 1982, representatives of the Sioux, who had not yet discovered that they were supposed to feel abused, came to the Urbana- Champaign campus to augment the outfits Chief Illiniwek wears at football and basketball games.

But grievance groups have multiplied, seeking reparations for historical wrongs and regulations to assuage current injuries inflicted by "insensitivity." One of America's booming businesses is the indignation industry, which manufactures the synthetic outrage needed to fuel identity politics.

The NCAA is allowing Florida State University and the University of Utah to continue calling their teams Seminoles and Utes, respectively, because those two tribes approve of the tradition. The Saginaw Chippewa tribe starchily denounces any "outside entity" -- that would be you, NCAA -- that would disrupt the tribe's "rich relationship" with Central Michigan University and its teams, the Chippewas. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke can continue calling its teams the Braves. Bravery is a virtue, so perhaps the 21 percent of the school's students who are Native Americans consider the name a compliment.

The University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux may have to find another nickname because the various Sioux tribes cannot agree about whether they are insulted. But the only remnant of the Illini confederation, the Peoria tribe, is now in Oklahoma. Under its chief, John Froman, the tribe is too busy running a casino and golf course to care about Chief Illiniwek. The NCAA ethicists probably reason that the Chief must go because no portion of the Illini confederation remains to defend him.

Or to be offended by him, but never mind that, or this: In 1995 the Office of Civil Rights in President Bill Clinton's Education Department, a nest of sensitivity-mongers, rejected the claim that the Chief and the name Fighting Illini created for anyone a "hostile environment" on campus.

In 2002 Sports Illustrated published a poll of 351 Native Americans, 217 living on reservations, 134 living off. Eighty-one percent said high school and college teams should not stop using Indian nicknames.

But in any case, why should anyone's disapproval of a nickname doom it? When, in the multiplication of entitlements, did we produce an entitlement for everyone to go through life without being annoyed by anything, even a team's nickname? If some Irish or Scots were to take offense at Notre Dame's Fighting Irish or the Fighting Scots of Monmouth College, what rule of morality would require the rest of us to care? Civilization depends on, and civility often requires, the willingness to say, "What you are doing is none of my business" and "What I am doing is none of your business."

But this is an age when being an offended busybody is considered evidence of advanced thinking and an exquisite sensibility. So, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has demanded that the University of South Carolina's teams not be called Gamecocks because cockfighting is cruel. It also is illegal in South Carolina.

In 1972 the University of Massachusetts at Amherst replaced the nickname Redmen with Minutemen. White men carrying guns? If some advanced thinkers are made miserable by this, will the NCAA's censors offer relief? Scottsdale Community College in Arizona was wise to adopt the nickname "Fighting Artichokes." There is no grievance group representing the lacerated feelings of artichokes. Yet. [email protected] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/04/AR2006010401590_pf.html Bozeman Public Schools 11 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page MONTANA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT THE APRIL 2, 2006 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP CONFERENCE, BILLINGS, MONTANA

RESOLUTION 2006-06: Oppose the use of Indian Mascots in Schools: MIEA opposes the use of Indian mascots for school athletics and activities and requests our educational institutions develop policies and guidelines that will eliminate the use of Indian people/tribes as mascots to promote athletics and school spirit.

MONTANA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ----RESOLUTIONS 2006

WHEREAS: The MONTANA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MIEA) is a duly constituted Education organization sanctioned by the membership which includes educators of Indian children and adults, parents/guardians, school board members, tribal government and state government leadership, reservation and urban Indian representation, educational organizations, and other interested individuals in Montana, and

WHEREAS: The MONTANA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION has been organized to represent, protect and advance the views of the Indian education community as outlined in MIEA’s constitution, and

WHEREAS: Whereas, the state of Montana has a constitutional obligation to educate Montana citizens about American Indian cultures and all schools across Montana are required to implement MCA 20-1-501 Indian Education for All (Montanans).

WHEREAS: The use of Indian images that reflect negatively on the cultural heritage of American Indians as mascots to promote school athletics and other educational activities is detrimental and disrespectful to the Tribal nations, and WHEREAS: The use and promotion of such Indian mascots through Indian caricatures and names to support athletic teams and other school activities as school mascots portrays Indian people in a negative fashion and perpetuates a negative perspective of the American Indian as less than human, as humorous, as savages, and sends a negative message to all children who have to be a part of these educational systems, and WHEREAS: These stereotypes and myths lead to prejudice, discrimination and racism, and

WHEREAS: The use of Indian mascots is in conflict with Article X, 1 (2) of the Montana Constitution that calls for our state’s educational institutions to respect the cultural integrity of American Indian, and

WHEREAS: It is important to develop pride, respect, and integrity among all students which includes not practicing any demeaning activity that reflects negatively on any group/race of people, now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: MIEA opposes the use of Indian mascots for school athletics and activities and requests our educational institutions develop policies and guidelines that will eliminate the use of Indian people/tribes as mascots to promote athletics and school spirit.

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Bozeman Public Schools 12 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page Indian Mascots in Wisconsin By David B. Driscoll (The author is Curator of Business & Technology, Wisconsin Historical Society) In 1943, when the Sheboygan Redskins defeated the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons two games to one to become champions of the National Basketball League, few people worried that Indian sports mascots might be offensive. Fifty years later, the use of Indian mascots had become a complex and contentious issue at the core of both American Indian and Euro-American identities.

Though the team lasted only one year in the league, the Sheboygan Redskins had been a charter member of the National Basketball Association. In 1993, hoping to cash in on nostalgia for "vintage" team paraphernalia, NBA Properties, Inc., applied for trademark protection of the Sheboygan Redskins name. After the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) approved the request, seven prominent Native Americans filed a letter of protest charging that the team name violated the 1946 Trademark Act. This act denies federal protection to names and logos that "may disparage . . . persons . . . or bring them into contempt, or disrepute."

When the USPTO reversed its approval in January 1994, NBA Properties, Inc., agreed to join its trademark case to that of the Washington Redskins football team, whose trademark protection was also being challenged.

Fearing bad publicity and litigation, in May 1995 NBA Properties voluntarily withdrew its application to trademark the Sheboygan Redskins name. Four years later a three-judge panel of the USPTO revoked federal trademark protection for the Washington Redskins, ruling that the name was, in fact, disparaging. (The team has appealed this ruling.) Thus, by the late 1990s, a broad legal consensus had emerged that the once common term redskin constitutes a racial slur.

The Civil Rights movement brings change The change in attitudes underlying this new legal perspective had been building for several decades. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s forced many Americans to acknowledge our country's history of racism.

As early as 1968, the National Congress of American Indians began campaigning against Indian stereotypes in the media, and the actions of militant Indian groups put other Native American grievances on front pages in the 1970s. A few especially cartoonish or insulting mascots, including Marquette University's "Willie Wompum" and the Dickinson State (N.D.) "Savages," were dropped in the 1970s, often after protests by Native American students.

The issue gathered momentum both nationally and in Wisconsin in the late 1980s. In 1988 Charlene Teters, a Spokane Indian graduate student at the University of Illinois, began a campaign to eliminate the school's mascot, Chief Illiniwek. Her efforts created a furor on campus and eventually drew the censure of the Illinois legislature. (The film "In Whose Honor?," broadcast on PBS in 1997, documents this campaign and its sometimes violent backlash.)

In 1990 Carol Hand (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) began a successful nine-year challenge to have the Milton, Wisconsin, School District drop its "Redmen" mascot. In 1993 the University of Wisconsin- Madison athletic department began prohibiting its teams from scheduling opponents with Native American nicknames or mascots, except for traditional rivals or fellow conference members like Big Ten rival Illinois and the hockey program's nemesis, the North Dakota "Fighting Sioux."

Local response is mixed Several Wisconsin colleges, including Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, dropped their Indian mascots in the early 1990s. Throughout the decade, dozens of Native tribes and organizations nationwide went on record opposing the use of Indian mascots, including the Great Lakes Intertribal Council, an umbrella organization for the 11 federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin. However, the success of these efforts has generated considerable local resistance.

Some Wisconsin school districts have voluntarily changed mascots (like the La Crosse Central High School Red Warriors' switch from an Indian logo to a knight) or dropped Indian names entirely. But other communities have fought the changes. Bozeman Public Schools 13 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page In 1997, for instance, Menomonie voters recalled three school board members who had voted to change the high school's "Indians" nickname. A similar, though unsuccessful, recall effort was mounted in Milton in 2000.

In Mukwonago and Mosinee, Indian plaintiffs who charged that school mascots created a discriminatory school environment were harassed to the point of leaving town. In the latter two cases, the Department of Public Instruction — despite having previously encouraged local school districts to retire Indian mascots and nicknames — ultimately ruled that insulting caricatures must be replaced, but Indian team names and mascots could remain.

A subtle shift in the debate These recent decisions indicate a subtle change in the terms of the debate over Indian mascots. Many defenders of Indian mascots acknowledge that redskin is a racist term, and they might even object to derogatory cartoon images. However, they see nothing wrong with using dignified images of Native American chiefs or warriors as mascots. They argue that in doing so, they are not being disrespectful but rather are honoring the admirable traits of Indian cultures.

Such assertions have pushed mascot opponents into articulating more clearly the damage done, even by dignified Indian mascots. By their very presence, opponents argue, Indian mascots signal an environment that is willing to reduce Indian people to objects and accept inaccuracies about Native cultures. In schools, such tolerance of cultural insensitivity can undermine Native students' self-image and impair their commitment to learning.

Many complaints concern the performances, chants, and regalia associated with Native American mascots; most of these are either fictitious or used in culturally inappropriate ways. Even if performed with reverence, opponents contend, such activities do not provide an accurate portrayal of Native cultures and therefore cannot contribute to a true understanding or appreciation of those cultures.

So far these arguments have not proven entirely persuasive. Several attempts to pass legislation banning Indian mascots in Wisconsin schools have failed. A majority of legislators and school administrators have preferred to leave the issue to local communities to decide, and at the local level it is still primarily an emotional discourse.

Challenging mascots as racist emblems often threatens not only cherished sports traditions but also a mascot defender's sense of personal decency and his or her experience of American national identity. Beneath resentment of "politically correct outsiders" attacking their local institutions, many mascot supporters are deeply offended by the suggestion that they might be racists.

Moreover, stereotypes of Indians are thoroughly ingrained in a heroic American national identity. From the patriots of the Boston Tea Party to Iron Eyes Cody, the tearful 1970s symbol of American environmentalism, to the Indian warriors painted on the gas tanks of "outlaw" bikers — to cite just a few examples — Indians have become "us."

For mascot opponents, especially those who are Native American, the fundamental issue is also about identity and who controls it. Even "respectful" Indian mascots are examples of the dominant white culture defining the meanings of Native cultures without their consent. In the words of Ann Marie (Amber) Machamer (Coastal Band Chumash), Indian mascots represent tenacious white "feelings of entitlement not only to our land and resources but also to our religions and identities."*

Until a deeper understanding of white privilege prevails among the majority of Wisconsin residents, this issue is likely to remain controversial and bitterly contested.

* Ann Marie (Amber) Machamer, "Last of the Mohicans, Braves, and Warriors: The End of American Indian Mascots in Los Angeles Public Schools" in C. Richard King and Charles Fruehling Springwood, eds., Team Spirits: The Native American Mascots Controversy. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001 p. 220. 2000-2004. All rights reserved.

Bozeman Public Schools 14 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page Proclamation issued in 1755

(Given at the Council Chamber in Boston this third day of November 1755 in the twenty- ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Iceland, King Defender of the Faith.)

By His Honour's command, J. Willard, Secry. ~God Save the King

“Whereas the tribe of Penobscot Indians have repeatedly in a perfidious manner acted contrary to their solemn submission unto his Majesty long since made and frequently renewed.

I have therefore, at the desire of the House of Representatives ... thought fit to issue this Proclamation and to declare the Penobscot Tribe of Indians to be enimies, rebels, and traitors to his Majesty. And I do hereby require his Majesty's subjects of the Province to embrace all opportunities of pursuing, captivating, killing, and destroy all and every one of the aforesaid Indians.

And wereas the General Court of this Province have voted that a bounty.... be granted and allowed to be paid out of the Province Treasury.... The premiums of bounty following viz:

For every scalp of a male Indian brought in as evidence of their being killed as aforesaid, forty pounds.

For every scalp of such female Indian or male Indian under the age of twelve years that shall be killed and brought in as evidence of their being killed as aforesaid, twenty pounds.”

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Bozeman Public Schools 15 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page

washingtonpost.com

Team Name Belongs in A Museum By Courtland Milloy

Wednesday, September 22, 2004; Page B01

Watching and reading media reports about the recent football game between Washington and New York, along with stories and photographs about the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian, I was struck by the clash of images: of real Indians and of gung-ho Redskins fans impersonating Indians.

"Redskins Lose to Giants," read one headline, while another, about the museum, quoted an Indian as saying, "We're Finally Being Recognized."

Mind-boggling.

During a tour of the museum, which opened yesterday, I felt that many exhibits had been set up simply to introduce American Indians as human beings. In a region that is host to one of the most potent stereotypes in professional sports, that was no small order.

An electronic sign at the museum's entrance shows a sequence of 150 Indians greeting visitors in their native languages. They appear as ordinary people who are proud of their heritage and deserving of respect.

"I want people to understand the complexity of being Native rather than holding onto a very limited and one-dimensional view of the 'noble savage,' standing at the edge of the forest," W. Richard West Jr., director of the museum, told me.

By many accounts, "redskin" was a term used by bounty hunters to describe the scalps taken from Indians they had killed.

"I think in the view of most Native people, the name is simply pejorative," said West, who is a Southern Cheyenne from Oklahoma. "If you asked a majority of Natives if they would like to have life with or without that name, you'd find that they would all be better off without it."

Team owner Dan Snyder has ignored such sentiments. During a talk at the National Press Club in 2001, he said: "Number one, we're never going to change the name of the Washington Redskins. And I think, from a bottom-line perspective, what it means is tradition, what it means is competitiveness, what it means is honor. It is not meant to be derogatory."

On the other hand, never say never to a Native.

"Native people, who sat at the beginning of the cultural heritage of this hemisphere, have a saying that is a bit of counsel from the Mohawk," West said. "The saying is, 'You cannot see the future with tears in your eyes.' And I take that to mean this: We have experienced genuine tragedy from a human and cultural standpoint through the millennia. But the most important fact is that we are still here. By our patience and constant focus on the future, we have learned how to turn negatives into positives."

Bozeman Public Schools 16 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page Truman Lowe, a Ho-Chuck from Wisconsin and curator of contemporary art at the museum, didn't really want to discuss the team's name -- at least not inside the museum, which is regarded by many as sacred space.

"This place is not about the term; the term is really about a team," he said. "There is a difference. When you come into this space, that is something one leaves outside."

That said, however, Lowe noted: "I think their season was really terrible last year and even denigrated the term, 'redskins.' Even from that point of view, it's the wrong name."

Lowe continued: "The most important thing for us is that when we identify another person, we want to do it in a manner that is respectful. The question is: Is the name really respectful?"

Suzette Brewer, a publicist for the museum and a Cherokee from Oklahoma, said an international "groundswell of goodwill" has marked the opening of the museum. "It's a global phenomenon," she said. "I've never seen anything like it."

And yet she added: "It's a bitter irony. Indians are the only group in this country subject to having a pejorative word used as the name of a sports team."

As the museum grows and matures, perhaps the team's outdated name and logo will be made part of an exhibit on cultural destruction. Meanwhile, the struggle for respect continues.

"There are 40 million Native people in this hemisphere, but there is still a cultural and physical invisibility," West said. "It's hard to honor that which you don't see. That's one of the reasons we have our First Americans Festival. It is more difficult to deny their existence if they are standing in front of you."

Assuming you don't mistake them for football fanatics.

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Bozeman Public Schools 17 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page Native American Mascots: Racial Slur or Cherished Tradition? by Phyllis Raybin Emert Native American mascots and nicknames can be seen everywhere in our society. People drive Jeep Cherokees, watch Atlanta Braves baseball fans do the tomahawk chop and enjoy professional and college football teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Florida State University Seminoles. Are the use of these symbols a tribute to the Native American people, or as some feel, a slap in the face to their honored traditions?

Across the country, according to the National Coalition on Race and Sports in Media, which is part of the American Indian Movement (AIM), there are more than 3,000 racist or offensive mascots used in high school, college or professional sports teams. In New Jersey alone, there are dozens of schools that use Native American images and symbols such as braves, warriors, chiefs or Indians for their sports teams.

In April 2001, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recommended that all non-Native American schools drop their Native American mascots or nicknames. The commission declared that "the stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other group, when promoted by our public educational institutions, teaches all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, which is a dangerous lesson in a diverse society." The commission also noted that these nicknames and mascots are "false portrayals that encourage biases and prejudices that have a negative effect on contemporary Indian people." Harmless fun? For years, Native American organizations have opposed the use of such mascots, finding them offensive and a racial slur against their people. Supporters of the nicknames believe they honor Native Americans and focus on their bravery, courage and fighting skills.

Karl Swanson, vice-president of the Washington Redskins professional football team, declared in the magazine Sports Illustrated that his team's name "symbolizes courage, dignity, and leadership," and that the "Redskins symbolize the greatness and strength of a grand people."

In the Native American mascot controversy, the nickname "redskins" is particularly controversial and offensive. Historically, the term was used to refer to the scalps of dead Native Americans that were exchanged for money as bounties, or cash rewards. When it became too difficult to bring in the bodies of dead Indians to get the money (usually under a dollar per person), bounty hunters exchanged bloody scalps or "redskins" as evidence of the dead Indian.

In 1992 seven Native Americans filed a lawsuit against the Washington Redskins football club. Suzan Shown Harjo, one of the plaintiffs in the case, wrote in her essay, "Fighting Name-Calling: Challenging 'Redskins' in Court," which appeared in the book, titled, Team Spirits-The Native American Mascots Controversy, that they "petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for cancellation of federal registrations for Redskins and Redskinettes...and associated names of the team in the nation's capital." In 1999, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board "found that Redskins was an offensive term historically and remained so from the first trademark license in 1967, to the present." In a 145-page decision, the panel unanimously canceled the federal trademarks because they "may disparage Native Americans and may bring them into contempt or disrepute," Harjo reported. The Washington Redskins appealed the decision and the case is now pending in federal district court. Demeaning or entertaining? Supporters contend that such nicknames are an entertaining part of a cherished tradition and were never intended to harm or make a mockery of any group. There is also a financial side to the issue. The sale of merchandise with team mascots and nicknames on items such as t-shirts, hats and jackets brings in millions of dollars to various schools and sports teams every year. A changeover would cost money and render much of the current merchandise obsolete, the teams contend.

Opponents of Native American mascots and nicknames are not concerned about the cost and use words such as disrespectful and hurtful, degrading and humiliating to describe what they believe is racial stereotyping. They regard the mascots as caricatures of real Indians that trivialize and demean native dances and sacred Indian rituals.

"It's the behavior that accompanies all of this that's offensive," Clyde Bellecourt told USA Today. Bellecourt, who is national director of AIM, said "The rubber tomahawks, the chicken feather headdresses, people wearing war paint and making these ridiculous war whoops with a tomahawk in one hand and a beer in the other-all of these have significant meaning for us. And the psychological impact it has, especially on our youth, is devastating." What is the price of entertainment? Bozeman Public Schools 18 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page What is at stake, opponents of Native American mascots argue, is the self-image and self-esteem of American Indian children.

"Their pride is being mocked," Matthew Beaudet, an attorney and president of the Illinois Native American Bar Association, explained in "More Than a Mascot," an article that appeared in the newsletter, School Administrator. "The Native American community is saying we know you're trying to flatter us, but we're not flattered, so stop."

Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen agrees.

"It hardly enhances the self-esteem of an Indian youth to always see his people and himself represented as a cartoon character," Cohen wrote. "And, always, the caricature is suggestive of battle, of violence — of the Indian warrior, the brave, the chief, the warpath, the beating of tom-toms." Survey says The mascot issue is most controversial at the local level. Although numerous schools have voluntarily taken action to cease using Native American symbols, (see sidebar) many school boards have refused to do so. Supporters of Native American mascots and nicknames point to surveys, such as the one published by Sports Illustrated in March 2002, which found that although most Native American activists found Indian mascots and nicknames offensive, the majority of non- activist American Indians were not disturbed by them.

American Indian activists explained the discrepancy in the Sports Illustrated article that accompanied the survey, saying, "Native Americans' self-esteem has fallen so low that they don't even know when they're being insulted."

Harjo, who is president of the Morning Star Institute, an Indian-rights organization in Washington D.C., stated in her essay, "There are happy campers on every plantation." Harjo implied that although many slaves may have been content with their lives in bondage, the institution of slavery still needed to be abolished and the same reasoning holds true for Native American mascots.

According to the Sports Illustrated survey, 87 percent of American Indians who lived off Indian reservations did not object to Native American mascots or nicknames. Of the Indians who lived on reservations, 67 percent were not bothered by the nicknames, while 33 percent opposed them.

In addition to the survey, those who would like to keep the traditional Native American nicknames give examples of American Indian tribes that have openly embraced schools and teams using their names. At Arapahoe High School in Littleton, Colorado, for example, the Warriors' school gym is named for Anthony Sitting Eagle, an Arapaho leader. Every year on Arapaho Day, tribal members come from the reservation to visit with students and teach Arapaho history and traditions. Tribal leaders have also advised the Warriors on how to make their logo authentic, and even persuaded the school to remove a painting on the gym floor because it was offensive to have students walk over it. Similar close relationships exist between Florida State University and the Seminole tribe, Central Michigan University and the Chippewa tribe and the Arcadia High School Apaches in California, who have a relationship with an American Indian tribe in Arizona. Racial slur or cherished tradition? The Native American mascot issue has caused debate throughout the country between communities and school boards, students and Native American groups. Although the outcome of the debates has varied from state to state, with some communities refusing to change, the trend in recent years has been to eliminate offensive Native American mascots and nicknames at schools and colleges. Not a single professional sports team, however, has changed its name. Given the strong opinions on both sides and the pending Washington Redskins case, the controversy will no doubt rage on.

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Bozeman Public Schools 19 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page United States Commission on Civil Rights Statement of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights calls for an end to the use of Native American images and team names by non- Native schools. The Commission deeply respects the rights of all Americans to freedom of expression under the First Amendment and in no way would attempt to prescribe how people can express themselves. However, the Commission believes that the use of Native American images and nicknames in school is insensitive and should be avoided. In addition, some Native American and civil rights advocates maintain that these mascots may violate anti-discrimination laws. These references, whether mascots and their performances, logos, or names, are disrespectful and offensive to American Indians and others who are offended by such stereotyping. They are particularly inappropriate and insensitive in light of the long history of forced assimilation that American Indian people have endured in this country.

Since the civil rights movement of the 1960s many overtly derogatory symbols and images offensive to African- Americans have been eliminated. However, many secondary schools, post-secondary institutions, and a number of professional sports teams continue to use Native American nicknames and imagery. Since the 1970s, American Indian leaders and organizations have vigorously voiced their opposition to these mascots and team names because they mock and trivialize Native American religion and culture.

It is particularly disturbing that Native American references are still to be found in educational institutions, whether elementary, secondary or post-secondary. Schools are places where diverse groups of people come together to learn not only the "Three Rs," but also how to interact respectfully with people from different cultures. The use of stereotypical images of Native Americans by educational institutions has the potential to create a racially hostile educational environment that may be intimidating to Indian students. American Indians have the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation and even lower college attendance and graduation rates. The perpetuation of harmful stereotypes may exacerbate these problems.

The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other groups when promoted by our public educational institutions, teach all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, a dangerous lesson in a diverse society. Schools have a responsibility to educate their students; they should not use their influence to perpetuate misrepresentations of any culture or people. Children at the elementary and secondary level usually have no choice about which school they attend. Further, the assumption that a college student may freely choose another educational institution if she feels uncomfortable around Indian-based imagery is a false one. Many factors, from educational programs to financial aid to proximity to home, limit a college student's choices. It is particularly onerous if the student must also consider whether or not the institution is maintaining a racially hostile environment for Indian students.

Schools that continue to use Indian imagery and references claim that their use stimulates interest in Native American culture and honors Native Americans. These institutions have simply failed to listen to the Native groups, religious leaders, and civil rights organizations that oppose these symbols. These Indian-based symbols and team names are not accurate representations of Native Americans. Even those that purport to be positive are romantic stereotypes that give a distorted view of the past. These false portrayals prevent non-Native Americans from understanding the true historical and cultural experiences of American Indians. Sadly, they also encourage biases and prejudices that have a negative effect on contemporary Indian people. These references may encourage interest in mythical "Indians" created by the dominant culture, but they block genuine understanding of contemporary Native people as fellow Americans.

The Commission assumes that when Indian imagery was first adopted for sports mascots it was not to offend Native Americans. However, the use of the imagery and traditions, no matter how popular, should end when they are offensive. We applaud those who have been leading the fight to educate the public and the institutions that have voluntarily discontinued the use of insulting mascots. Dialogue and education are the roads to understanding. The use of American Indian mascots is not a trivial matter. The Commission has a firm understanding of the problems of poverty, education, housing, and health care that face many Native Americans. The fight to eliminate Indian nicknames and images in sports is only one front of the larger battle to eliminate obstacles that confront American Indians. The elimination of Native American nicknames and images as sports mascots will benefit not only Native Americans, but all Americans. The elimination of stereotypes will make room for education about real Indian people, current Native American issues, and the rich variety of American Indian cultures in our country.

The United States Commission on Civil Rights April 13, 2001 Bozeman Public Schools 20 Adapted from Georgia Department of Education December 2007 page